VIDEO: Kawasaki ZX10 takes on Mazda RX-7 with Corvette V8 in Drift Challenge

Now here's something you don't see every day. Sent in by Carscoop reader Łukasz Ż, this enjoyable time-waster of the day pits a motorcycle against a rear-wheel drive sports car in an out of the ordinary drift challenge. In one corner we have Nick "Apex" Brocha of Icon Motorsports piloting a 2005 Kawasaki ZX10 with 175HP and an extended swingarm. In the other corner is professional racecar driver Jim Guthrie in a 1993 Mazda RX-7 powered by a 375HP Corvette V8 engine. The result? Follow the jump to find out.

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VIDEO: Dallas Performance’s 1,302HP Corvette C6 Hits the Dyno

After some recent fails, let’s see a dyno test with a happy ending. This is a 2005 C6 Corvette built by Dallas Performance, which recorded a whopping 1,302 hp and 1,662 Nm (1,226 lb-ft) of torque on the rear wheels, according to the performance charts.

To achieve this, the tuning firm upgraded the V8 powerhouse with twin turbos, Performance Induction LS3 heads, RC120 injectors and single plane intake. The power is transferred to the rear wheels through a TR-6060 transmission and a C6 Z06 differential. The clip is available after the break.

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James Robbins’ Corvette Design Study: Close But No Cigar

Here at Carscoop, we love us some Corvette design studies. Heck, if we wanted to we could probably serve up a new one every day of the week.

Today’s CAD mock up comes from transportation design student James Robbins. Think of it as a C6.5, a stopgap measure between the current gen Corvette and a future C7 model. The design brief required Mr. Robbins to use the basic proportions of the C6, which limited what could be done with the design.

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Blast from the Past: Chevrolet’s Stunning 1973 Aerovette Concept

How do you replace a motoring icon? In the years leading up to 1968, U.S. automaker Chevrolet was dealing with this very problem with their venerable Corvette. The first and second generation Corvettes, designed by Harley Earl and Larry Shinoda respectively, were stylish and innovative creations that drew countless fans from the automotive community.

The answer lies, in part, with the Aerovette: a mostly forgotten concept that made just two auto show appearances before being relegated to the GM Heritage Museum.

In the late ‘60s, GM engineer Zora Arkus Duntov and his team were toying with the XP-882, a mid-engined design and engineering exercise built on Oldsmobile Tornado underpinnings. Though fascinating from a design and engineering standpoint, Chevy General Manager John DeLorean saw no future for the XP-882 and canceled the project in 1969. It was simply too expensive and too impractical for the impending 1970s America.

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1985 BMW 557i with Corvette V8 Heart Transplant

Owning a mint condition E28 BMW 5 Series would be a dream come true for most bimmer fans. However, the owner of this Euro-spec 1985 528i was probably not impressed by the stock 2.8-liter powerplant’s 184-ponies, so he performed an engine swap.

If it was up to me and money wasn't an object, I would've probably tried to fit a V12, but the 1999 Chevy LS1 V8 isn’t a bad fit either - that is, if you really feel the need to hear an American V8 burbling under the hood of a vintage German sedan.

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Brillante Vendetta a Ferrari Testarossa for Yuppies Hit by the Economic Crisis

If there's one manufacturer that every motoring enthusiast adores, it's Ferrari. And from the mid to late '80s, the king of wall poster exotics was the make's epic flat-12 engined Testarossa.

So what does a budding Ferrarista do in the late '80s? Well, you can't buy a Testarossa, as the thing costs US$180,000 or more than the median house price at the time. You could buy a Chevy Corvette for a lot less, though really that's just admitting that you're not as rich or cultured as the guy with the Mercedes-Benz 450 SL.

So why not go for something that's home grown but with an exotic edge? No, not a De Tomaso Longchamp; I'm talking about something that's really home grown. Home built, even. A Brillante Vendetta!

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Transformer's Corvette Stingray Concept Replica from Custom Hell

Chevrolet's 2009 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept that made its way into the Transformers movies is one of those love-it / hate-it cars. On the one hand, it was sleek and muscular and pointed to the next generation Corvette. On the other hand, it owed a bit too much design-wise with the 2003 Cadillac Cien and the nods to the original Corvette Stingray appeared a little forced.

Still, I'd find it hard to believe that anyone, even lovers of the '09 Concept, would consider putting down over US$40 grand on this so-called replica. It's even harder to believe that underneath all that fibreglass is a 2005 C6 Corvette; it could just have easily been based on a twenty year old Mazda Miata / MX-5 like so many other eBay customs.

So what does the US$42,500 "Buy It Now Price" get us? For starters, the underpinnings from the C6 Corvette including its 440 hp LS2 V8 and 6spd automatic transmission. You get a clear title and 29,111 miles on the odometer to boot.

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Popular Mechanics Compiles List of 1980s and 1990s Dreams Cars Priced under $6,000

Popular Mechanics has put together a list of 1980s and 1990s cars, which it claims, back then could be considered by many as "dream cars", but today can be found on eBay for under US $6,000. We can't say we fully agree with the term "dream cars" for some of PM's choices as they're not exactly the hottest vehicles ever made, but, hey, they represent some weird decades.

Just be sure that you can mend a thing or two under the hood, otherwise you should be wary or better yet, increase your budget. Hit the jump to read about the cars that made it into Popular Mechanic's list and why not, tell us what your choices would be from the era with a budget up to $6,000.

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VIDEO: C6-based Rossi SixtySix Corvette appears on Jay Leno's Garage

Coach-built Corvettes are a dime a dozen, and usually when someone tries to do the "retro" thing with a custom car the result ends up appearing cheesy or shoddy at best. In the case of the Rossi SixtySix, at least the final product is better than the average attempt...I think. I'd still have to see the car in person to be 100% sure.

Underpinned by a 2007 C6 Z06, the most important aspect of the SixtySix concept is its appearance, which takes its fair share of styling inspiration ("the best of everything") from vintage Vettes.

The car was designed by David R, who hopes to be selling turn-key models for $120,000-$130,000 via his Rossi Motor Company in the near future. Other than retro exterior cues, the SixtySix also has a modified suspension/wheel/brake setup, power rear hatch, and a revised interior with rear-view camera.

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SEMA Show: Corvette Jake Edition and Z06X Track Car Concepts

After the two Camaro concepts (see here), it's Corvette's turn to show up in style at the SEMA Show. Behold the Corvette Jake Edition and Z06X Track Car concept models.

First up is the Jake Edition Concept featuring the skull mascot known as Jake, which started off as a discrete logo on Corvette racing cars back in 2005. GM considers that it embodies the determination and triumphs of the Corvette Racing team, so it built a special concept vehicle to honor it.

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Vipervette is the latest project to kill two performance nameplates in one go

The 1986 Vipervette is exactly what you think it is: part Dodge Viper, part Corvette, all painful. Riding on a 1986 Corvette chassis, the Vipervette is said to have inherited its body (and not much else, apparently) from a 2000 Dodge Viper. Because of this hodge-podge mix of machinery, we have a car with some very awkward proportions.

The car is motivated by the '86 Vette's power train - a 5.7-liter V8 and a 4-speed stick - so don't expect to be going anywhere in too much of a hurry. Inside is more of the 1980's, with the Corvette interior color-coded to line up with the Viper exterior (meaning it's the mighty played-out red and black).

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We're Goin' Surfin': Rental Corvette Abandoned in Pacific Ocean [With Videos]

Some presumably drunk people out California way decided to have a little bit too much fun in their recently-rented Corvette and ended up parked in salt water halfway up the car's doors. Thankfully in this day and age everyone has some sort of video recording device within arm's reach, so we have some post-parking-surfing videos below.

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Chevrolet Video Teases 2010 SEMA Show Tunes

Next up on our motor show calendar is the biggest tuning event of 2010, the SEMA gathering in Las Vegas, and like every year, GM will be there with a huge display of vehicles. This time, the General is video-teasing some of the Chevrolet models that will descend on the Las Vegas convention center next month including several Corvettes, Silverados and you guessed it, a boat-load of Camaro builds. Scroll down to watch the clip.

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Australia: The Pricey World of Right-Hand Drive Conversions

Car buyers in Australia and other RHD countries have long got the short end of the stick in terms of American muscle cars. The reason is quite simple: they drive on the "wrong" side of the road.

Most manufacturers are unwilling to do right-hand-drive conversions on what are essentially specialist models: cars like the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Viper, Ford Mustang and the like. There just aren't enough buyers to rationalize the cost.

Fortunately, a cottage industry (or rather a man-in-a-shed industry) has popped up offering RHD conversions of American muscle cars for eager buyers in countries like Australia, the UK and Japan.

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Cascade engineering Corvette Racing

Click above to view the video after the jump

Episode eight of the Corvette Racing series is up and this installment delves into what the team calls "cascade engineering." It covers some of the same ground we discussed back in March when we toured the Pratt & Miller race shop where the C6.Rs are built and prepared.

The race team works very closely with the production engineering team, using most of the same computer aided engineering tools, and the lessons learned from the 10 years of the race program have been fed back into street car program. Proof? The face of the C6 with its flush headlamps and wider grille opening for better breathing were all inspired by the race car. Similarly, the track-bound coupes now use a 5.5-liter version of the LS7 V8 from the production Z06. Because of the limited in-season testing available to American Le Mans Series teams, the Corvette Racing crew relies on tools like computational fluid dynamics to improve the car from race to race, which you learn more about in the video after the jump.

2010 Callaway Chevrolet Corvette SC580

Callaway Cars are on the new Callaway Chevrolet proud corvette SC580: class class-competing supercar against a fraction of the costs of its European collega' s to introduce. To hold to a design philosophy forged more than thirty years of the construction of " Powerful Engineered serious Fast" auto' s, the Callaway SC580 offer intimidating strength during reflecting refined manners: Low 11-seconden ET-mogelijkheid file properties perfect with no petrol mileage punish, one 3 years/36,000 miles of aandrijflijn guarantee and a scale to optional performances and aesthetic improvements.2010 CALLAWAY CORVETTE SC580 STANDARD EQUIPMENT:
• Roots-style Eaton CS2000 Supercharger, with polished finish
• Liquid-to-air intercooler, integral to intake manifold base (patent pending)
• Increased flow rate Fuel Injectors
• Body-color Injector Covers
• Electronic Fuel Pump Controller
• Callaway Double-D Stainless Steel Exhaust System
• Callaway Honker High Flow Intake System
• Callaway RTM Fiberglass Hood Bulge
• Callaway Door Sill Panels
• Callaway Embroidered Floor Mats
• Callaway Badging, Exterior and Interior, including Dash Plaque with engraved VIN
• Callaway Corvette Authenticity Documentation
• Callaway 3 year/36,000 mile limited powertrain warranty



Performance Specs
Maximum Power: 580 bhp @ 6500 rpm
Maximum Torque: 510 lb-ft @ 5000 rpm
Maximum Engine Speed: 6500 rpm
Top Speed: 204 mph
Fuel Economy: MT 15/25 mpg – AT 14/24 mpg

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:
• Callaway Short Throw Shifter
• Callaway Exhaust Tip Slats
• Hood Accent Color, C16 Hood or Carbon Fiber Hood Bulge
• Callaway 9-Spoke Alloy Wheels
• Callaway/Dymag Wheel & Tire Package
• Callaway LMGT Brake Packages
• Callaway Deutschleder Interior Group
• Callaway Sport Seats w/ Optional Harnesses
• Cast, Machined Valve Covers with Remote Ignition Coil Mounting
• Callaway/Eibach Multi-Pro Coil-Over Suspension

MSRP: 2010 Callaway Corvette SC580 Package $19,400

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Superformance Builds Exact Replica of 1963 Corvette Grand Sport

The makers of the Cobra, Daytona Coupe, and GT40 replicas over at Superformance, are at it again, this time with the launch of a special replica of GM's most coveted track racer ever, the 1963 Chevrolet Grand Sport. And mind you, Superformance's Grand Sport is much more than your everyday kit car as it's a licensed replica of the original model that was the secret brain child of renowned Corvette engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov.

Back in the early 1960s, Duntov wanted to develop a purpose-built-race car to win Sebring and Le Mans. Working under secrecy, Duntov and his Chevrolet staff went ahead and built a total of five specially engineered prototype racers based on the 1963 Corvette. However, for various reasons, GMs execs never approved the program and the production of the 125 street-legal cars that were required for racing-class homologation were never built.

The five prototypes that had already been crafted made their way on the race tracks (without GM's official endorsement though) during the 1960s in the hands of "private" racers with strong contacts within Duntov's engineering circle. All five cars exist today and are considered to be amongst the most valuable vehicles in the collector market.

Having acquired the original blue prints and molds from the No2 Grand Sport that had been transformed into a roadster by Chevrolet before the project was canceled, Superformance's replica is virtually a clone of the original racer sans the engine and transmission.

The Grand Sport clone will be available in both coupe and roadster forms and can be fitted with any crate engine currently offered by GM's Performance Parts division. Unlike the original prototypes, Superformance's licensed replica can be ordered to be completely street legal.

Superformance said that the first completed street version rollers will be available in the market sometime in mid 2010. Pricing has not been announced, but if you're interested, you can find out more and even place your order by calling the company at (949) 900-1950.