Electric Cars

Celebrate American Heritage with Chevrolet's Exclusive Editions

Chevrolet's Patriotic Offering: The Stars and Steel Collection

In anticipation of the nation's 250th milestone, Chevrolet has launched its Stars and Steel Collection, a series of special-edition vehicles. This collection includes a limited release of 250 Corvettes, alongside dedicated packages for its full range of Colorado and Silverado trucks. The designs subtly incorporate patriotic themes with grayscale flag motifs, offering a sophisticated nod to American pride rather than overt red, white, and blue.

Corvette's Exclusive Patriotic Enhancements

The Stars and Steel package for the Corvette elevates its iconic status with full-length flag stripes, unique three-stripe flag badges on the doors indicating the country's founding and semiquincentennial years, and exclusive sill plates. Engine covers and brake calipers are finished in Edge Red, complemented by red accents on the wheels. Models with wings also feature specific "250" decals. Interior options include Santorini Blue with red seatbelts for Arctic White exteriors, and Adrenaline Red with red belts for black exteriors, all featuring red-stitched floor mats and a serialized dash plaque. This package is available across all 2026 Corvette trims, including Stingray, E-Ray, Z06, ZR1, and ZR1X, in both coupe and convertible formats, at an additional cost of $9995.

Truck Lineup's Stars and Steel Treatment

For the Colorado and Silverado trucks, including light-duty, heavy-duty, and EV variants, the Stars and Steel treatment is not limited in production numbers. These trucks also come in white and black exteriors, paired with interior color schemes ranging from gray to black. The Silverado EV RST trim receives a stripe package, 24-inch gloss black wheels, a heavy-duty Brembo brake system with red calipers, and black badges, with prices starting from $99,945. The Silverado 1500 package, requiring a crew-cab RST with a short bed, 6.2-liter V-8, and all-wheel drive, adds 22-inch wheels, assist steps, a performance air intake, a logoed soft bed cover, and other mandatory option packages, costing an additional $14,395. Silverado HDs in the Stars and Steel edition are based on the LTZ Trail Boss with a crew cab, four-wheel drive, and the Duramax diesel 6.6-liter V-8, featuring 20-inch wheels, the Z71 package, and extensive options, adding $15,135 to the price. Colorado models with the package start with the Trail Boss trim, including 20-inch black wheels, the Midnight package with a sport bar and light bar, a black exhaust tip, red tow hooks, and various options and packages, at a minimum additional cost of $14,900. Chevrolet also offers simpler appearance packages for trucks starting at $995, and will donate $250 to a veteran support non-profit for each Stars and Steel vehicle sold.

Clarification on 'Stars and Steel' Nomenclature

Chevrolet provides a clear disclaimer regarding the "Stars and Steel" name, stating that it signifies a design theme featuring dark metallic finishes and celestial accents, rather than indicating the actual material composition. This clarification is particularly relevant given the Corvette's well-known fiberglass body construction.

Roush Performance has introduced a distinctive Red Edition supercharger kit designed for 2021–2026 Ford F-150 pickups featuring the 5.0-liter V-8 engine. This exclusive release commemorates both Roush's five-decade milestone and the impending quarter-millennium celebration of the United States. Priced identically to its conventional counterpart at $8899.99, this kit boosts the truck's output to a formidable 705 horsepower and 635 pound-feet of torque, with the key differentiator being its vibrant red supercharger casing.

The engineering team at Roush is renowned for pushing the boundaries of automotive performance. Their existing supercharger package for F-150s with 5.0-liter V-8s already provides a substantial power increase, achieving 705 horsepower. Now, aligning with two significant anniversaries, this potent upgrade is available in a striking new crimson finish. This special offering, the Red Edition, maintains the same performance specifications as the standard kit but adds a visually distinct component.

The Red Edition supercharger kit, despite its unique color, carries the same price tag of $8899.99 as the version with the traditional black blower. Both packages include a comprehensive suite of components necessary to support the heightened output. These include a forged aluminum crankshaft damper, an upgraded air intake system, a larger radiator for enhanced cooling, an intercooler, new spark plugs, and specialized software to optimize power delivery. The heart of the system is a 2.65-liter roots-type supercharger, featuring twin four-lobe rotors, which significantly increases torque to an advertised 635 pound-feet.

The primary distinction of this new release, as highlighted, lies in the crimson hue applied to the supercharger housing. Roush strategically launched this special finish to coincide with its 50th corporate anniversary and the United States' upcoming 250th birthday. Red, a prominent color in Roush's corporate insignia and a fundamental color of the American flag, was a fitting choice. This shade of red is consistent with that used on Roush's supercharger kits for current-generation 5.0-liter Ford Mustangs, which are offered in 740- and 810-horsepower configurations.

While Roush has not provided specific timed performance claims for this package, emphasizing that results will vary based on the F-150's configuration, an approximate idea can be gleaned from other high-performance F-150 variants. For instance, an F-150 equipped with Ford's FP700 kit, which produces a respectable 700 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, achieved 60 mph in 4.2 seconds in tests. In comparison, an F-150 Raptor R, featuring a 720-horsepower 5.2-liter V-8 and tires not optimized for street performance, accomplished the same feat in 3.6 seconds. It is safe to infer that this new Roush kit will deliver impressive acceleration.

Intriguingly, Roush has left the door open regarding the future availability of this special red option. The product page for the Red Edition kit states, "We're not promising this color comes back. We're also not promising it won't." This suggests that future red iterations might be reserved for significant corporate anniversaries. Consequently, potential buyers interested in this distinct offering are encouraged to act promptly.

This Red Edition supercharger kit represents a unique opportunity for Ford F-150 owners to significantly enhance their vehicle's power and make a bold aesthetic statement. Combining raw performance with a celebratory design, it offers a compelling package for enthusiasts seeking both power and prestige.