Corvette Report’s BREAKING NEWS from the week of 9-26-25
This week’s Corvette headlines include:
- GM – Greatest Auto Engineering Company in the World?
- SHARK ALERT: Mako Shark-I at Saratoga Auto Museum
- Why No Active Aero on the C8 ZR1?
- 2025 NCM HOA Inductees: Chuck Jordan, Kim Baker, & Charley & Jim Robertson
Is GM The Greatest Automotive Engineering Company In The World
TheAutopian.com writer, David Tracy, is either a brave dude or a bonehead. Additionally, I have been following all things Corvette since the mid-1960s and have seen lots of General Motors’ less-than-impressive efforts. Beating up on GM has become “sport” for a long time.
Tracy’s review of GM’s engineering expertise is mostly focused on Corvette performance models since the C5 and ZL1 Camaros. Tracy also puts attention on GM’s advanced engineering. Topics include electric vehicle “skateboard” platform designs, diesel-electric train locomotives, transit buses, and the fold-up Moon Buggy.
But for our interest, (all things Corvette), the story points out that since the Z06, dollar-for-dollar, it whoops butt on performance sports cars costing double (and more!) than the Corvette. Even back in the mid-1980s, the lowly L98 1985-1987 Corvettes totally dominated the SCCA Showroom Stock Series. After three seasons, the best names in the sports car world couldn’t keep up with the Corvettes, Chevy’s plastic fantastic was KICKED OUT of the series.
Nuff said. Most importantly, if you have a beef with GM, hold that in abeyance; this is an interesting article.
For the full story, CLICK HERE. – Scott
Looking for a great gift for your favorite Corvette person?
Shirts, Mugs, Caps, Hoodies & More
1961 Mako Shark I Corvette Concept On Display At Saratoga Automobile Museum
Looking for great art for a Corvette Cave or Room?
Posters and Canvas Wraps from K. Scott Teeters.
SHARK ALERT! The 1961 Mako Shark-I was the first of a series of “Shark” Corvettes from the hyper creative mind of Bill Mitchell, GM’s VP of Design from 1958 to 1977. Mitchell’s 1959 Stingray Racer served two purposes: first, to work out the Peter Brock “Q-Corvette” design on a full-size, functioning car, and 2, so that he could go racing.
The rest is history; the Stingray Racer’s shape was approved to be the basis of the C2, and the 1938 Trumpf Adler’s aero teardrop roof was added to the Stingray Racer’s body to be the 1963 Sting Ray Coupe. By 1961, the design process for the all-new C2 was underway, but Mitchell needed a “teaser” Corvette with exaggerated design styling elements from the 1963 Corvette.
The Mako Shark had all the Stingray racer’s fender humps, strong belt-line crease, a 1961-like windshield, lots of entertaining surface details, and the now-classic blue-to-white paint design. The Mako Shark went to work on the show car circuit to keep the public jazzed for the next Corvette. For a time, Bill Mitchell used the Mako Shark as his personal means to get to and from work. Nice perk!
For the full story, CLICK HERE. – Scott
Why Didn’t Chevy Use an Active Aero System on the C8 ZR1?
Back in March 2017, we told you about the U.S. Patent for GM’s “Active Aero” system. At the same time, Active Suspension technology has been around since 1987 on a Buick Electra mule car. It didn’t take long for “active” suspension to be simplified and made available on all Corvettes. But no one back then was thinking “Active Aero”, where the computer makes real-time adjustments for positioning of the spoilers, wings, splitters, and such.
Despite this, why doesn’t the C8 ZR1 have Active Aero? The short answer is that the car doesn’t need it. Horsepower and torque of C8 Z06 and ZR1 are so high that the added drag from wings and canards made no difference in performance, such that the aero pieces need real-time adjustments. I recently was reading a story about Corvette racers that were using more aggressive spoilers, claiming an extra “100 pounds” of downforce.
The C8 ZR1’s aero parts yield 1,200 pounds of downforce. Most importantly, despite having a U.S. Patent, the mighty C8 ZR1 doesn’t need Active Aero.
For the full story, CLICK HERE. – Scott
Chuck Jordan, Kim Baker, & Charley & Jim Robertson Inducted Into 2025 Corvette Hall Of Fame
Kim Baker’s 1987 Escort Racer #4 SCCA Showroom Stock Series Corvette
It’s always great to see Corvette movers and shapers recognized and awarded. The National Corvette Museum Hall of Fame has three categories. GM/Chevrolet, Corvette Enthusiast, and Corvette Racing. The NCM HOF Class of 2025 includes: Chuck Jordan, GM VP of Design; SCCA Showroom Stock Series champion driver, Kim Baker, and Charley & Jim Robertsom.
To date, 92 people are in NCM’s Hall of Fame. Kudos to everyone.
For the full story, CLICK HERE. – Scott
PS – You should go to the Corvette Report FREE Public Library! We have stacks of PDF documents of old car magazine articles about Corvettes. There are never any Library Late Fees because you don’t have to return the PDFs! I add new PDFs weekly! CLICK HERE!
Check out our Corvette art and swag in our Etsy store, HERE!
Check out our Corvette art and swag in our Etsy store, HERE!
We also have Zip Hoodies with C1 to C8 Corvette art in our Car Guy Merch Etsy store, HERE.
PS – Additionally, be sure to check out our new line of Corvette Entine T-Shirts, “I Still Play With Blocks” in our Etsy store, HERE.
And, we have a very cool collection of old, defunct car magazine covers, featuring Corvettes, as posters and art prints in our Etsy store, HERE!
We have over 55 Corvette magazine covers available as art prints and posters in our Etsy store, HERE.
We have over 55 Corvette magazine covers available as art prints and posters in our Etsy store, HERE.
Our Etsy store has over 95 Corvette engine art prints and posters in our Etsy store, HERE.
