Chevrolet will launch the sixth generation of its legendary Corvette sports car at the Detroit Motor Show. The first official photos and info of the muscle car are online now.

The all-new Corvette C6 will be available as a coupé and cabriolet model with sales starting later this year.

The C6 replace the outgoing C5 Corvette and according to Chevrolet the aim of the new model was to create a 21st century Corvette that both thrills the legions of traditional loyalists and captures the imagination of a new generation of performance enthusiasts.

According to Chevrolet the signature of the sixth generation is an "expressive new design" that is a worthy extension of the Corvette lineage; distilling classic Corvette design cues in a completely fresh and contemporary fashion.

"The C6 represents a comprehensive upgrade to the Corvette," said Dave Hill, chief engineer of the Corvette and vehicle line executive for GM Performance Cars.

"Our goal is to create a Corvette that does more things well than any performance car.

"We've thoroughly improved performance and developed new features and capabilities in many areas, while at the same time systematically searching out and destroying every imperfection we could find."

Chevrolet says that the new car blends technical sophistication with expressive style. Five inches shorter than the current car, the 2005 Corvette cuts a tighter, more taut profile - with virtually no loss of usable space.

At 0.28 coefficient of drag, the C6 is the most aerodynamically efficient Corvette yet and has improved anti-lift characteristics that enable improved high-speed stability.

A new LS2 6-litre small-block V8 is the standard engine in the 2005 Corvette C6. The LS2 raises the bar for standard performance in the Corvette, delivering estimated peak output levels of about 400 bhp and a mammoth 400 lb.ft of torque at 4400 rpm.

Major revisions to the manual and automatic transmissions provide the Corvette with significant improvements geared towards performance driving.

The Tremec six-speed manual gearbox is available with two sets of ratios, one with more aggressive acceleration characteristics reserved for Corvette's Z51 Performance Package that emulates the performance of the C5's landmark Z06 model.

Improved shifting characteristics are another enhancement, with new synchronisers that reduce travel by 10%, and a shifter knob that is an inch shorter and redesigned for improved driver operation.

The Hydra-Matic 4L65-E automatic transmission is an upgraded version of the C5's 4L60-E, strengthened and revised to accommodate the LS2's torque increase.

It includes GM's Performance Algorithm Shifting, which selects the optimal gear for a given driving condition, making it a willing accomplice for performance driving and hard cornering.

Wheels24 - 12 Jan 2004