2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition Announced By Chevrolet

C6 performance convertible and its 60th Anniversary Package will be unveiled at Barrett-Jackson, where the first public version will be auctioned off for charity.

Media Release | Posted January 12, 2012, Detroit, MI

The 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition and its 60th Anniversary Package will be unveiled during the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. (Photo: Chevrolet)

Chevrolet today unveiled the 2013 Corvette 427 Convertible Collector Edition - the fastest, most capable convertible in Corvette's history - as well as a 60th Anniversary Package that will be available on all 2013 Corvette models.

The 60th Anniversary Package and 427 Convertible will make their public debut at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale on Jan 21, and the car will arrive at U.S. Chevrolet dealers early this summer.

The first Corvette 427 Convertible offered to the public will go to the highest bidder at Barrett-Jackson's Saturday sale, with all proceeds benefiting the Drive to End Hunger food relief program.

"The 2013 model year will be historic for Corvette, marking its 60th Anniversary and the final year for the current C6 generation," said Chris Perry, vice president of Global Marketing and Strategy for Chevrolet. "We couldn't think of a more fitting way to celebrate these milestones than bringing back one of the most-coveted combinations in the brand's history - the Corvette convertible and a 427 cubic-inch engine."

With its 505-horsepower 7-liter V8, the 427 Convertible will be the fastest and most capable Corvette in history. (Photo: Chevrolet)

The Corvette 427 Convertible blends elements of the Z06 and ZR1 models to create the fastest and most-capable convertible in Corvette's history.

Its heart is the 427-cubic-inch (7-liter) LS7 engine from the Corvette Z06. Rated at 505 horsepower) and 470 pound-feet of torque, the most powerful engine ever installed in a production Corvette convertible. And like the Z06, the 427 Convertible is available only with a six-speed manual transmission.

The LS7 was co-developed with the Corvette Le Mans-winning GT1 engine and features lightweight titanium connecting rods and intake valves, as well as racing-inspired high-flow cylinder heads and a dry-sump oiling system. It is assembled by hand at GM's Performance Build Center, where customers who purchase the 427 Convertible Collector Edition can purchase the Corvette Build Experience option and assemble the engine that will power their new car with their own hands.

Other performance elements in the Corvette 427 Convertible include the driveline and rear-axle system from the Corvette Z06, a rear-mounted battery and standard Magnetic Selective Ride Control. The standard 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels are wrapped in ZR1-style Michelin PS2 tires.

Lightweight machine-face Cup wheels - introduced on the 2012 Corvette Z06 with Z07 and Corvette ZR1 with PDE performance packages - come standard and include unique gray-painted pockets. Black Cup wheels or chrome ZR1-style wheels are also available.

The 427 Convertible also features several carbon-fiber components that help reduce weight, including:

Carbon-fiber raised hood (introduced on the 2011 Z06 Carbon Edition).
Carbon-fiber Z06-style fenders.
Carbon-fiber floor panels.
The "CFZ" carbon-fiber front splitter and rocker panels are optional on the 427 Convertible, and included with the 60th Anniversary package.

The weight reduction keeps the 427 Convertible's curb weight down to 3,355 pounds. Combined with its 505-horsepower LS7 engine, it gives the 427 Convertible a power-to-weight ratio of 6.64 - or one horsepower for every 6.64 pounds of vehicle mass. That's better than:

Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet - 6.90.
Audi R8 5.2 RSI Spyder - 7.58.
Aston Martin DBS Volante Convertible - 7.82.
Ferrari California Convertible - 8.31.

The combination of low mass and high output will make the 427 Convertible one of the fastest convertibles in the world, delivering estimated 0-60 performance of 3.8 seconds, quarter-mile performance of 11.8 seconds, lateral acceleration of 1.04 g and a top speed of more than 190 mph.

The 427 Convertible is available in 2LT, 3LT and 4LT trim levels and will carry a unique vehicle identification number sequence, similar to the Corvette ZR1.

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The 60th Anniversary Package will include special logos on the wheel center caps, steering wheel and seat headrests. (Photo: Chevrolet)

All 2013 Corvette models, including the 427 Convertible, will be available with a 60th Anniversary Package, featuring an Arctic White exterior with a Blue Diamond leather-wrapped interior with suede accents. Convertible models will have a blue top.

Additional content includes a ZR1-style rear spoiler, special badging, gray-painted brake calipers and the "60th" logo on the wheel center caps, steering wheel and seat headrests. An optional graphics package adds full-length racing stripes in Pearl Silver Blue, including a tonal stripe on convertible tops, extending the graphic theme over the roof.

For 2013, all Corvettes will feature 60th Anniversary badges on the fascias and the "waterfall" panel on convertible models, as well as 60th logos in the instrument panel gauge cluster and on the sill plates.

At Barrett-Jackson, Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports are teaming up to present the Corvette 427 Convertible for auction, featuring Hendrick team driver and four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon. Team owner Rick Hendrick helped launch the Drive to End Hunger program with AARP and the AARP Foundation.

The Drive to End Hunger is part of a multi-year sponsorship for Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet. It calls on racing fans, corporations and charitable organizations to raise money, build awareness, and engage Americans in helping nearly 9 million Americans over 50 who face the threat of hunger.