Chevrolet is now offering Corvette Z06 or ZR1 Buyers the option to go to the engine factory and build the engine (under supervision) that will go into their Corvette!<\/p>\n
Would you want to do this with your Cadillac CTS-V?\u00a0 Actually, the Chevrolet option is enabled by the fact that the engines for these models are made by hand at the Performance Center, as the 4.4L S\/C V8 in the STS-V was from 2006-2009.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Offering the same option on other models would require a bit more thought.\u00a0 It is a special experience to help build your next car, and I hope that GM continues to develop this type of thoughtful interactive option.<\/p>\n
DETROIT<\/strong> <\/strong>\u2013 For enthusiasts who want to be personally involved in creating their Corvette, Chevrolet\u2019s new Corvette Engine Build Experience allows them to literally build the engine for their new car.<\/p>\n
In what is believed to be the world\u2019s most hands-on super car program, customers who order a 2011 Corvette Z06 or ZR1 can choose an option to help assemble their cars\u2019 LS7 or LS9 engines at General Motors\u2019 Performance Build Center (PBC) in Wixom, Mich.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorvette owners are some of the most passionate \u2013 and most involved \u2013 enthusiasts in the industry,\u201d said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Chevrolet marketing. \u201cThe Corvette Engine Build Experience offers customers an unprecedented opportunity to participate, hands on, in creating the car.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to building their own engines, Corvette buyers can attend driving school in Arizona or Nevada, take delivery of their vehicles at the National Corvette Museum or watch their vehicles being built at the Corvette assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn a way, this is a dream program for a Corvette customer. I would have jumped at the chance to build the 427 in my \u201967 \u2019Vette, and that didn\u2019t have half of what goes into one of these modern precision engines,\u201d said Tom Stephens, GM vice chairman, Global Product Operations. \u201cToday’s LS7 and LS9 Corvette engines are pinnacle achievements in engineering, and to personally involve our customers in their final creation shows the depth of Chevrolet\u2019s commitment to make lasting connections with the customer.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Engine Build Experience is an option with a suggested retail price of $5,800. When a customer selects the PBC option for a 2011 Corvette Z06 or ZR1 and the dealer submits the order to Chevrolet, a special concierge contacts the customer to verify participation and help coordinate arrangements. While travel arrangements to and from Metro Detroit are the customer\u2019s responsibility, the Chevrolet concierge helps schedule the engine build; coordinates the customer\u2019s activities at the Performance Build Center; assists with booking local lodging and meals, and arranges local transportation.<\/p>\n
At the PBC, the customer doesn\u2019t merely view the engine\u2019s assembly; he or she builds it under the supervision of and support from skilled technicians. When the engine is assembled, a personalized nameplate is added to the engine next to the builder\u2019s name. It is then sent to the Corvette assembly plant for installation in the customer\u2019s car.<\/p>\n
The Corvette Engine Build Experience is possible because of the hand-assembly processes used at the 100,000-square-foot PBC. Technicians hand-build the Corvette Z06\u2019s LS7 7.0L engine, the Corvette ZR1\u2019s 6.2L supercharged LS9 engine and a variation of the Corvette Grand Sport\u2019s LS3 6.2L engine. The PBC incorporates the best practices of low-volume niche manufacturers and the established quality and manufacturing standards at GM to ensure the highest-quality specialized engines.<\/p>\n
Like all engines assembled at the PBC, Engine Build Experience engines are covered by Chevrolet\u2019s five year \/ 100,000-mile transferable powertrain warranty.<\/p>\n
The Engine Build experience is the latest program Chevrolet offers for Corvette owners. Other programs include:<\/p>\n
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- Corvette plant tour, where customers can follow their vehicle down the Bowling Green assembly line<\/li>\n
- Corvette Museum delivery, where customers take delivery of their new Corvette at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green<\/li>\n
- Corvette ZR1 Driving School, which offers complimentary attendance at either Bob Bondurant\u2019s Corvette Driving School in Arizona, or Ron Fellows\u2019 Corvette Performance Driving School near Las Vegas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u201cSimply put, no other sports car manufacturer can match the level of personal customer involvement that Corvette offers,\u201d Campbell said. \u201cThe Corvette Engine Build Experience takes this personal involvement to an unprecedented level.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information, see facebook.com\/corvette<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Chevrolet is now offering Corvette Z06 or ZR1 Buyers the option to go to the engine factory and build the engine (under supervision) that will go into their Corvette! Would you want to do this with your Cadillac CTS-V?\u00a0 Actually, … Continue reading