New Corvette 2020

Since it's introduction back in 1953, the Corvette has been the Flagship of Chevy and America's most iconic sports-car. The Corvette was our answer to Germany's Porsche and Italy's Ferrari. It has played a prominent role in countless movies, TV shows, and popular culture overall.

Times and technology change and over the past 66 years the Corvette has had six generational changes. Each redesign created to meet the challenges laid-down by competitors, foreign and domestic. With each generation the team faced the same problem, how to evolve and push the performance and styling to compete with the world's best sports-cars, yet still hold true to its spirit, and legend? What are the styling cues that which must, in some form, still find their way into the redesign?

2020 will bring an all new design and, what most enthusiasts are calling, the most significant change in Corvette's history; for the first time it will become a mid-engine. It will also be the first time since 1955 that one will not have the option of a manual transmission. The vehicle is equipped with an eight-speed dual-clutch made by Tremec, OK, you can switch the system into a "manual mode" but it's still fly-by-wire.

In a world where top-tiered sports-cars are expected to turn in sub 4 second times, with several kicking past the 3 second threshold; designers felt the Corvette was due for a ground-up redesign. It's not enough to increase speed, that much power needs better brakes and handling to match. The team realized that By moving the engine to the middle of the car, they could better balance the weight between the front and rear which would provide  equal traction across all four wheels and improve the car' stability through the corners.

                                       Greg Pajo / Car and Driver

 

More Information from Chevrolet 

_____________________________________________________________________

Quote, Buy, and then Print your Policy

Have Questions or Prefer to Talk to an Insurance Agent?

Call Urban at 1-800-680-0707.

Our friendly and professional auto insurance agents are available to talk to you
Monday – Saturday from 8:00A – 6:00P Central Time.

Air Cooled Porsche 911s Prices Rise

In 1999 Porsche said goodbye to the air-cooled 911 to, what at best could be called, mixed reviews. It was quick, and it had more modern comforts, but many felt it didn't hold true to the essence of what a Porsche was suppose to be. Moving ten years forward to 2009 and resale prices for 1990 911s were bringing in higher values than 2004 models. Over the past ten years that difference has only increased. 

Modern air-cooled 911s include the 964 1989-1993, and The 993 1994–1998 model years. Of these,

 it's the 993s that are typically the most prized. The values range dramatically between common production models and special limited versions. 
A few of the  particularity valuable examples include: the PORSCHE 993 TURBO S,
PORSCHE 993 GT2, PORSCHE 964 CARRERA 3.8 RS, and PORSCHE 964 Speedster, if clean, these cars can bring prices in the low to mid six figures.

Common sense suggests that prices will level off, with only the most treasured cars out pacing inflation. Over all, it's the rare auto that can return a larger investment than just putting the money in an index fund. The best way to look at classic car buying is that you have a chance to  own and drive a hot car at the same cost of driving a four-year-old Toyota.

911 Prices 

More info 

Urban Insurance Agency
800 W Huron St #301
Chicago, IL 60642
312-664-8088

1961 Ferrari 250 GT Spyder

.
Search as I might, I have never found any Ferrari design that did not set my heart racing. Beginning from their first cars in 1947, to the newly released FF,2+2 V12 4 Wheel drive, Ferrari, freed from the need to produce an auto at an affordable price, has pushed the boundaries of speed and handling. Ferrari’s new California Gran Turismo with it’s mid-front 8-cylinder engine: has a Max speed of 193 mph, hit 62mph in under 4 seconds.


Throughout their history, each of the Ferrari models both road cars as well as the cars they sent into competition, have made use of what was at that time, the “State of the art technology.” This willingness to utilize the “Latest and Best” has kept them on top.

While I marvel at the performance data of their newest offerings, I still have a great fondness for their classic cars of the 60s.



One such example is the Ferrari 250, a sports car built by Ferrari begaining in 1953. The car was in production till 1964 and was the most successful of their early line-up being replaced by the 275 and later the 330.

One think that is clear, obviously I’m not the only one to find these vintage models so desirable. RM Auctions joined with Sotheby’s to sell a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spyder, and set a new world record for the most expensive auto ever to be sold at auction. The fact that the car was at one time owned by the actor,James Coburn (In Like Flint), could have had a slight “Bump-up” from its pedigree, but the staggering final bid of $10,894,400 defines this as one of the most beautiful, desirable vehicles ever built.


Speaking of which, remember the Ferrari California in Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Well the House used in the movie is located in Highland Park, Illinois. This house does in fact have that garage cantilevered over the ravine from which the car crashes; well that house is up for sale.
The asking price for the home is 1.6 million, clearly that house will sell for less than the value of The Ferrari 250 GT California, that in movie legend was destroyed as the result of an ill-conceived attempt to "Reverse-out" the miles racked up after 3 teens day on the town.

Porsche Caymen R

Less is more


When I opened and email from Porsche today and read through their information promoting their new Caymen R. the first thought that popped in my mind was the Architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. While he did not coin the term he used it to describe his aesthetic concept of stripping a design, be it a building or a chair, to it’s most basic, essential elements, believing that there was beauty and power in extreme simplicity. To turn the quote around, “That adding more that what was necessary, created a design of Less value.
The irony is that Mies van der Rohe buildings were not inexpensive to build. In fact some of the “Simplicity” raised, rather than lowered the cost.

Read Porsche’s outline of the wonders of their new Cayman R, and you will see some common rhetoric with Minimalist design that began in Germany while Mies was working alongside Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier.
Cayman R

When developing the Cayman R, one thing was clear: It should be uncompromising, sharper and more radical than before. This was to be achieved through a consistent mid-engine concept combined with rigorous weight reduction and enhanced power output. The result: No radio. No air conditioning system. No cupholders. Instead: 19-inch lightweight alloy wheels. Sports bucket seats. And 330 hp. In short: 121 lbs. (55 kg) lighter and 10 hp more powerful than the Cayman S.

I understand that in any sports car weight is the enemy. Well to be more exact, the greater the weight the more horsepower needed to reach the top-speeds and 0-60 times that cause excitement for the owner. So I get the idea of taking steps to cut weight. That said I feel strange about paying Porsche thousands of dollars extra money to take-out equipment that they charged me to include in the car originally. It's a little like charging me $2 more for the Cheeseburger, than charging me an extra $1 to remove the cheese.

That said there is no doubt that it is a HOT car, and I'll bet fun to drive.

Urban Auto Insurance Agency

Chicago Car Insurance Claims increase, are they part of a Worldwide Trend?

It is clear that America is not the only place where a rising number of law suits are having an impact on auto Insurance rates. In these Hard financial times, more people are under great financial pressure, This can often lead people to take actions that their conscience would not permit in less difficult times. It is interesting to see that Chicago, nor Illinois is not alone in this matter, but that is a part of a worldwide trend....



» Read "Chicago Car Insurance Claims increase, are they part of a Worldwide Trend?"...

Is my son insured to drive my Ferrari

Is true Christmas is the season of giving, and is also true that during this season your children deserves special attention, but still... This is what might happen when you borrow your Ferrari to your child. And we have two examples to make you think twice.

The first accident happened in Newport Beach, CA on Christmas Eve. The father (in his 90’s) gave his son (in his 70’s) a brand new Ferrari F430. The grandson was driving the car with his cousin in the passenger seat when the car lost control and crossed over onto oncoming traffic. The Ferrari crashed head on into a tow truck. The passenger was killed instantly, the driver was in critical condition.
The other accident happened in Romania and involved a Ferrari F430 Spider. The kid driving the car lost control and crashed into an oncoming car. He was unhurt.

Why dads shouldn't borrow their Ferrari to sons originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 28 December 2009 09:52 EST.

Woodard Dream Cruise 2009
Ferrari Enzo
Dream Cars (Carrera GT)
Will 2013 look like this for Porsche?
BMW 850i and 850CSi 1989-1999