Latest news with #KenBlock
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Verus Engineering Turns the Stingray Into a Downforce Monster
Verus Engineering Turns the Stingray Into a Downforce Monster originally appeared on Autoblog. When Chevrolet moved the engine behind the seats for the eighth-generation Corvette, it changed the nameplate's history. The C8 Stingray is no longer just America's sports car; it's become a legitimate rival to Europe's best. That's even more true with the arrival of the C8 Corvette ZR1 and the electrified Corvette ZR1X, both top-dog models aiming to stand toe-to-toe against supercars and hypercars on the other side of the big ol' pond. The Corvette Stingray now sits in rarefied company. But what if you already have a Stingray and want visual and performance boosts? That's where Verus Engineering – the same company that worked with Ken Block's Hoonipig – comes in with its new range of aero upgrades, led by the Stage 3 Ventus package. Verus Engineering's new aerodynamic kit for the C8 Stingray goes beyond looks, though it certainly makes a statement with that towering swan-neck rear wing. Developed in collaboration with Paragon Performance and tested on track, the kit was designed to improve real-world performance by reducing drag and increasing downforce at all four corners. At the rear, a carbon fiber diffuser cleans up airflow under the car and improves tire grip by reducing lift. It works in tandem with a ducktail spoiler and the flagship V1X rear wing, which is adjustable and optimized specifically for the C8's profile. Up front, dual-element canards and a carbon fiber front splitter with optional air dam channel airflow to the right places, adding usable downforce while maintaining aerodynamic balance. Even the side splitters are made from polyweave – a motorsport-grade material that resists cracking and warping under stress. While a package is available, all the components are modular, meaning owners can start with a basic setup and add more aggressive pieces over time as needed. Verus Engineering sells the kit in stages through its Ventus Package lineup, depending on the performance level you're after. The Stage 1 kit includes the front dive planes and rear diffuser, while the Stage 3 kit, as shown in the demo car, is the most aggressive setup available and aimed at serious track use. Verus Engineering didn't reveal the pricing for the whole kit, though individual prices for each part are available. The rear diffuser is priced at $2,000, while the side splitters come in at $650. The front splitter costs $2,000, with an optional carbon air dam available for an additional $850. The showpiece V1X rear wing, optimized for maximum rear-end downforce, is listed at $5,995. Optional upgrades such as CAM XM plates and splitter end plates can also be added for further aero refinement. All parts are now available for purchase directly from Verus Engineering's website. And, if ever you own the more aggressive Corvette Z06, it looks like the company's already working on a set of aero parts for the model. Verus Engineering Turns the Stingray Into a Downforce Monster first appeared on Autoblog on Jul 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Auto Blog
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Verus Gives the Corvette Stingray a Track-Ready Overhaul
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. America's Mid-Engine Muscle Gets Hotted-Up When Chevrolet moved the engine behind the seats for the eighth-generation Corvette, it changed the nameplate's history. The C8 Stingray is no longer just America's sports car; it's become a legitimate rival to Europe's best. That's even more true with the arrival of the C8 Corvette ZR1 and the electrified Corvette ZR1X, both top-dog models aiming to stand toe-to-toe against supercars and hypercars on the other side of the big ol' pond. The Corvette Stingray now sits in rarefied company. But what if you already have a Stingray and want visual and performance boosts? That's where Verus Engineering – the same company that worked with Ken Block's Hoonipig – comes in with its new range of aero upgrades, led by the Stage 3 Ventus package. Visual and Performance Boost for the Track Verus Engineering's new aerodynamic kit for the C8 Stingray goes beyond looks, though it certainly makes a statement with that towering swan-neck rear wing. Developed in collaboration with Paragon Performance and tested on track, the kit was designed to improve real-world performance by reducing drag and increasing downforce at all four corners. At the rear, a carbon fiber diffuser cleans up airflow under the car and improves tire grip by reducing lift. It works in tandem with a ducktail spoiler and the flagship V1X rear wing, which is adjustable and optimized specifically for the C8's profile. Up front, dual-element canards and a carbon fiber front splitter with optional air dam channel airflow to the right places, adding usable downforce while maintaining aerodynamic balance. Even the side splitters are made from polyweave – a motorsport-grade material that resists cracking and warping under stress. While a package is available, all the components are modular, meaning owners can start with a basic setup and add more aggressive pieces over time as needed. Source: Verus Engineering From Stage 1 to Stage 3, with Individual Pricing Verus Engineering sells the kit in stages through its Ventus Package lineup, depending on the performance level you're after. The Stage 1 kit includes the front dive planes and rear diffuser, while the Stage 3 kit, as shown in the demo car, is the most aggressive setup available and aimed at serious track use. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Verus Engineering didn't reveal the pricing for the whole kit, though individual prices for each part are available. The rear diffuser is priced at $2,000, while the side splitters come in at $650. The front splitter costs $2,000, with an optional carbon air dam available for an additional $850. The showpiece V1X rear wing, optimized for maximum rear-end downforce, is listed at $5,995. Optional upgrades such as CAM XM plates and splitter end plates can also be added for further aero refinement. All parts are now available for purchase directly from Verus Engineering's website. And, if ever you own the more aggressive Corvette Z06, it looks like the company's already working on a set of aero parts for the model. Source: Verus Engineering About the Author Jacob Oliva View Profile
Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Verus Engineering Turns the Stingray Into a Downforce Monster
When Chevrolet moved the engine behind the seats for the eighth-generation Corvette, it changed the nameplate's history. The C8 Stingray is no longer just America's sports car; it's become a legitimate rival to Europe's best. That's even more true with the arrival of the C8 Corvette ZR1 and the electrified Corvette ZR1X, both top-dog models aiming to stand toe-to-toe against supercars and hypercars on the other side of the big ol' pond. The Corvette Stingray now sits in rarefied company. But what if you already have a Stingray and want visual and performance boosts? That's where Verus Engineering – the same company that worked with Ken Block's Hoonipig – comes in with its new range of aero upgrades, led by the Stage 3 Ventus package. Verus Engineering's new aerodynamic kit for the C8 Stingray goes beyond looks, though it certainly makes a statement with that towering swan-neck rear wing. Developed in collaboration with Paragon Performance and tested on track, the kit was designed to improve real-world performance by reducing drag and increasing downforce at all four corners. At the rear, a carbon fiber diffuser cleans up airflow under the car and improves tire grip by reducing lift. It works in tandem with a ducktail spoiler and the flagship V1X rear wing, which is adjustable and optimized specifically for the C8's profile. Up front, dual-element canards and a carbon fiber front splitter with optional air dam channel airflow to the right places, adding usable downforce while maintaining aerodynamic balance. Even the side splitters are made from polyweave – a motorsport-grade material that resists cracking and warping under stress. While a package is available, all the components are modular, meaning owners can start with a basic setup and add more aggressive pieces over time as needed. Verus Engineering sells the kit in stages through its Ventus Package lineup, depending on the performance level you're after. The Stage 1 kit includes the front dive planes and rear diffuser, while the Stage 3 kit, as shown in the demo car, is the most aggressive setup available and aimed at serious track use. Verus Engineering didn't reveal the pricing for the whole kit, though individual prices for each part are available. The rear diffuser is priced at $2,000, while the side splitters come in at $650. The front splitter costs $2,000, with an optional carbon air dam available for an additional $850. The showpiece V1X rear wing, optimized for maximum rear-end downforce, is listed at $5,995. Optional upgrades such as CAM XM plates and splitter end plates can also be added for further aero refinement. All parts are now available for purchase directly from Verus Engineering's website. And, if ever you own the more aggressive Corvette Z06, it looks like the company's already working on a set of aero parts for the model. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Drive
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
Larry Chen Has Seen It All and Done It All With Cars. Now, He's Put 20 Years of Photos Into This Book
The latest car news, reviews, and features. My taste in cars and, especially, car content is shaped by Larry Chen. That doesn't make me special, as I'm one of (actually) millions who were introduced to his work during those formative teenage years of life. Growing up in the Missouri Ozarks, I'd never seen the likes of what he captured through his Canon, and even now, after nearly a decade in automotive media, I'm still floored. He's so good he could write a book about it, and wouldn't you know it, he has. Life at Shutter Speed is a 400+ page artistic compilation with 20 chapters, one for each year of Chen's career. It's laid out in reverse-chronological order, starting with his newest work that spotlights insane factory builds and automotive celebs like Sung Kang, while going back to 2005 and earlier when he shot SoCal events for fun. It's published by Carrara Books, a firm that is still putting out fantastic physical car media in today's landscape. This set with Sung Kang is definitely top-five for me. Photo by Larry Chen, courtesy Carrara Media What I realized while flipping through the 2,500 or so photos is that Chen has shot cars and moments that nobody else could. Whether we're talking about a 1,300-horsepower Nissan concept that I'd only seen before in crappy press photos, or Ken Block's Hoonicorn Mustang spinning around a switch-flipping low rider, he's captured it all in his style that's often imitated but never duplicated. Jeff Zwart, a longtime car ad producer, Pikes Peak racer, and talented automotive photographer himself, wrote this of Chen in his foreword for the book: 'Larry seemed to be everywhere on the mountain, and not just shooting the race action in a new way, but capturing the tension in the pits in a pure, authentic way that made me feel he was one of us.' Really, if you cut that quote after the first five words, it would still be accurate. Photo by Larry Chen, courtesy Carrara Media If the internet has been part of your car hobby at all in the past two decades, Larry Chen has influenced you. He's taken photos that you had as your desktop background, whether you knew it or not. That image of a Nissan S14 drift car that's been seared in your head since you were 14? He shot it. Heck, Larry was even there at Fontana for GT Live 2004, the one-off Japanese Super GT exhibition that's effectively canonized amongst the Fast and Furious generation. I don't think it's any coincidence that it became 'the event that started it all,' in Chen's words. Fate would have it that an entire subculture's most prolific and recognizable artist would be in attendance at a show that's now part of stateside JDM lore. Photos by Larry Chen, courtesy Carrara Media The idea that 'Larry seemed to be everywhere' was reinforced by a conversation I had with someone just last weekend. The person I was talking with brought him up in passing, and to be honest, I was surprised they were even a car person. I wasn't surprised to learn that they were a Larry Chen fan, though, because who isn't? Anyway, I mentioned seeing Larry at races over the years—the Long Beach Grand Prix, the Rolex 24 at Daytona—and wondering how he got to those spots around the track. I'd ask track officials that question after being denied access myself, and on more than one occasion, I got the answer: 'Well, he's Larry.' Dang right, he is. The man himself. Photo by Larry Chen, courtesy Carrara Media You can buy a Standard Edition copy of Life at Shutter Speed for $124.99. There was a run of $274.99 Limited Edition copies, but those all sold out. The book's official release date is September 29, though it's available for pre-order now through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and wherever books are sold. Courtesy Carrara Media Got a tip? Send it in: tips@
Axios
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Chicago cruises bring fans up close with celebs
If you've always wanted to try one of those cruises where you share a boat with a cool celeb, you may be in luck this summer — for at least a few hours. What's happening: City Cruise Live kicks off its Chicago series Sunday with a concert cruise featuring Ken Block and Drew Copeland of '90s pop band Sister Hazel. Later this season, set sail with "bad boy" golfer John Daly, World Series champs Ozzie Guillen and A.J. Pierzynski, or former Bears Brian Urlacher and Rex Grossman as they swap stories during on-ship interviews. The prices: Tickets for Sunday's cruise start at $77 without food or drink and go up to $243 for a VIP package with buffet dinner, open bar and Sister Hazel meet and greet. The intrigue: When we asked City Cruise spokesperson Kathy Bryja if non-VIPs could expect face (or hair) time with Urlacher and other celebs, she said it depends. "One cruise had a member of NSYNC who they thought would just do a show but he ended up shaking everybody's hand," Bryja said. "What we can say is that passengers will be on a boat with Brian Urlacher for three hours."
