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Corvette Z06 Limited Edition
427 version comes off line at BG assembly plant bearing longtime manager's signature
427 version comes off line at BG assembly plant bearing longtime manager's signature
By AMEERAH CETAWAYO, The Daily News, acetawayo@bgdailynews.com/783-3246
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 11:40 AM CDT
Production for the new 2008 Chevrolet Corvette 427 Limited Edition Z06 is revving at the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly Plant, only a few weeks after the car was announced in February.
With a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $84,195, the limited edition Corvette joins the Indy 500 Pace Car replica as the second limited-production Corvette model introduced for 2008, according to GM.
Only 427 will be offered in the United States and Canada, with 78 more exported outside North America, for a total of 505 production vehicles.
The vehicle pays homage to the “big-block” Stingray Corvette models of the mid-1960s that had 427 engines, according to GM. Each vehicle showcases a personal touch - each hood badge of the 427 is numbered and signed by Wil Cooksey, the former Corvette assembly plant manager who retired last month after 15 years on the job.
Cooksey bought the first 427 off the line, he said.
“I own the first one,” Cooksey said, adding that there’s no greater honor to bestow upon an individual to show they’re appreciated - a permanent place in history since the Corvette’s introduction in 1953.
“It’s an awesome experience,” Cooksey said. “I consider it an awesome honor to have my associates and team members and GM friends all over in the company to think enough of the work that I’ve been a part of - keeping the legend alive and well - that they would give me that honor.”
Calling the 427 a vehicle that is “sharp, noticeable and stands out” this morning, plant manager Paul Graham said the limited edition Corvette is a great tribute to Cooksey.
“Everyone has been very excited about it. Obviously Wil has had a long history with the plant and his contribution to the Corvette and the Corvette Museum,” Graham said.
Graham also anticipates the special vehicle will give Corvette enthusiasts another reason to love America’s sports car.
“With the customer enthusiasm we have, they always look for the special vehicles that help differentiate themselves from others,” Graham said.
A majority of the 427 models will be produced by the end of April, Graham said.
Besides a certificate of authenticity, the Corvette 427 Z06 features a Crystal Red Tint coat exterior - the first Z06 ever offered with a red metallic tint coat paint. Also, the vehicle has graphics on the hood and dashboard area that mimic the “stinger” hood design and graphics offered with 1967 models equipped with the 427 engine.
The only option for the 427 model is a navigation system priced at $1,750. Customer delivery is also available at Bowling Green’s National Corvette Museum, a feature offered with other Corvette models as well.
“The heritage of the 427 designation with the Corvette is legendary,” Corvette product manager Harlan Charles said in a news release. “Recognizing the tie-in of the original 427 engine and the LS7’s 427-inch displacement has been on the Corvette team’s mind since the Z06 was introduced, and we’re thrilled to express it in this special model.”
