Car And Driver Pays Homage to the Corvette: Reflections on an Illustrated History

The excitement and outright allure of the Corvette is not an element that can be described all of the way with just one sentence or photo, and the staff at Car And Driver put together a great piece illustrating the rise of this car that all of us here at O'rielly Chevy have loved for decades. As we virtually thumbed through it wide-eyed here on the lot, it did a fantastic job of showing us just how the vehicle rose through the ranks, to get to the place it is today. During the early 1950's, it was evident that the creation of a very powerful sportscar was going to be necessary to assure that the GM namesake would remain continuously profitable.

Project Opel was the code name that the Corvette was first produced under, and it was a very unique take on the British sports cars of the time, pieced together from a fiberglass body, and a 3.9-liter straight six engine mated to a somewhat tiny 2-speed automatic transmission. After making its debut to a very warm reception during GM's 1953 Motorama show in New York city, the Corvette became the very different entrant that then went on to be mass-produced on the line. Production was slightly rushed following the debut of the model, and the two-seat roadster incorporated the use of fiberglass body panels, and had reliance on the much more powerful Blue Flame inline-six for power source.

During 1953, the U.S. Was booming in general, and Chevy produced 300 Corvettes, selling just 138 of them. Many thought that at the time, this happened because it was not civilized enough to be a touring car, nor engaging enough to appeal to die-hard sports-car enthusiasts. During 1955, new life came in abundance to the Chevy brand, when they finally shoved their 4.3-liter V-8 under the hood in one of the most intelligent plays ever. For the first time ever, the 'Vette was now offering sports-car performance of an upper caliber. For the 1956 year's offering, the front end was revised, seeming to be a bit similar to the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Coupe, while scalloped sides added a look that was much more distinct. A second carb was available, and raised power output to the 225 horse threshold.

During the 1960's, many things were changing for the car landscape in general. The Corvette went entirely under the knife once again, and emerged sporting a revised front end, as well as a new dual-headlight design for 1958... other changes include an updated interior that featured the relocation of the tachometer from the center of the dashboard, to a location below the speedometer, conveniently right in the driver's line of sight. One of the most iconic Corvettes ever was released in 1965, and the brake improvements as well as the placement of a “big block” V-8 engine under the Corvette's hood, and this was one of those models that is awesome in red, producing a monstrous 425 gross horsepower. For the 1967 model, the power rating shot up to 435, and this was when there was a second 427 – cubic-inch V-8 added to the lineup.

The introduction of the Sharknado was one of the coolest-styled additions of the late  1960's, as designer Larry Shinoda put out a true home run, based on the Mako Shark II concept car. The three-speed automatic transmission replaced the prior two-speed unit, and the very powerful and appealing Stingray was on deck to enlarge the stroke of the standard V8. This ultimately brought the displacement up to 5.7 liters, and the 1970s saw some pretty amazing Corvettes. Even though the 70's were agreeably one of the most iconic and memorable times ever, we then skipped ahead on the slideshow to 1983, when Chevy released the 4th-generation Corvette as a 1984 model.

 It was completely redesigned from the ground up, and welcomed additional clearance, as well as a lower center of gravity. The 205-hp, 350 cubic inch V-8 is the only engine offered, and mates to either a 4-speed automatic transmission, or Chevy's 4+3 manual gearbox, which offers overdrive features for gears two, 3, and 4.

For the present, the announcement of the ZR1's arrival for next year is making all of us here in Tucson pretty anxious: there were numerous changes to the Corvette during the 2000s as well, and these were the years when it became sleeker, and possessed the true luster of a futuristic and capable car. The emergence of the Z06 in 2006 was a major milestone for the brand, and many customers immediately fell in love with the lightweight aluminum frame, on top of the LS7 engine. We loved virtually picking through this illustrious ode to Corvettes, and cordially invite you down to O'rielly Chevy for a test drive of the latest and greatest ASAP!

ZL1 Camaro New Features Update: The Hot Summer's Open Road Fuel For Daydreams

The Summer is a time in Tucson when things get very exciting on the area's many tracks, and just a few minutes South of Interstate 10 on the Pima County Fair Grounds, Tucson Dragway is one of the most exciting and active drag racing facilities in the nation! A variety ranging from The Tucson Dragway Reunion, The Fall Fuel Extravaganza, Roadkill Zip-tie Drags, and the Pure Drag Racing Experience are all coming up and are going to provide many thrills on the track for everyone involved. The Southwest Showdown is a big bucks bracket race that takes place here annually, put on by Chris Forsyth of West Coast Bracket Races, and guaranteed to provide high-octane and spine-tingling excitement during the dog days of any driver's favorite season.

Since we are on the topic of exciting track contenders, the V8 SS Camaro for 2019  has had some of the major details updated: it will now have a super-cool enormous grille, and the sides remain fairly unchanged. The tail area is where you definitely see the most difference: as with the rest of next year's 2019 lineup, the ZL1 gets much larger taillights that have four new illuminated rings, that help give the car a stealthy and properly bullysome vibe. They run much deeper, have more detail than those on the current model, and the bumper has now been changed to match the others by the use of a more simplified lip under the taillights. The rear wing and diffuser appear the same as the last ones, and the same 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque engine appear to be similar, coupled to a six-speed manual, or 10-speed automatic transmission.

 The extractors in the center of the hood have also been changed, and this gives the pony car an even meaner and sleeker appearance than the existing version. Directly under those larger vents in the hood, Chevy will now offer the V8 with its 10-speed automatic, and there are new performance-oriented features like line lock and the ultra-useful launch control. Come see us soon,  and ask us during the fall how you can set your track-ready sights on the 1LE trim, with the 275-horsepower and 295 lb-ft of 2.0 turbocharged 4-cylinder engine: this package comes with a fully upgraded suspension, Track and Competition Mode settings, launch, control, and shift lights.

Once you position yourself inside, the new Camaro features Chevy's Infotainment 3 system that has better graphics and improved Bluetooth connectivity, and the 2SS and ZL1 trims feature a standard rear camera in the mirror as well. There is a 7.0-inch touchscreen as part of the standard infotainment setup for the 2019 Camaro, and an 8.0-inch screen running the latest infotainment 3 system as an option, with or without navigation. It is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and permits a cloud connection for personalized navigation, installation of apps, and vehicle software updates that are sent over-the-air.

The enhanced performance data recorder is the racing enthusiast's dream: come to visit us this fall at O'rielly Chevy, and check out the performance data recorder: it used the best in cutting-edge technology to evaluate every aspect of your drive, making the transition from training to full-fledged track pro a snap!

O'Rielly 2019 Silverado Details Unleashed: Greater Towing Max, Class Superior Strength

What a fantastic 4^th of July it was in Tucson! Fireworks on “A” Mountain, the Diamonds in the Sky Celebration, and Oro Valley Celebration were just a few of the awesome events filled with fun and red-hot displays for the entire family. All of us here at O'rielly have always been proud to live in a location that has so much to offer during the 4^th, and provides so many different ways to celebrate freedom. Now, as our attention focuses to other weekends you may have scheduled off for the hot days of summer, next year's truck models are going to have priority as one item you will have questions about. Chevy announced officially last week that the 2019 Silverado LT will be larger, more capable, fuel efficient, and will cost less: a true bargain!

There will be more interior and cargo room, higher payload and towing capacity,  along with an all-new 2.7-liter turbo engine, producing 22 percent more torque than the 4.3-liter V6 it will replace, active aero shutters, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and stop-start technology. The High Country Trim level provides the very durable and powerful 5.3-liter V8 with brand new Dynamic Fuel Management, push-button start, stop-start technology, Lane Change Alert, Side Blind Zone Alert, Advanced Trailering System, and the well-honed dual exhaust outlets.

The Z71 Off-Road Package is now available on every single Silverado model, and standard if you opt for the desert-and-dune-ready Trail Boss model. You get to explore the most desolate and rugged of locations with a factory-installed 2-inch lift suspension, Rancho monotube shocks, and Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac all-terrain tires. If you are encountering terrain that unmistakably requires slow goin' and extra care, Electric Hill Descent will be an asset that will alter your ride in a good way.

Next year's Silverado boasts larger sizes in just about every single way: the  Silverado crew cab, short box has 1.2 inches more total width, 1.5 inches more total height, 1.7 inches more total length, and 3.9 inches more wheelbase. Added all together, this solidifies the creation of the largest cargo volume of any full-size truck in short-bed, standard-bed, and long-bed models. Coming in at a final 62.9 cubic feet, the Silverado short bed offers more cargo volume than the competent, yet still top competing version of Ford's menacing and hardlined F-150 pickup.

Even with its much larger existing footprint, the Silverado is up to 450 pounds lighter than the current model, due to use of mixed materials, and advanced manufacturing. For 2019, the 6.2-liter V8 is now exclusively offered with 4-wheel drive, and if you choose the Max Towing Package, produces a 12,200-pound towing rating. This is significantly up from 500 pounds from the similarly-equipped current year's model, and all of us on the lot here at O'rielly Chevy can assure that the 2019 Silverado will continue to sway buyers into ownership with class-superior strength, abundant features, and cargo capacity!

Chevy Acquires Patent For Bison Name, Furthering Plans to Produce AEV Concept

As summer continues with its high-intensity heat rays, blue skies, and later sunsets, anyone who has just recently purchased a new car or truck here at O'rielly Chevy may be on the hunt for things to do to occupy the time. We wanted to make sure that we let you know about Mount Lemmon: just around an hour's drive from Tucson's city center, this is a favorite choice for day trip and camping for those living and visiting here. It is usually around 20 or 30 degrees cooler than the city, so it offers a refreshing breather from the sweltering heat, and retains its claim as the highest point in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Trucks are definitely many folks' favorite way to see summertime destinations such  as this one, and during the 2017 SEMA Show, the popular concept for the ZR2 AEV was unveiled. As the folks at Off-road.com pointed out last week, AEV makes use of a bison for their logo, a symbol of abundance, and sacred qualities of life. GM has now filed to trademark the name ZR2 Bison with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and all of us here at O'rielly Chevy could not be more excited. The multiple upgrades to the truck by means of this concept include a revised set of Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers, long-travel front and rear springs, 35-inch BF Goodrich tires, and a new skew of skid plates.

 It is also evident that the Bison may move in an entirely different direction from the ZR2 AEV concept, since the trademark was first filed under the guise of the Brazilian trademark office. At this time, Brazil receives the global Colorado, which features a few differences. Although some of the details at this time remain a bit unclear, we'll keep you posted right here on the blog as to any new details that arise. Motor Trend deemed the Colorado ZR2 as their esteemed “Truck of the Year” for 2015 and 2016, and the formula as a whole was beefed up quite a bit for last year, especially in terms of its suspension system.

The ZR2 features the Multimatic's Dynamic Suspension Spool Vale DSSV dampers,  which give the ZR2 massive powers for running at high speeds in the desert, and precise handling while climbing rocks. As far as the day-to-day commute, this ingenious suspension system improves ride quality, and performance on city streets as well. You also get to reap other enticing off-road benefits, such as a locking front and rear differential, larger rear axle and front control arms, rock slider body armor, and brand new front and rear bumpers that are now specifically designed to boost angles for approach and departure. Before the Bison model descends on Tucson, come to visit us here for a test drive of the current ZR2: we'll show you the many reasons why it is superior to the Tacoma TRD Pro, and able and ready for any desert-conquering days of summer!