· Two special models in limited edition
· C6 based on Indy 500 pace car
· Z06 ‘427’ with a salute to the past



A legendary brand such as Corvette leaves plenty of traces. Traces which deserve to come under the spotlight. So now fans can order two very special limited edition models: one based on the Corvette Indy 500 pace car, and one as a salute to the unforgettable ‘big-block’ Stingray models from the 60's.

Corvette Indy 500 Pace Car

For ten years - including the last five years in succession - Corvette has provided the official pace car for the world-famous 500-mile race at Indianapolis (Indy 500). To celebrate this milestone, the manufacturer is building five hundred pace car replicas based on both the C6 Coupe and the Convertible. Only twenty Coupes and five Convertibles are available for Europe, all black with a Titanium Grey interior and equipped with automatic transmission. The Convertible has a grey soft top.

The replicas are immediately identifiable from the striking stickers of the pace car, including the Indy 500 logos. What is special is that each one will carry a signature and serial number by former Indy winner Emerson Fittipaldi. Furthermore, each vehicle is fitted with the new polished five-spoke alloy wheels, a Z06 rear spoiler, a DVD navigation system and the Luxury Package. The latter includes heated seats, head-up display with G-force meter, a Bose® 7-speaker system and an automatically dimming rear-view mirror.

Corvette Z06 427 Limited Edition

The 60's gave rise to many great memories. One of them is undoubtedly the ‘big-block’ Corvette Stingray. With the introduction of the Corvette 427 Limited Edition Z06, Corvette is also awakening memories – in an exclusive way. It is building 505 of these limited edition vehicles, of which only 52 will be coming to Europe.

The number 427 refers to the cylinder capacity in the American unit of measurement, cubic inches. In the years 1966 to ‘69, the most powerful Corvette engines had this capacity – also the cubic inches equivalent to the 7.0 litre LS7 ‘small block’ in the current Z06.

The special limited edition of the Z06 is characterised by a number of unique 427 styling features, such as the Crystal Red Tintcoat metallic paint with ‘stinger style’ graphics, exclusive chromed rims, a leather interior with embroidered 427 logo on the seats and floor mats, ‘Z06’ inscription in the sill strips, and a centre armrest with serial number and signature by Corvette factory director Wil Cooksey.

Both special models are available for order now, with delivery scheduled for this summer. Please contact your local Corvette dealership for price information.

gmeurope

· Top speed 330 km/h
· 647 DIN HP from the supercharged LS9 V8
· Most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market



When it was introduced at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit earlier this year, the 2009 Corvette ZR1’s power was estimated at 100 horsepower for each of its 6.2 liters of displacement. GM Powertrain has completed SAE certification of the ZR1’s supercharged LS9 V8 and the results exceed the estimate: 647 horsepower (476 kW) and 819 Nm of torque.

The LS9’s output is nearly 103 horses per liter, or just about 1.7 horses for each of the engine’s 376 cubic inches. It is unquestionably the most powerful automotive production engine ever manufactured by General Motors and enables the Corvette ZR1 to achieve a top speed of 330 km/h (205 mph).

"One of the most amazing things about the Corvette ZR1 is the level of refinement that our designers and engineers have attained. Even with all that power, this car has road manners that will allow our customers to enjoy it on the streets as a daily driver, and on the track," said Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper.

The Corvette ZR1 goes on sale in Europe end of 2008. Its 647-hp supercharged engine is complemented in the chassis by heavy-duty components not offered in any other model, including a six-speed manual transmission with race-hardened gears and dual-disc clutch technology that delivers exceptional clamping power and lower inertia, as well as strengthened axle components.

Fuel economy testing has not been completed, but engineers are confident the ZR1 will be the most fuel-efficient 600-plus-horsepower car on the market.

The LS9 engine is hand-built by specially trained technicians at GM’s Performance Build Center in Wixom, Michigan. It is a unique, small-volume engine production facility that also builds the Corvette Z06’s LS7 engine and other high-performance GM production engines.

“Developing the LS9 involved more than simply striving for a great horsepower number. Endurance and reliability testing have shown the engine to be robust and low-maintenance, just like other engines in the small-block family,” said Sam Winegarden, executive director, engine engineering for GM Powertrain. “That it is distinguished as the most powerful engine ever from General Motors is a source of immense pride among everyone involved with the LS9.”

Supercharged aspiration

The key enabler of the LS9’s performance is the industry’s first production application of a new, positive-displacement Roots-type supercharger that has a unique four-lobe rotor design. Its design promotes quieter and more efficient performance, while the large, 2.3-liter displacement ensures adequate air volume at high rpm. Maximum boost pressure is 0.72 bar. It is teamed with an integrated charge cooling system that reduces inlet air temperature for maximum performance.

“The combination of large displacement and the new, four-rotor design broadens the effective range of the supercharger, allowing the engine to make more power at lower rpm and sustain it throughout the power band,” said Winegarden. “The low-end torque is tremendous and the high-rpm charge from the supercharger is simply amazing.”

A raised hood provides adequate clearance for the LS9, while a polycarbonate window in the hood provides a view of the engine beneath it.

gmeurope

· Corvette C6 GT4 makes debut with promising second place
· Runner-up spot for Martini Callaway Z06R in GT3
· Solid performance by Corvette squad in GT1



The first weekend of FIA GT racing at Silverstone saw some good performances of the Corvette teams in their respective disciplines. Most of the action took place under gloomy conditions, the often changing track causing spins and crashes which led to a number of safety car interventions. All this did not prevent Danny van Dongen from scoring a well deserved second place in the opening round of the GT4 European Cup. The Dutch driver had surprised everybody by qualifying the Kroymans Racing Corvette C6 GT4 on the front row. The brand new car, recently built by Callaway Competition in Germany, had only been tested shortly and made its race debut at the English circuit. Van Dongen put in a very strong performance and got to within 0.7 second of race winner Nikolaus Mayr-Melmhof, underlining that the Corvette C6 in GT4 trim has tremendous potential for the series.

Van Dongens good result was copied in race 2 of the FIA GT3 European Championship by the French team of James Ruffier/Arnaud Peyrolles. From a ninth grid position they climbed up through the field to claim the runner-up spot in their Martini Callaway Racing Corvette Z06R.

In the first round of the FIA GT Championship the Corvettes C6.R of Fässler/Déletraz (Phoenix Racing) and Bouchut/Maassen (Selleslagh Racing) started from the front row. Both teams as well as the other Phoenix C6.R of Hezemans/Gollin were in strong positions during the first hour. However the pit stops, Déletraz being hit by another car and an unclear safety car situation with 20 minutes to go caused turmoil, dropping Bouchut/Maassen to fourth, Hezemans/Gollin to fifth and demoting Fässler/Déletraz to eighth.

For more Corvette racing info visit www.corvettemotorsport.com.

gmeurope

· China premiere of Astra Notchback, Flextreme concept car at Beijing Motor Show
· Opel to expand dealerships to meet demand



Opel will present the Astra sedan for the first time in China at the Beijing Motor Show, adding to the palette of the five cars already on offer and promising to further increase the popularity of Opel cars in this high growth market. Also new for the Beijing show, which runs from April 20 – 28, is Opel’s concept car Flextreme that relies solely on an electric motor for propulsion. The motor of the Flextreme draws its power from an extremely high capacity lithium-ion battery.

The Astra notchback will help meet the strong demand for sedans in China, a market where 85 percent of all motorists already drive a four-door car with a conventional trunk. Already the Astra five-door hatchback and GTC models have won over customers and become the brand’s best sellers in the country. Other European-made Opels available on the market range from the Astra TwinTop convertible to the Vectra and Zafira. The Astra GTC featuring the panorama windshield recently was named “Most Fashionable Vehicle” by China’s Trade Center for Automobile Imports and sina.com, the largest Chinese web portal.

Opel is positioned as a high-quality niche brand in a country where almost 8.5 million vehicles were sold in 2007 alone. Last year Opel sold more than 3,700 cars in China and the company predicts sales to expand as new models are introduced. The current network of 38 dealerships will be expanded to 45 by the end of this year.

“Opel is in the premium brand league in China. The combination of sporty designs, high-quality equipment, numerous safety components and superb value for money has earned our vehicles an excellent reputation among Chinese drivers,” says Carl-Peter Forster, President, GM Europe.

Four-door Astra notchback brings fresh momentum

Moreover, Forster believes Opel sales will get a fresh boost with the introduction of the notchback. “The four-door Astra, which was successfully launched in Europe in October 2007, will further consolidate our market position in China,” Forster predicts.

Thanks to a class-leading wheelbase of 2703 mm, the Astra notchback boasts a spacious interior. Passengers in the rear have plenty of space and the 490 liters of luggage volume can be expanded to 870 liters simply by folding down the asymmetrically-split rear seats. The notchback sedan is available with the state-of-the-art 103 kW/140 hp, 1.8-liter ECOTEC gasoline engine, combining economy and environmental compatibility with sporty performance.

German engineering enjoys excellent reputation in China

Highly regarded in China, German engineering is sure once again to impress the media and consumers with the Opel Flextreme. The concept car, which made its world premiere last year at the IAA in Frankfurt, also will be shown in Beijing. It relies solely on an electric motor for propulsion, with the motor drawing its power from an extremely high capacity lithium-ion battery. A 1.3 CDTI diesel engine powers an onboard electric generator for additional electricity. With this propulsion concept, the Flextreme emits less than 40 g/km CO2, giving it the potential to become an effective solution to increasing air pollution.

Forster is convinced that there is a bright future for the Flextreme concept in China. “The Flextreme is an important part of our strategy to reduce CO2 emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels. Solutions like this will reach production maturity in the near future, and they can make a substantial contribution to minimizing vehicle emissions, especially in rapidly expanding markets like China,” he adds.

Opel in China and beyond the borders of Europe

Opel began operations in 1996 in China and has established an excellent reputation there as a sporty, dynamic European import brand. Opel vehicles currently are sold in more than 20 countries outside of Europe. In 2007, these sales topped 66,000 units, a jump of almost seven percent from 62,500 in 2006. In addition, modified Opel models are sold in ten other countries under the Saturn (North America), Holden (Australia) and Chevrolet (Latin America) brands.

General Motors in China

The General Motors relationship with China dates back more than eight decades. GM has eight joint ventures and two wholly-owned foreign enterprises employing more than 20,000 people in China. GM, along with its joint ventures, offers the broadest lineup of vehicles and brands among automakers in China. Products are sold under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Opel, Saab and Wuling nameplates. In 2007, domestic sales of vehicles by GM and its joint ventures rose 18.5 percent on an annual basis to a record 1,031,974 units. GM ended 2007 with an estimated market share in China of 12.2 percent. It has been the sales leader among global automakers in China for three consecutive years.

gmeurope

· Sculpted design with a flowing coupé silhouette
· Four-wheel drive, active chassis and seven engines available at launch
· World premiere July 2008 at the London Motor Show



A new name, a new car, a new ambition. With its groundbreaking design and sophisticated technology, the Insignia makes a quantum leap toward rejuvenating the brand and providing the perfect opportunity to discover Opel. The styling of the new 4.83 meter five-seater clearly expresses Opel’s strategy to make advanced technology and attractive design affordable.



The Insignia boasts a flowing, powerful silhouette with a coupé-like roofline. The body’s sculpted shape is accented by a distinctive radiator grille with a newly-designed Opel emblem. Unmistakable design elements include a sweeping front and rear light “wing” signature and a “blade” side contour that begins directly behind the front wheel and glides through the entire side of the body. Both details give the Insignia’s a muscular but graceful allure.

“With Insignia we are introducing an exciting new sophisticated design vocabulary, which combines sculptural artistry with German precision,” says Mark Adams, Vice President Design, GM Europe. “Our aim was to develop a confident look which compels the world to experience for themselves the superb driving dynamics the Insignia radiates.”

Echoing the exterior, the interior shapes and surfaces, which articulate this promise for exciting mobility, are crafted with high quality materials. The dashboard wraps around from the instrument panel to the door in a very sophisticated way, embracing the occupants. This wing theme will be echoed across all Opels. Red ambient lighting, which also will be featured in future Opel models, vibrate a warm, luxurious aura. A lot of emphasis too has been put into the seating, which set the highest standards in ergonomics, comfort and safety.

Opel’s pioneering role and unique expertise in lighting technology continues in the Insignia with the latest generation AFL Adaptive Forward Lighting system: Nine different light beam settings automatically adjust themselves to cater to various driving conditions, simultaneously enhancing safety and driving excitement. Another new element on the AFL system is the LED daytime running lights, which consume considerably less energy than a conventional system featuring halogen lamps, thereby lowering CO₂ emissions from 6 g/km to nearly zero.

“As each feature demonstrates, the Insignia is the result of our quest to develop a car that combines striking design, excellent driving dynamics and innovative technology” says Hans H. Demant, Managing Director, Adam Opel GmbH.

The Insignia is offered from the start with front-wheel and all-wheel drive. The “Adaptive 4X4” system’s proactive, instantaneous torque distribution not only ensures optimal traction but also enhances driving stability and dynamic handling performance. In the all-wheel drive Insignia, the FlexRide mechatronic chassis system with its Adaptive Stability Technology helps the car adjust to prevailing driving conditions and allows the driver to select settings to match his mood. FlexRide is also available in the front-wheel version.

The Insignia will launch with an exceptionally broad range of seven engines. All meet Euro 5 emissions standards and come with either manual or automatic six-speed transmissions. The four gasoline engines range from a four-cylinder 115 hp unit to a V6 with 260 hp. The three new direct-injection diesels feature a displacement of 2.0 liter and outputs spanning from 110 to 160 hp. Subsequently the Insignia engine line-up will be expanded with an EcoFLEX version offering very low CO₂ emissions in addition to other, more powerful variants.

“The Opel Insignia sets new standards in technology and innovation -- this will be obvious right from the launch. But we are keeping several cards up our sleeves when it comes to environmental compatibility, excitement and safety, which we will play strategically overtime” says Alain Visser, Chief Marketing Officer, GM Europe.

The Insignia notch- and hatchback will debut July 22, 2008 at the London Motor Show and hit showrooms starting in November. The Insignia was developed at GM Europe’s International Technical Development Center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, which also is home to its production. The Rüsselsheim facility is one of the most advanced car plants in the industry.

gmeurope

· GT4 built by Corvette specialist Callaway in Germany
· GT4 race car based on Corvette C6
· GT4 version with minor changes also suited for Dutch Supercar Challenge



This weekend Corvette will participate in the FIA GT4 European Cup at Silverstone. The English circuit hosts the first two rounds of this FIA Championship. Among the cars on the grid is the new Corvette GT4, built by Callaway. Earlier, the experienced German specialist was already responsible for a number of very successful Corvette racecars. The new car will be driven by the Dutchmen Danny van Dongen and Rogier Kroymans, both team members of the Kroymans Racing team.

The GT4 series was initiated last year. The races will be held on six European circuits (Silverstone, Monza, Oschersleben, Francorchamps, Brno and Nogaro). Race fans will notice that the race calendar more or less echoes that of the GT3 series. This is indeed the case, since the GT4 Cup derives from GT3. The difference lies in the fact that GT3 is a race series for semi-professionals, which most certainly cannot be said of GT4. From a technical point of view, the GT4 cars are much closer to the production cars in the dealer showroom. Every effort has been made to keep the GT4 Cup as accessible as possible. ‘Gentleman-drivers’ are most welcome, professional racing drivers however are not.

Corvette enjoys a fine reputation in the world of international motor sport, due in part to the various competitions and race series in which the American supercar goes to battle with other cars. The American racing legend has won the GT1 class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as Francorchamps and the European FIA GT3 Championship 2007. The GT4 is a logical, affordable addition to the more professional and more expensive race categories; without a Corvette, the GT4 grid is not complete.

With the arrival of the GT4 version, based on the Corvette C6, Corvette is active in almost all categories of GT racing. It is proof of the fact that motor sport is an important part of the brand philosophy. ‘Win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ is a maxim held in high esteem by Corvette.

The 2008 C6 GT4 is built by Callaway Competition in Leingarten, Germany. This car is based on the 2008 C6 model. The 6.2 V8 LS3 engine features dry-sump lubrication. The close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox is supplied by Tremec and the triple-plate race clutch by Tilton. Further modifications: ventilated disc brakes from AP Racing (front: diameter 355 mm, 6-piston calipers; rear: diameter 330 mm, 4-piston calipers), racing ABS, cast-magnesium wheels from OZ Racing with Pirelli tires (front: 265/645-18; rear: 305/680-18) and a Koenig Hans bucket seat with 6-point safety harness. The C6 GT4 is also equipped with a roll cage, safety fuel tank with a capacity of 104 litres and refuelling valves on both sides, pneumatic jack system, polycarbonate rear and side windows and a GM Performance T1 chassis with adjustable anti-roll bars front and rear.

The engine delivers 437 bhp, but Callaway can boost this to 500 bhp for non-FIA race categories. An aerodynamic body kit is available too, consisting of a large front spoiler with splitter and a rear wing for added downforce. These options are fitted on Corvettes participating in the Dutch Supercar Challenge (DSC).

Callaway has the capacity to build five GT4 cars this year. Delivery of these cars will take place at the Corvette Experience Centers, where GT4 drivers can also turn to for spares. The FIA GT4 version carries a price tag of approximately € 125,000; the DSC version is approximately € 150,000.

gmeurope

· Chevrolet is launching the second edition of the Young? Creative? Chevrolet! contest with 75 schools of Applied Art registered for the 2008 competition in 15 European countries



Expecting up to 940 projects to be submitted this year, Chevrolet seeks the best growing creative talents, among European students.

Young? Creative? Chevrolet! is a competition on Chevrolet’s brand image conducted in cooperation with renowned Schools of applied art across Europe and open to their students.

Chevrolet creates an opportunity for students to focus on a specific brand project and add their own touch to it. “Young? Creative? Chevrolet!” aims to stimulate and reward the students directly and links Chevrolet’s identity to the best creative hubs across Europe.

The students participating in the competition have to present a personal or group work in one of the following 5 disciplines, using Chevrolet’s brand image:

Photo / Video / Visual Arts / Interior Design / Fashion

2007 to 2008, more and more participants…

In 2007, 8 countries participated. This year, the number of participating countries has increased to 15 countries across Europe: Austria, the Baltic countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia), Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Slovenia and Switzerland.

Most schools have registered to compete in more than one discipline. The schools say it is a very good way to illustrate what they teach and to motivate their students

Alain Vögeli, General Manager of the Ecole de Multimédia et d’Art of Fribourg in Switzerland, whose team won the first prize in Photography in 2007, explains: “Projects linked to real-life creation like this one help getting beyond the perceived rigidity of the professor-student relationship, giving young creators different guidance. This is something very rewarding for us professors, too!”

Most schools involved in 2007 also registered for 2008. Among them:



National and European awards

The 940 projects, which are expected, have to be submitted in May to the national juries. Panels of judges involving prominent figures from the art world, the media and Chevrolet organization will elect the best projects for each discipline at a national level. Each national winner project will then be presented to the European judges for the YCC 2008 European grand finale for each of the five disciplines.

Virginie Lescure, the French stylist who chaired the European Fashion jury in 2007, underlined how many initiatives such as “Young? Creative? Chevrolet!” are needed in the arts community, targeting young talents: “I remember well my times as a young creator trying to get my career started and I must tell you that opportunities such as these are as rare today as they were yesterday. Arts do not get enough support in our societies. We need more wonderful, concrete projects like this.”

“We are very excited to continue this project”, says Wayne Brannon, Executive Director of Chevrolet Europe. “We were very impressed by the first works the art students submitted for the first contest. The young artists demonstrated clearly their creativity, their enthusiasm and their fresh thinking!”

For more information about the contest, please visit: www.youngcreativechevrolet.eu

gmeurope