Chevrolet Corvette

Chevrolet Corvette C6.R is a grand tourer racing car built by Pratt & Miller and General Motors for competition in endurance racing. It is a replacement for the Corvette C5-R racing car, applying the body style of the new C6 generation Chevrolet Corvette as well as improvements to increase the speed and reliability on the track. Since its debut in 2005, it has continued on from the previous dominance of the C5-R in its racing class with multiple American Le Mans Series championships and race wins in the Le Mans Series, FIA GT Championship, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Development

Having already established the C5-R as a winning car, the development of the C6.R was more of an evolution of a design rather than an all new car which required long periods of testing and design. Pratt & Miller's process was aided by the fact that, unlike the C5-R which debuted several years after the C5 generation Corvette was on the streets, the C6.R and C6 generation Corvettes would be developed at the same time. This meant that design elements which would help the race car could be adapted to the road car, allowing the C6.R to use more exotic design features but still meet homologation requirements. In turn, this meant racing elements could be adapted to the Corvette Z06 performance car, which the C6.R shares it exterior styling with.

Corvette Racing

Following the retirement of the C5-R at the end of 2004, the factory Corvette Racing squad started 2005 with two brand new C6.Rs. Unlike the previous car, which ran only select events until it could be proven quick and reliable, the C6.Rs would compete in the full American Le Mans Series season in their first year. The season did not begin as Corvette Racing had planned however, as the equally new Prodrive Aston Martin DBR9 managed to win the initial event at Sebring, earning Corvette Racing their first loss since the end of 2003. Prodrive returned to Europe after Sebring, and Corvette Racing was able to earn wins in each of the succeeding races that season. Even when Prodrive returned for the final two rounds, the improved Corvettes continued their streak and won both races. The C6.Rs also ventured to Europe for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the team were able to outlast the quicker DBR9s to earn a 1-2 victory in the GT1 class and finish fifth and sixth overall.

Chevrolet Volt

Chevrolet Volt is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle manufactured by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. The Volt has been on sale in the U.S. market since mid-December 2010, and is the most fuel-efficient car with an internal combustion engine sold in the United States, as rated by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

According to General Motors the Volt can travel 25 to 50 miles (40 to 80 km) on a 16 kW·h (10.4 kW·h usable) lithium-ion battery; The EPA found in tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls, the all-electric range averaged 35 miles (56 km), with an energy consumption of 36 kWh per 100 miles (810 kJ/km), and the total range (using battery power first then electricity generated by the on-board gasoline-power generator) is 379 miles (610 km). EPA rated the Volt's combined city/highway fuel economy at 93 miles per gallon gasoline equivalent in all-electric mode, and at 37 mpg-US (6.4 L/100 km; 44 mpg-imp) in gasoline-only mode, for an overall fuel economy rating of 60 mpg-US (3.9 L/100 km; 72 mpg-imp) combined.

The Volt's lithium-ion battery pack can be charged by plugging the car into a 120-240VAC residential electrical outlet. No external charging station is required.[ After the Volt battery charge drops to about 35% of full charge, it switches to extended range mode, when a small 4-cylinder internal combustion engine burns premium gasoline to power a 55 kW (74 hp) generator supplying the electrical power to extend the Volt's range. In addition, while in extended range mode and travelling at highway speeds, the engine can engage mechanically via a clutch to combine with the electric motors for propulsion. The electrical power from the generator is sent primarily to the electric motor, with the excess going to the batteries, depending on the state of charge (SoC) of the battery pack and the power demanded at the wheels.

The suggested retail price for the 2011 Chevrolet Volt starts at US$40,280 excluding any charges, taxes or any incentives. Qualified buyers are eligible for a US$7,500 U.S. federal tax credit and additional incentives are available in some locations. The Volt is also available through a lease program with a monthly payment of US$350 for 36 months, with US$2,500 due at lease signing, and with an option to buy at the end of the lease. The Volt will be initially sold in seven regions: California, Washington, D.C. Area, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Austin, Texas. Nationwide availability in the U.S. and Canada is scheduled to begin with the 2012 model year commencing in late summer 2011.