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The first Mini, a revolutionary small car designed the British Motor Corporation (BMC), was unveiled to the press on August 18, 1959, at the Chobham test track in Surrey, England. The public launch followed a week later, on August 26, 1959. No one could have guessed at the time what an impact the innovative concept of brilliant British engineer Alec Issigonis would have on the automotive world.

After a slow start, early adopters of the Mini who quickly came to appreciate its practicality and exceptional handling shouted the car’s praises. At first, its tiny size and budget-friendly price tag of under £500 led some to believe it couldn’t be a “real” car. But by the mid-1960s, the car’s charm and versatility made it a fashion icon of the “swinging sixties” and a favorite among celebrities. The Mini’s influence would go on to shape a generation of car design.

Celebrating 66 Years

Sixty-six years after the launch of the now legendary Classic Mini, the MINI brand looks back on decades of racing success, visionary innovation, groundbreaking design – and unmistakable driving pleasure.

With the relaunch of the MINI family over the past two years, the brand has once again aligned its pioneering design and historical heritage with the future: with a new, charismatic generation of the MINI Cooper and MINI Countryman, the world premiere of the MINI Aceman, the first crossover model for the premium segment, and the launch of the new MINI Convertible, MINI combines tradition and innovation in the present.

The New John Cooper Works models illustrate MINI’s racing expertise and with a spectacular second place in its class at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring, MINI recently demonstrated how much motorsport is in the brand’s DNA.

On its 66th birthday, MINI can look back on a growing range of electrified variants within the MINI family. MINI has shown, that go-kart feeling is also possible with fully electric vehicles.

a look back at the milestones of MINI:

August 26, 1959:  The British Motor Corporation unveils the first Mini in history. The design is the brainchild of British engineer Alec Issigonis.

1961: The first Mini Cooper is unveiled – at a price of £680.

1962: Shortly after the Mini went into production, the British Motor Corporation was manufacturing 200,000 vehicles per year.

1963-64: The first Mini Cooper S is unveiled.

1964: Racing driver Paddy Hopkirk wins the Monte Carlo Rally in spectacular fashion in a Mini Cooper S.

1965: Mini celebrates one million vehicles produced, the first automatic transmission in the Mini becomes available, and we see the second consecutive victory at the Monte Carlo Rally for Mini with racing driver Timo Makinen at the wheel.

1967: Mini wins the Monte Carlo Rally for the third time.

1972: Mini celebrates three million vehicles produced.

1981: Drop in production figures to 70,000 vehicles per year.

1990: Under the leadership of the Rover brand, Mini presents a new generation of the Mini Cooper. Initially as a limited edition – later as a series model.

1992: For the first time, the Mini is also available as a convertible.

1994: The BMW Group acquires Rover – and with it, Mini. The acquisition lays the foundation for the MINI brand in its current form.

2001: World premiere of the BMW Group’s first MINI. The new generation of the MINI Cooper S is presented at the Tokyo Motor Show in Japan. Plus, MINI production at the Oxford plant (UK) begins.

2002: MINI reaches the milestone of 100,000 vehicles produced at its Oxford plant.

2004: The MINI Cooper S Convertible is unveiled.

2007: The MINI One and MINI Cooper D are unveiled. The first MINI Clubman also celebrates its world premiere.

2010: The first MINI Countryman is unveiled.

2014: MINI presents the Cooper as a 5-door model for the first time.

2015: MINI presents a new brand logo.

2016: MINI reaches the milestone of 3,000,000 vehicles produced at its Oxford plant.

2020: Production of fully electric series vehicles begins at the Oxford plant with the MINI Cooper SE.

2021: New edition of the MINI 3-door, 5-door and MINI Convertible.

2023: The dawn of a new era with the new MINI: introducing a new generation of the MINI Cooper and MINI Countryman – both available as fully electric models.

2024: With the MINI Aceman, the brand introduces a completely new model – the first crossover model in the premium segment of the small car class. The new MINI Cooper 5-door and the new MINI Convertible are also presented to the public. In June 2024, MINI John Cooper Works and Bulldog Racing celebrate class victory at the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

2025: MINI John Cooper Works and Bulldog Racing celebrate second place in the 24-hour race at the Nürburgring.

Mini By The Generation

From 1960 onward, there have been four distinct generations of the modern Mini, plus seven “Marks,” or versions, of the original Mini.

Original “Classic” Mini (1959–2000)

For the original Mini produced by the British Motor Corporation and its successors, generations were often described as “Marks” or “Mk” rather than new generations. The car’s basic design remained largely the same, with continuous minor updates over 41 years.

Starting in 1960, the production included the following seven versions:

Mark I (1959–1967): This first version, introduced in 1959, featured external door hinges and sliding windows.

Mark II (1967–1970): Redesigned grilles, a larger rear window, and larger tail lights were included.

Mark III (1969–1976): Concealed door hinges and winding windows were major changes.

Mark IV (1976–1984): Improvements focused on isolation from road noise by using rubber mounts on the subframe.

Mark V (1984–1991/92): 12-inch wheels, 8.4-inch disc brakes, and fender flares were introduced.

Mark VI (1991/92–1996): Fuel-injected engines and other modern upgrades were added.

Mark VII (1996–2000): The final version of the classic Mini featured a twin-point fuel-injected engine and a driver’s side airbag.

Modern “BMW” MINI (2001–present)

After BMW acquired the brand, a completely new MINI was launched in 2001. These newer cars are identified by generations with “R” and “F” chassis codes.

First Generation (2001–2008): Included the R50 Hatchback and R52 Convertible.

Second Generation (2007–2016): Featured the R56 Hatchback, R55 Clubman, and other variants.

Third Generation (2014–2024): Included the F56 Hatchback and F54 Clubman.

Fourth Generation (2024–present): The latest versions, including the electric models, use J01, F65, F66, and F67 chassis codes.

Can’t get enough Mini? Scroll the complete list of classic and modern Mini cars currently listed for sale on Hemmings Marketplace.

The post Mini Turns 66: Big Love for a Small Icon appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

The 1970s were a time of sweeping changes for the automotive market in North America. Muscle cars were out, replaced by personal luxury coupes that had traded horsepower for plush trappings. Vans, a relative newcomer to the scene, were no longer just the vehicle your telephone repairman showed up in. Instead, these utility vehicles would be built up into rolling bordellos with mag wheels, side pipes and enough airbrushing to qualify as an art project. But between you and me, reader, what the 1970s should be remembered for is the mini-truck. The 1970s saw them flourish in the United States. An influx of Japanese trucks, with efficient four-cylinder engines, manual transmissions, and small footprints arrived. Vehicles like this 1976 Datsun 620, Toyota’s Hilux, Chevrolet’s LUV (a rebadged Isuzu Faster) and Ford’s Courier (the Mazda Proceed/B-series) all found homes and reasonable success early on. 

Datsun had been an early arrival in the North American market. The 521, a face-lifted version of the 520 that entered production in early 1965, was the first compact half-ton pickup truck to be sold in the United States when it debuted in 1968. The 620 entered the market running in 1972: they were a 50-state smog law compliant vehicle without the need for a catalytic converter and featured two different wheelbases: a 100.2-inch single-cab short bed, and a 109.6-inch long-wheelbase example that featured a seven-foot-long bed. Timing is everything, and Datsun had excellent timing for these trucks.

This is how your author came to know “bullet-side” Datsuns in the 1990s: a set of sporting mags (like these Shelby-sourced slot mags) on an otherwise fairly stock, used as both a second vehicle and as a small pickup truck. Hauling a mini-bike, three-wheeler, or a small trailer that packed around a lawnmower, these little trucks were popular because they were as reliable as an anvil, economical to run, worked like a proper truck, and looked great. I can’t speak about the four-cylinders that the 620 were sold with (the truck from my history was swapped with the L24 six-cylinder from an early Datsun 240Z) but they were still common in the Pacific Northwest back then.

Fifty years on, a bullet-side Datsun almost looks like a toy compared to the modern pickup truck fleet you see on the roads. Remember, this Datsun is a half-ton truck… doesn’t look like it, does it? The Datsun doesn’t have a V8 or a diesel that has the torque of a locomotive. It has a longer bed that most full-size trucks sold today. It is a true case of “less is more” and unlike a lot of 1970s trends, it didn’t age poorly.  You might need to leave a sandbag or two in the bed to avoid the rough ride that the rear suspension offered, however. Remember, these were trucks first, not cars!

The post Return To Small And Simple With This 1976 Datsun 620 “Bulletside” appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

The Hemmings family was deeply saddened to learn veteran staff mechanic and “Howe-To” author Jim Howe died on August 5; he was 77. A lifelong local resident, Jim developed his keen mechanical ability from a young age. He began working for Hemmings Motor News in the mid-1980s, when publisher Terry Ehrich enlisted him to maintain the company’s growing fleet of collectible vintage vehicles. Jim assisted former operations manager Janet Thompson in building up the company’s Sibley Shop museum in the Bennington headquarters, and his Howe-To advice column was a much-loved staple of HMN from the 2003 inception of Hemmings Magazine through his retirement in 2018.

While Jim was quiet by nature, he was quick to share a smile and laugh. Outside of Hemmings, he ran his own shop dubbed Last Chance Repair and Restoration, where he specialized in air-cooled Volkswagens and vintage Fords, but could fix virtually anything. Along with his wife, Gail, and their son and daughter-in-law, Adam and Ashley, Jim managed However Wild Farm in Shaftsbury, which is regionally renowned for producing crystalized raw honey, live bees, and beeswax. The Howe family also grows apples, having opened Terry’s Orchard – that name a tribute to the formerly Ehrich/Hemmings-owned property on Harwood Hill in Bennington – in 2019. Jim was an adventurous traveler who flew his own airplane to the Yukon and Alaska, and in recent years, he loved spending time with grandsons Asher and Addison as they worked together to build the family’s “Phake Phaeton,” a converted early Ford Model A Tudor.

Nancy Bianco, retired HMN managing editor, recalls Jim: “I always think of him as almost from another time, like Thoreau… a true Vermonter. Someone who lived simply and close to nature; didn’t seem to care about making a lot of money or getting involved with too much 21st century technology. But he was really smart, a great mechanic, even knew how to fly a plane. And he was an excellent beekeeper and honey farmer. His faith was a big part of his life.” Janet Thompson concurs: “Jim approached issues very methodically, always carefully thinking though the situation first. When he was given a challenge, he was precise but used ingenuity and was able to give life to a dusty old vehicle that hadn’t run in decades. His love for the craft was infectious; I learned a tremendous amount when he worked for me at Hemmings. He was the quintessential backyard car guy and a wonderful person who shared his passion. Jim lives on in every vehicle he touched.”

The post Remembering Hemmings’ Columnist and Mechanic, Jim Howe: 1947-2025 appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

We already knew Godzilla was endangered when Nissan announced the discontinuation of the R35 GT-R in the United States market late last year. Production ended in the U.S. in October 2024, and order books for the car closed in Japan in March 2025 after it had already been discontinued in other markets like Europe and Australia due to regulatory and demand changes. It was only a matter of time before we’d here the news of the last R35 GT-R rolling off the assembly line, and that time is now.

The final Nissan R35 GT-R was a Premium T-Spec model finished in Midnight Purple, a nod to the GT-R’s iconic colors. The T-Spec, a high-performance special edition of the standard GT-R, is distinguished by exclusive upgrades like carbon-ceramic brakes, forged gold-finish wheels, special exterior paint options (Millennium Jade or Midnight Purple), wider fenders, and a unique interior featuring Mori Green accents.

The final R35 GT-R rolled off the production line in Japan on August 26, 2025, marking the end of the model’s 18-year production run. This special edition car, destined for a customer in Japan, honors the legendary “Godzilla” that defined performance for nearly two decades and became a standalone legend without the Skyline name.

Why We Love The Nissan R35 GT-R

Unlike more common supercars, the GT-R’s unique and polarizing styling allows it to stand out in a crowd, creating a sense of rarity and exclusivity. It has a distinct, aggressive, and sleek design with a wide body, signature round taillights, and a road presence that rivals supercars.

Each VR38DETT engine to power the R35 GT-R was hand-built by a team of nine elite craftsmen known as Takumi.

The Nissan GT-R R35 model gets power from a 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine (VR38DETT)  with a 9.0:1 compression ratio, dual overhead camshafts (DOHC) with intake-only variable valve timing, and an aluminum block with plasma-sprayed cylinder bores. Starting at 480 horsepower for the 2007 model year, the newer models offer between 565 to over 600 horsepower in stock and NISMO forms, respectively, and can be heavily modified to produce over 1,000 horsepower, with some builds reaching well over 2,000 horsepower. The GT-R offers blistering acceleration off the factory lines and can reach 60 miles-per-hour in under three seconds, allowing it to compete with cars costing twice as much.

The car is also known for its sophisticated all-wheel-drive system, robust engineering, and advanced electronics that provide exceptional grip and handling, making it a formidable car in various conditions. Its transmission is recognized for going into a “limp mode” to prevent damage, ensuring reliability when operated correctly.

Despite its supercar capabilities, the GT-R is also a practical car for daily use, with a spacious trunk and a comfortable, well-designed interior. It’s a popular choice for those who have a need for speed or love modifying their sports cars, as it has a large and popular aftermarket for every aspect of the car, making it a highly customizable and tuner-friendly vehicle. Its relatively lower entry price compared to other supercars, combined with its high performance, made it an attractive performance bargain.

Over the course of its lifespan around 48,000 GT-Rs were built, 37% of which were sold in Japan. Despite the low production numbers and limited sales in the U.S., we frequently find exceptional examples listed for sale on Hemmings Marketplace.

Will Nissan Make Another GT-R?

The final R35 GT-R has rolled off the production line, but Nissan is committed to evolving the nameplate, with the next-generation R36 likely to arrive in the next three to five years, potentially around 2028. Whether or not the next GT-R generation will hold up to the original Godzilla is yet to be determined. Nissan did confirm the new model will be powered by a hybrid drivetrain, and will build on the legacy of the R35, striving to raise the performance benchmark for the GT-R nameplate.

The post Farewell, Godzilla: The Last R35 GT-R Rolls Off the Line After 18 Years appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

All images by Terry Shea/Hemmings.

The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance categorizes vehicles in a sometimes dizzying array of classes. Along with special classes for marque anniversaries or those honoring noted personalities (witness this year’s Chrysler Centennial and cars of Virgil Exner) , there are regular categories that return each year. Though there is certainly the potential for overlap in these classes, the Pebble Beach selection committee takes such categorization pretty seriously.

When it comes to those cars that were constructed before World War II, the list of classes is rather encompassing. And Pebble Beach makes some specific distinctions between the “antique,” “vintage” and “classic” categories. The following classes are included in the gallery below, where we share a selection of the images we took from the 18th fairway at the Pebble Beach Golf Links on concours Sunday.

• Prewar Preservation
• Antique
• Vintage 1916-1928
• American Classic Open
• American Classic Closed
• Packard Open
• Invicta Centennial
• Duesenberg
• Rolls-Royce Prewar
• Rolls-Royce Phantom Centennial
• Mercedes-Benz Prewar
• European Classic Early
• European Classic Late

1916 Pierce-Arrow 38-C-4 Five-Passenger Touring

1930 Invicta 4 1/2 Litre S Type Sports Tourer

1931 Ruxton Sedan

1915 Packard 3-38 Six Five-Passenger Phaeton

1930 Duesenberg Model J Murphy Convertible Berline

1928 Mercedes-Benz 680S Saoutchik Four-Passenger Torpedo Sport

1916 Stutz 4C Bearcat

1928 Rolls-Royce Phantom I

1925 Amilcar CGS Grand Sport

1928 Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8A SS

1940 Packard 1807 Custom Super Eight Convertible Sedan

1932 Invicta 4 1/2 Litre S Type Tourer

1920 Pierce-Arrow 51 Six-Passenger Touring

1908 Welch Model 4L Seven-Passenger Touring

The post Antique, Prewar and Classic Vehicles Gallery from the Pebble Beach Concours appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

The Audrain Collection of Newport, Rhode Island, known for its collection of over 400 cars and 110 motorcycles, secured three class wins at the 74th Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

A beautifully restored 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I earned first place, a 1988 McLaren MP4/4 took second, and a 1955 Porsche 356 Speedster finished third in its respective categories. These victories highlight the Audrain Automobile Museum’s commitment to automotive preservation and showcase its diverse collection on a global stage.

1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Ascot Phaeton

Audrain’s beautifully restored 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom I Brewster Ascot Phaeton captured a First in Class in the Rolls-Royce Phantom Centennial class. This car is one of only 21 produced with the Brewster Phaeton body style.  Its unique features include roll-up windows, a modification by Murphy Coachworks of Pasadena, CA, and the only Ascot known to have this feature.  It also features polished aluminum beltlines, 21-inch wire wheels, and a dual cowl configuration, reflecting Brewster coachwork style.  The car was originally delivered to Mr. G.M. Church of Pasadena, CA, in October 1929 and later owned by Mr. Lester Braunstein of Beverly Hills, CA.

1988 McLaren MP4/4 Formula 1

The collection’s Springfield-built 1988 McLaren MP4/4 Formula 1 car clinched a Second in Class in the 75th Anniversary of Formula 1:1974-Present class. The McLaren MP4/4, considered one of the most dominant Formula 1 cars of all time, holds a special place within the Audrain Collection.  This particular chassis (Chassis 4) was used by Alain Prost during the 1988 Formula 1 season, where he achieved victories in Monaco, Mexico City, and Paul Ricard along with several podium finishes.

1955 Porsche 356 1600 Super Reutter Speedster

The 1955 Porsche 356 1600 Super Reutter Speedster, acquired by the Audrain Collections in 2020 from the celebrated collection of Dr. Nicholas Begovich, captured Third in Class in the Postwar Preservation Early class.  Bought new by Begovich, this car was purchased with a rare hardtop that’s never been mounted and it shows just 10,684 miles.  The car is completely original and has been carefully maintained throughout its life.

“As these wonderful and truly historic automobiles take their place of prominence on the global stage, it is a moment of pride and celebration for all of us who have been involved in their preservation,” said Audrain Group President Nic Waller. “These remarkable cars stand as a symbol of the elegance and craftsmanship of a bygone era. With their timeless design and attention to detail, these vehicles capture the essence of automotive excellence and serve as a reminder of the rich history behind these iconic automotive brands.”

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About the Audrain Automobile Museum

The mission of the Audrain Automobile Museum is to “preserve, celebrate and share automotive history.”  A vital part of sharing the vehicles in the Audrain collection is in bringing them to the public on the road, being used as the builder intended as fully functional kinetic sculpture.

The Audrain Automobile Museum’s exhibits attract more than 30,000 visitors per year to its 7,500 square feet of gallery space in Newport, Rhode Island.  The Museum curates four special exhibits annually, typically displaying 12-20 vehicles cars of a particular period, genre or theme. Visit the website for more information.

The post Pebble Beach Perfection: Audrain Collection Takes 1st, 2nd & 3rd appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

With half a century in the books for some Ford trucks, it’s inevitable that time and the elements will have taken a toll on the fenders. Fortunately, new OEM fenders are now available for 1978-’79 Broncos and the 1973-’79 Ford F-series trucks. Each fender is made using brand-new tooling and designed to fit just like the original Ford parts. They are stamped from automotive-grade steel at OE thickness and EDP-coated to combat rust and corrosion. Installation is simple as these are direct bolt-on parts requiring no modification. These front fenders are patterned after Ford part D9TZ-16006-A and both sides are available. Ask about p/n 200-4573-L and R for more details.

NextGen Air Intake Systems are now available and built to improve horsepower for today’s most popular trucks, SUVs and Jeeps. They feature an open-top design as well as larger air inlets to maximize airflow and decrease inlet temperatures. Each system also comes with a redesigned filter, intake tube and airbox that is said to increase output by an average of 20 hp, according to dyno results. Installation is effortless with a precise tapered mounting bead interface, allowing the filter to snap into the airbox and eliminating the need for mounting hardware. Applications for most modern trucks going back as far as 2009 include Fords, Chevys, Dodges/Rams and Jeeps. Inquire about the NextGen Air Intake Systems for your specific application.

New Griffin Performance radiators are now available for 1959-’63 Chevy Impalas. These aluminum radiators are fitted with a Mega-Cool core with two rows of 1.25-inch induction welding tubing that is said to lower engine temperature by approximately 25 percent compared to the factory radiators. The redesign includes extra clearance on the driver’s side to make room for an aftermarket steering box, should you desire one. The radiators come solo or as part of a combination package that includes 12-inch diameter fans rated at 1,700 cfm of airflow, an aluminum shroud, a temperature sensor, a wiring harness and a radiator cap. The fans and shroud are mounted to the radiator so all you will have to do is bolt the unit in and connect the appropriate hoses and wires. The radiator and kit are made for the straight-six, small-block V8 or 348-409 V8s and an automatic transmission. Some modification and trimming may be necessary; ask about p/n 8-70203 (radiator) and CU-70203 (combo kit) for more details.

Star Series wide-whitewall radials are now available in new tread patterns and a greater variety of sizes. Each tire gives the look of vintage rubber with the performance of modern radials. The 15-inch tires feature a low-noise tread design with maximum handling and traction that easily navigates dry and wet roads. The Star Series’ sidewalls are reinforced to account for the weights of classics from earlier eras, as well as for added durability and strength. In addition, the whitewalls won’t fade or rub off during use and cleaning. The tires are “T” speed rated to 118mph and available in the following sizes and stripe widths:

Inquire about the Star Series radials for your specific application.

The post New Products Now Available: Bronco Fenders, Truck Intakes, Impala Radiators and Star Series Tires to Round Out Your Ride appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

Hemmings has teamed up with Coker Tire, Zip Corvette Parts and Corvette Central to build a classic Corvette that will compete in The 2025 Great Race and later be auctioned off to one lucky winner (ENTER HERE).

The Hemmings team is starting to see some light at the end of the tunnel and all the details are in this double-length finale. The effort to transform a tired 100,000-plus mile ’72 into a reliable, road-trip ready time-distance competitor for The 2025 Hemmings Great Race begins with a road test to confirm that the suspension, engine, and exhaust systems show that we’re heading in the right direction, even if we still have a lot to get done before the 2025 Great Race kicks off.

We’ve still got to get the vacuum-operated pop-up headlights and windshield wiper door working, plus we’ve got to install new seat covers and fix the seat belts. Then we’ve got some new bumpers, grilles and other trim parts to get into place, and we’re still hoping we can coax the original air-conditioning system into working again. The crowning touch is a set of new 15 x 8-inch Rally wheels mounting Coker Tire’s Firestone Wide-Ovals, which look like original bias-ply tires from the early ‘70s but are actually radials. We’ve run these before on our ’69 Chevelle and they’ll look perfect on the ’72 Corvette. We’ll get a proper four-wheel alignment from our local guru and then do some more driving while we continue to sort out the details on this ’72 Corvette before we have to ship it out to Minnesota for the start of the 2025 Great Race.

Keep watching the Hemmings YouTube channel and our socials to see if our project “Road-Trip Refurb” is ready to run by the deadline. One lucky winner will have the chance to take home a show-stopping, fully restored 1972 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray—a true American classic built to turn heads and dominate the road. This is your chance to own a collector-grade Corvette with period-correct details and modern reliability.

ENTER FREE FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN

The post THE GREAT RACE 1972 Chevrolet Corvette | Final Details & Road Test – Last Chance! Enter To Win! appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.

On August 21, 2025, General Motors announced a recall and stop-sale for 2023-2026 C8 Corvette Z06 and 2025-2026 C8 Corvette ZR1 models. The recall is due to a fire risk that can occur while refueling.

The issue affects the left-side radiator/fan assembly, which is unique to the Z06 and ZR1 models. If fuel spills while filling the gas tank, the left-side cooling fan can blow fuel or its vapors toward hot components, creating a fire hazard. The recall applies only to the Z06 and ZR1 models due to their specific left-side radiator assembly.

Essentially, there is a small chance that any fuel that is spilled inside the fuel port can leak down onto the radiator below, which may itself be hot or the radiator fan may blow the fuel onto other hot components in the engine bay, resulting in a fire.

GM believes that malfunctioning gas station pumps can also contribute to the fuel spill risk.

Corvette Z06 and ZR1 Sales Come to a Stop

Following the voluntary safety recall for a fire risk during refueling, GM also put a stop sale on new, unsold 2023-2026 C8 Corvette Z06 and 2025-2026 C8 Corvette ZR1 models that are sitting on dealership lots.  Sales will resume only after GM provides dealerships with the necessary parts to fix the issue. Customers with an order already in progress are encouraged to contact their dealership for updates on when they expect to be able to complete the repairs and deliver the Corvette.

Has GM released info on how many Corvette Z06/ZR1 fires occurred?

As of late August 2025, General Motors has reported four field incidents potentially related to the C8 Corvette Z06 and ZR1 fuel spill issue.

According to The Truth About Cars, GM received four field reports of fires related to the fuel spill issue. Two of those incidents were attributed to malfunctioning gas station pumps causing a fuel spill. Another incident was reported to GM by an employee who saw social media posts by owners, and the fourth involved a GM-owned vehicle. Another report from CorvetteBlogger mentions a dealer whose customer’s Z06 caught fire at a gas station, which may be one of the four incidents mentioned by GM.

Two of the aforementioned fires allegedly caused minor injuries.

What should owners of recalled Corvettes do?

GM’s solution for the C8 Corvette Z06 and ZR1 stop-sale and recall is to install a shield designed to divert spilled fuel away from potential ignition sources. While this initial solution aims to contain the issue, the remedy was still under development as of this writing.  Current owners will be notified when the fix is available. In the meantime, owners are advised to follow safe fueling procedures, including ensuring proper fuel nozzle placement, avoiding overfilling, and turning off the engine while refueling.

To check for recalls on a C8 Corvette Z06 or ZR1, use your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on either the General Motors (GM) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website. It is manufacturer recall number N252514930 and NHTSA recall number 25V536. If you are unsure or want further clarification, contact your local Chevrolet dealership’s service department. They can also look up any open recalls associated with your VIN.

The post GM Issues Stop-Sale and Recall for C8 Corvette Z06 and ZR1 Due to Fuel Spill Hazard appeared first on The Online Automotive Marketplace.