posted 07-09-2005 12:06 AM         

General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz won’t confirm this car exists, but he is not saying it doesn’t. We first wrote about Chevrolet’s ultra-performance Corvette—dubbed Blue Devil, most likely to catch the attention of GM CEO and Duke Blue Devil grad Rick Wagoner—shortly before the sixth-generation Corvette debuted at the Detroit auto show in January (AW, Dec. 22 and 29, 2004). We asked Lutz about the car during a recent exclusive interview with AutoWeek.

“Let’s just say [Corvette chief engineer] Dave Hill is not a guy who likes playing second fiddle to any high-performance car on the road,” said Lutz. “My guess is we’re going to find a way to do something beyond the Z06, that would be at a much higher price point, and which would compete with some of the leading high-performance cars of the world.”

Lutz said the car may be delayed while the company focuses most of its engineering might on pulling ahead profit-making vehicles like its next-generation large sport/utilities and pickups.

“But there is certainly no lack of desire on anyone’s part to establish the supremacy of the Corvette,” says Lutz.

Spied on the Nurbürgring, Blue Devil appears to be living up to the earlier hype. Eyewitnesses said the car sounds supercharged, confirming reports the engine is likely a blown version of the Z06’s 7.0-liter V8, producing upward of 600 hp. Look for lightweight carbon fiber body parts to reduce weight to about 2900 pounds.

Pricing will likely start somewhere around $100,000 if and when the car makes production in 2006.