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2015 Callaway Corvette Z06 gets new supercharger, adds $17K to starting price

Callaway's proud tradition of modifying Chevrolets is about to add a very significant chapter this weekend, as the company prepares to unveil a modified version of the 2015 Corvette Z06. The engine mods are simple, though we expect them to be very potent. That's because Chevy has replaced the factory supercharger with a new "GenThree" unit that's nearly a third larger than what's bolted on in Bowling Green. A new intercooler is also added, along with a new high-flow intake system. Beyond that, the changes are exclusively of the subtle cosmetic variety. There's new badging inside and out, as well as new engine covers, floormats and an underhood plaque. Naturally, there's documentation to verify the Callaway Z06's authenticity, and the comfort that comes with a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty. Callaway has priced the upgrade package at $16,995, in addition to the price of the stock Z06. While we're still waiting to hear official power figures, that seems like a reasonable asking price for what were wagering will be a major increase in power. The Callaway Z06 will debut this weekend at the National Corvette Museum's C7 Bash in Bowling Green, KY. Expect more details following the debut. Scroll down for the official press release. Related Video: 2015 Callaway Corvette Z06 to Debut at National Corvette Museum The 2015 Callaway Corvette Z06 will debut at the National Corvette Museum C7 Bash in Bowling Green, Kentucky, April 23 through April 25. Here's a sneak peek at the new package. Based on Chevrolet's track-proven Z06, Callaway engineers' no-compromise approach takes this Corvette to an astounding power level. While advertised Callaway horsepower and torque are pending final validation, the Callaway package adds Callaway's new GenThree supercharger system with 32% more displacement than the stock Z06 supercharger, improved manifold design and unique triple-element intercooling system. Callaway engineers recognize that a key contributor to maximizing power is reduction of inlet air temperature. By exposing the supercharger's large plenum area to outside ambient airflow, the design takes advantage of the significant charge air temperature reduction provided by convective cooling. The completely redesigned intercooling system also helps maintain nearly ambient charge air temperature with exceptionally low air restriction.

Porsche and Buick earn top honors in J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index Study

Customer satisfaction with car buying has been at a low point over the past few years, as price increases, inventory shortages, and COVID restrictions have complicated every part of the process. There are signs of improvement, however, as J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Sales Satisfaction Index Study showed that customer satisfaction has improved slightly from a year ago. J.D. Power rates satisfaction on a 1,000-point scale, finding that it improved seven points to 793 from last year. Improving inventory levels and a slow leveling off of prices have contributed to that improvement, and fewer people are paying above MSRP for new cars. Some auto brands performed better than others with sales satisfaction. Porsche ranked highest among premium brands, followed by Alfa Romeo. Buick took the top spot among mass-market brands, with GMC, Chevrolet, and Mitsubishi behind. J.D. Power also handed out segment-level awards: Premium Cars: Porsche Premium SUV: Porsche Mass-Market Car: Chevrolet Mass-Market SUV/Minivan: GMC Mass-Market Truck: GMC Despite the increase in sales satisfaction, thereÂ’s still room for improvement to reach pre-pandemic levels. J.D. Power noted gaps in salesperson knowledge as an area of improvement. Buyers rated salespeople much better during a gas vehicle purchase than with EVs, citing their expertise as a challenge. Pricing remains a challenge despite an improvement since 2022, and satisfaction is still below pre-pandemic levels. Mass-market buyers reported a slight bump in satisfaction, while premium buyers felt that pricing was less fair than a year before. ItÂ’s an interesting contrast, showing that dealer pricing tactics can significantly impact satisfaction with the sales process. Fewer people may be paying more than MSRP, but several premium models still list with significant markups. Even more interesting is PorscheÂ’s top spot on the satisfaction list, as its cars often sell with huge upcharges, and itÂ’s exceedingly tricky even to get a build allocation for some models. Buick Chevrolet GMC Porsche Car Buying Ownership

Weekly Recap: Racing legend Jim Hall explains Chevy's futuristic Chaparral concept

"I said our cars are built to be winners." – Jim Hall Racing legend Jim Hall never thought he'd be a video game consultant, but when Chevrolet asked for his advice to create a futuristic Chaparral for the Vision Gran Turismo series, he was eager to help. He reviewed early sketches and suggested some changes that made it onto the concept, including the addition of a camera that's mounted onto a mast over the cabin to aid the driver. The Chevy Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo concept was revealed this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show and will be part of a downloadable update for PlayStation 3's Gran Turismo 6 in December. Theoretically, at least, it uses a laser-beam propulsion system and an air-powered generator to produce 900 horsepower in the video game. It's capable of sprinting to 60 miles per hour in 1.5 seconds en route to a top speed of 240 mph. Those gaudy performance specs – even in the virtual world – came at Hall's urging. "I said our cars are built to be winners," Hall told Autoblog on the floor of the Los Angeles show. The 79-year-old drove Lotus racecars in Formula One before launching the successful Chaparral Cars in the 1960s. Like his innovative Can-Am racers, the Vision Gran Turismo project has an eye toward the future. It also introduces the iconic Chaparral name to a new generation of fans, and hopefully, Hall says, gets them excited about engineering and design. "It emulates what we did in the '60s," he said. And what they did back then still resonates. Chaparral Racing and Chevy partnered more than 45 years ago for development work on the composite monocoque chassis, lightweight alloy powertrains, automatic gearboxes and active aerodynamics. "He [Hall] walked right back into this and was able to apply thinkings and learnings," said Clay Dean, General Motors executive director of advanced design. The Chevy Chaparral 2X Vision Gran Turismo concept was created at GM's North Hollywood advanced design studio, and it will be on display at the show through November. Other News and Views Sebastian Vettel joins Ferrari team in 2015 Ferrari confirmed that four-time Formula One World Champion Sebastian Vettel will join the Scuderia for the 2015 season, jettisoning Ferrari's current ace, two-time champ Fernando Alonso. Vettel has been F1's most successful driver since Michael Schumacher, though he's struggled to match his previous accomplishments in 2014.