First C8 Z06 soars over $3M, F1 could return to Las Vegas, a record-smashing Audi for sale

Auctioned for charity, first 2023 Corvette Z06 soars over $3M

Intake: As is often the case for high-profile enthusiast cars, Chevrolet donated the first production version of the 2023 Corvette Z06 to be auctioned off for charity. An Accelerate Yellow pre-production stand-in (official Z06 production is scheduled to begin this summer) crossed the block Saturday evening at Barrett-Jackson’s Scottsdale, Arizona sale, netting a final price of $3.7M, 100 percent of which will be donated to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that focuses on building strong, stable, and secure military families. The result smashed the previous record of $3M for a manufacturer-donated vehicle, a high-water mark previously held by the first 2020 Corvette Stingray, by a whopping $700,000. Rick Hendrick, motorsports titan and dealership magnate, placed the winning bid.

Exhaust: It’s always satisfying to watch a high-profile car cross the block knowing that a noble cause stands to benefit. Fun fact: Hendrick was also the winner of the first-ever C8 Stingray. Now he gets to spec a 70th Anniversary Edition Z06 in his choice of White Pearl Metallic Tri-Coat or Carbon Flash Metallic. Not a bad one-two pair for a collection!

Here’s your first peek inside Acura’s new Integra

Intake: While we knew the reborn Integra was getting an optional manual transmission back in October of 2021, Acura didn’t provide any interior photos with the prototype debuted last November. Now, thanks to Instagram and a particularly diligent fellow at the recent Daytona race weekend, we’ve got our first peek inside the GTI-fighter’s cabin. There is: a six-speed shifter (awesome), some nifty mesh trim around the climate-control vents (à la 2022 Honda Civic), a dash-mounted touchscreen (no surprises there), and black-and-white, leather-esque upholstery for an upscale feel.

Exhaust: The Integra’s interior clearly plunges both hands into the Civic parts bin but, given that Acura’s promised a starting price around $30K for the Integra, such double-dipping is entirely excusable. Call us crazy, but we almost prefer the Civic’s cleaner, more minimalist dash.

Is F1 gambling on a Las Vegas Grand Prix for 2023?

Intake: Formula 1 racing could return to Sin City, Nevada, according to a report in the U.K’s Sun. Liberty Media, which owns F1, is said to want to add a third U.S. race to the calendar and is in talks with Las Vegas to host a street race as early as 2023. Grand Prix racing has surged in popularity in America with 2021’s Austin GP attracting 400,000 spectators, and the Miami race this coming May already a sell-out.

Exhaust: The last time that Formula 1 visited Vegas, in 1981 and 1982, it was a poor show. The Caesar’s Palace parking lot venue made for a shoddy and slippery circuit which the drivers found excruciating. The fans didn’t think much of it either and ticket sales were terrible. However, with a new street circuit seeing F1 racing The Strip and with a new audience brought in by Netflix, a return to Las Vegas looks like gamble worth taking.

Chevrolet discontinues final form of the crate LS7 V-8

Intake: According to an update to the Performance Parts section of the Chevrolet website, the final form of the LS7, the LS427/57, is discontinued from production. This wet-sump version came equipped with a larger camshaft and was specced at 570 horsepower. The LS7 engines are most notable for being very compact with big power potential. The traditional, dry-sump LS7 was discontinued last year, and whether Chevrolet will continue production of the engine blocks is unclear, leaving gearheads with aftermarket blocks or used engines for the foreseeable future.

Exhaust: Look back through Chevrolet engine history and one number stands proud: 427. It wasn’t the biggest engine Chevy built, nor the most powerful, but its cachet was undeniable. The precise displacement changed a bit over the years but eventually settled at 7 liters, the domestic translation of that hallowed 427 cubic-inch figure. Compact and packing a punch, this was a heck of a crate engine, and we are sad to see supply start to dry up. Happily, Chevrolet says that all orders currently placed will be filled, and that stock is expected to last into early summer.

This record-breaking Audi Quattro could be yours

Intake: A 1988 Audi 200 Quattro which smashed speed records is crossing Bonhams’ block on February 3.  The “Nardo 6000” is the only survivor of three cars that were built to beat 500-km and 1000-km speed records at the Nardo Ring in Italy. Audi’s goal was to beat the previous speeds set by Mercedes-Benz with its C111 diesel prototype a decade earlier, and the cars were stripped down, powered-up, and aerodynamically optimized for the job. The roof and doors were aluminum, the wheels were magnesium and the side windows plastic to shed as many pounds as possible. Kevlar skirts and spoilers were fitted, while the 2.2-liter, five-cylinder was turbocharged to 650 hp. With a special fuel rig that allowed gassing up in just 265 seconds, it’s no surprise that the Audis achieved an average of 324.5 km/h (201.63 mph) over 500 km and 326.40 km/h (202.81 mph) over 1000 km.

Exhaust: The car for sale was driven by Dr Siegfried “Sigi” Brun, who was known as Germany’s fastest dentist. Brunn bought the car from Audi after the record run and later sold it to the current owner. As the other two cars built for the challenge were destroyed, this is a genuine one-off opportunity for Audi fans to own a piece of the brand’s history.