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Callaway, Lingenfelter boost Corvette Z06 way beyond 700 hp

With 650 horsepower and just as much torque on tap, few would accuse the latest Corvette Z06 of being down on power. But for those who'll always demand more, two leading Corvette tuners have just announced new tuning packages for the Z06 to boost Chevy's flagship well beyond 700 horsepower. The more powerful of the two comes from Callaway Cars, which has added a larger supercharger, a triple-action intercooler, and more to increase output to a massive 757 horsepower and 777 pound-feet of torque. The result, according to Callaway, is a 0-60 time quoted at 2.8 seconds and a quarter-mile run in 10.5. The package also includes a reshaped hood, all manner of trim upgrades, and a three-year warranty, and will set you back nearly $17k on top of the cost of donor vehicle that currently lists for $79,000. In what could only come second relative to Callaway's kit, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has also released a Stage 1 package for the Z06. The kit includes a new dry sump damper, upgraded supercharger pulley and drive belt, and more – all of which Lingenfelter says will boost the Vette's output up to 720 hp and 730 lb-ft. Revised performance figures weren't released, but despite the 37-horse, 47 lb-ft deficit, we doubt it'd trail Callaway's by much. But both would likely leave the stock Z06 in their dust, and you can read more about them in the press releases below. Related Video: Callaway Cars Releases Their Most Powerful Corvette - 757 bhp / 777 lb-ft - Z06-based Corvette upgrade boasts 32% larger supercharger, triple intercoolers, and consistent power - lap after lap The Numbers - Callaway Cars today announced power numbers and performance for the flagship model in their performance car lineup. Equipped with Callaway's GenThree Supercharger, the Corvette Z06 now produces 757 bhp @ 6,200 rpm and 777 lb-ft @ 4,500 rpm (SAE). A launch to 60 mph is now achieved in 2.8 seconds, and a quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds at 131 mph. Why Go Big, When You Can Go Bigger? - Size Matters. To reach that power (which is up from 650 bhp / 650 lb-ft) the supercharger itself needed to be bigger since the output of a positive displacement supercharger is proportionate to its size. The Callaway GenThree supercharger is 32% larger in displacement (2300cc vs 1740cc). Cooling - Callaway engineers recognize that a key contributor to maximizing power is reduction of inlet air temperature associated with forced induction.

Burt Reynolds' movie re-creations fetch $379,500 in Vegas

The recent death of Hollywood legend and automotive enthusiast Burt Reynolds helped drive up the value of four of his former cars from the 1970s and '80s, which sold last weekend at Barrett-Jackson's Las Vegas auction for a combined $379,500. Reynolds, who died Sept. 6 at age 82, had offered three Pontiac Trans Ams — two of them re-creations of the cars he drove in "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Hooper" and the third from 1984 used to promote his United States Football League team, the Tampa Bay Bandits. The fourth was a 1978 Chevrolet R30 pickup truck, styled like the one featured in "Cannonball Run." The "Bandit" re-creation, a 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am that Reynolds ordered to be as "movie-correct" as possible but featuring a custom-built 200-4R automatic transmission, sold for $192,500. The car features a freshly built Pontiac 400 cubic-inch V8 mated to a four-speed automatic and featuring all-new Butler Performance parts and air-conditioning components. Reynolds reportedly said this was his favorite car from his films, and it even came with an authentic movie-correct CB radio and CB antenna. The red retro-rocket "Hooper" '78 Firebird, with a 403 cubic-inch V8 and a three-speed automatic, hammered for $88,000. By comparison, a gold 1978 Trans Am also offered at the Las Vegas auction but not connected to Reynolds fetched $27,500. The 1987 Chevy R30 pickup was a re-creation of the Indy Hauler pace truck seen jumping over a moving freight train in "Cannonball Run." It hammered for $49,500. The fourth car never appeared in any of Reynolds' films but is instead the only surviving example of two Trans Ams used to promote the Tampa Bay Bandits of the now-defunct USFL, having been driven out onto the field by Reynolds and his late friend and co-star, Jerry Reed, during opening day one season. It also sold for $49,500. At the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in 2016, Reynolds accompanied a 1977 Trans Am used to promote "Bandit" onto the auction block. That car sold for $550,000. Related Video: Featured Gallery Burt Reynolds 2018 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas Auction Image Credit: Barrett-Jackson Celebrities Chevrolet Pontiac Truck Coupe Performance celebrity pontiac trans am pontiac firebird burt reynolds

GM raises 2023 guidance on strong sales, higher profits

General Motors beat first-quarter profit estimates and raised its full-year earnings and cash-flow guidance after vehicle demand at the start of the year surpassed expectations. Its shares rose in premarket trading. GM made $2.21 a share in adjusted profit in the first quarter, compared to a consensus forecast of $1.72 a share. Revenue rose 11% to $39.99 billion, it said Tuesday, which was more than the $39.24 billion analysts expected. The stronger results stem from rising sales in the US, even in the face of higher interest rates and inflation. GM executives said demand was strong enough to revise 2023 guidance upward, boosting profit estimates for the year by $500 million to between $11 billion and $13 billion. “We did it with strong production and inventory discipline and consistent pricing,” GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said on a call with journalists. “All in all, weÂ’re feeling confident about 2023.” The Detroit automaker raised per-share full-year guidance to between $6.35 and $7.35, up from $6 to $7 a share, and said free cash flow would also increase by $500 million to a range of $5.5 billion to $7.5 billion.  GMÂ’s shares pared a gain of as much as 4.4% before the start of regular trading Tuesday, rising 3.5% to $35.50 as of 6:55 a.m. in New York. The stock was up 1.9% for the year as of the close on Monday.  North American Strength The automakerÂ’s sales were particularly strong in North America, where first-quarter earnings rose before interest and taxes rose to $3.6 billion. Vehicle sales rose 18% to 707,000 in the region. Jacobson said the company originally expected to sell 15 million vehicles in the US this year, slightly less than the 15.5 million annualized rate automakers foresaw in the first quarter. North American demand was enough to offset a weak performance in China, GMÂ’s second-largest market. The automaker continues to struggle in the country, where its vehicle sales fell 25% to 462,000 vehicles in the quarter. Profits from its joint ventures in the market slumped 65% to $83 million.  The market has struggled overall in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions and foreign automakers have had to overcome a growing preference for Chinese brands by competing on price, squeezing profit margins. The situation in China probably wonÂ’t significantly improve until the second half of the year, according to Jacobson. GM remains on target to sell 150,000 electric vehicles this year, the CFO said.