1971 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible on 2040-cars

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Seized drug dealer's Corvette Z06 joins Texas police fleet

A police department in Texas caused a stir after they posted pictures of their hot new ride on social media last week. This 2007 Corvette Z06 with dark-tinted windows once belonged to a drug dealer, but was seized in a DEA raid. The feds awarded the Corvette to the New Braunfels Police Department for their help in bringing down the drug distribution ring in the area. When police posted images of the car on their Facebook page, some followers were angry that tax dollars were spent on such an extravagant car. New Braunfels PD were quick to defend themselves. "To be clear, this vehicle was awarded to NBPD as part of an asset distribution from the Federal DEA criminal case of a large drug distribution ring in our area," the New Braunfels PD wrote on their Facebook page. "NBPD was instrumental in helping bring down that drug enterprise. Property seized during the course of an investigation is only awarded to the law enforcement agency after a court has determined that the suspect was involved in criminal activity and the proceeds (money) from that activity (i.e dealing drugs) paid for the items seized. Therefore, no property is given to a law enforcement agency prior to the investigation being completed and tried in a court of law." With a 505 horsepower V8 engine this murdered-out Corvette could outrun most speeders and getaway drivers. As is often the case in instances such as this, however, the 'Vette will be used in community outreach programs rather than as an active-duty cruiser. The department is currently holding a contest asking kids between 8 and 16 years old to find a name for the sports car. Currently, the most liked name is 'Optimus Crime'. A final winner will be chosen by the department on September 22. The kid who picks the name will earn bragging rights, plus a ride in the Corvette when its unveiled at the Comal County Fair Parade this weekend. Related Video:

Chevy Corvette is latest car breached by hackers

UPDATE: This story has been updated with comment from General Motors. In the latest car-hacking exploit in a summer full of them, researchers from the University of California-San Diego say they've found a way to manipulate braking in a 2013 Chevrolet Corvette. The vulnerabilities may not be limited to that model. Cyber-security researchers breached the car's security systems via a device they had plugged into the Corvette's OBD-II port, and through that connection, they sent messages that could turn windshield wipers on and off and tamper with the brakes as the car drove at low speeds. It's the latest in a series of car hacks that involve access to critical systems obtained via the OBD-II port, where drivers can plug in devices that provide anything from diagnostic information for mechanics to driving information for insurance companies. Last November, cyber-security engineers from Argus Cyber Security remotely controlled vehicle functions in a car that had a OBD-II dongle called a Zubie installed. In January, researchers from Digital Bond Labs found security holes in an information-tracking dongle popular with more than 2 million Progressive Insurance customers. Those came before prominent hacks unveiled in recent weeks, in which researchers remotely commandeered control of a Jeep Cherokee and, separately, showcased problems with GM's OnStar infotainment system. Regarding the dongles that plug into the OBD-II ports, Stefan Savage, a Cal-San Diego professor involved in the research, tells WIRED that, "we acquired some of these things, reverse-engineered them, and along the way, found that they had a whole bunch of security deficiencies." Savage and others unveiled the latest study at the Usenix security conference Tuesday. In a video of their exploit entitled "Fast and Vulnerable," they show how they sent SMS messages from a smartphone to the dongle plugged into the car's OBD-II port. From there, their messages accessed the CAN bus, a network on the car that connects individual electronic control units, which control dozens of vehicle functions. As they send the commands to brake the car, the driver of the Corvette notes "the pedal doesn't react to any pressure." General Motors issued a written response Wednesday, warning drivers to be careful with third-party devices they plug into their OBD-II ports.

GM resumes production of its 3.0-liter turbodiesel straight-six

General Motors temporarily stopped taking orders for trucks and SUVs equipped with the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel six-cylinder engine in August 2021 due to a supplier shortage. Reports claimed the pause would last through 2021, but the engine is already back in production. Enthusiast website GM Authority learned from sources inside General Motors that the straight-six is once again coming off the assembly line at the Flint Engine Plant in Flint, Michigan. There's no official word on precisely what the problem was linked to and whether it was related to the on-going chip shortage that's wreaking havoc across the automotive industry. All we know is that the pause lasted for about two weeks. Called LM2 internally, the six is available in Chevrolet's Tahoe, Suburban, and Silverado 1500 and in GMC's version of these trucks. It's also an option in the Cadillac Escalade. It develops 277 horsepower at 3,750 rpm and a V8-like 460 pound-feet of torque at 1,500 rpm in every application, and it allows these big behemoths to post surprising fuel economy numbers. Fitted to a rear-wheel-drive Tahoe, the Duramax returns 21 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the highway, and 24 mpg in a combined cycle, figures that make it more efficient than a Blazer. Demand for the diesel-powered trucks is relatively high. While the shortage undoubtedly took a toll on sales, the Duramax represented 8% of Suburban sales and 6% of Tahoe sales in May 2021. There are no other diesel-burning full-size SUVs available new so they have the market to themselves. On the truck side, Ram still makes the EcoDiesel available on some 1500 trims but Ford abandoned the segment. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe RST View 24 Photos Chevrolet GMC Truck SUV Diesel Vehicles