SPY SHOTS! 2009 Chevrolet Corvette SS

[Flybrian]

SPY SHOTS! 2009 Chevy Corvette SS
Room for Supercharger, Carbon Fiber Roof and More

Link to Original Article and Spy Shots @ Popular Mechanics

DETROIT — Here's our latest look at what the Corvette folks have been working up for the ultra-fast coupe class, the 2009 Corvette SS. At least SS is the name most used in referring to this 600-plus-hp, supercharged beauty. You might think it looks like today's Corvette, except for the tape over the fenders and the black covering on the hood. But you'd be wrong.

Let’s go through the subtle—but very important—changes needed to make this a 200-mph car for the track. We think the hood covering hides a new bulge there—a necessary tweak to make room for that supercharger nestled near the vee at the top of the 6.2-liter V8 engine.

There's also a solid possibility that the new hood on the new ‘Vette is made of carbon fiber instead of the traditional Corvette fiberglass. If so, that's a major move toward weight savings. Based on the black top we’ve seen on our spy shots of this puppy in blue and then again in red—though it’s new to the yellow, which we’ve also already seen—we feel even more strongly that the prototypes are already carrying carbon-fiber black roof panels.

You might check out the stingy aero lip atop the deck in the rear. That’s new to the Corvette line, and a necessary accessory when traveling at high speed: At speed, the lip catches the air stream and forces the stream upward, creating a down pressure on the rear wheels (always good to have ultimate traction when moving at this car's hyperspeeds).

That black lower rear fascia arrangement surrounding the exhaust tips also looks new to us.

The rear view also shows new, stingy "mud flaps" that extend the fenders to cover the width of the Michelin tires. We told you before that Michelin and Goodyear were bidding for the tire contract for this vehicle, and so far it’s looking good for Michelin to take Goodyears off the Corvette for the first time ever. The Michelin sidewall details include "light load" and "outside" designations, with separate designs for each wheel. Rear wheels probably have an aspect ratio of 35 on 20-in. rims. Another detail near the fender is hidden beneath the black tape—probably two separate slots for air evacuation.

Finally, we see the design of the wheels themselves once again. Behind the dual five-spoke design on the outside of the rims, there are 10 additional spokes set inboard. As with the carbon-fiber body parts, the wheel design offers ultra-light, unsprung weight to aid handling and ride and to cut down on the vehicle's overall weight. Boy, is this beauty gonna need it. —Jim Dunne

[SuperSport623]

Isnt that the ron fellows spoiler? Clicky

Edited August 30, 2007 by SuperSport623

[pow]

I like the wheels. The current ones are all too simplistic and unsubstantial looking for the car body, imo.

Any word on better color selection? For a $90K car, one silver, one black, etc, won't cut it. Gunmetal grey would make it the ultimate sleeper supercar.

I wonder if this will be an all-out performance car (Z06 x2) or more of a well-rounded GT supercar (SLR). A custom interior will be sweet.

Edited August 30, 2007 by empowah

[ToniCipriani]

Maybe it's the angle, but the rear end shape seems to have changed a bit.

[!!!TED!!!]

The new "King of the Hill".

[jbartley]

looks pretty awesome.

and good, i hope michelin wins. i'm so tired of goodyear and their crappy tires.

[cletus8269]

The new "King of the Hill".

thats what ive been hopin the name was from the start. i cant help but look at this thing and hear the imperial march theme in my head, its gonna be awesome.

[K.C.]

Very nice!

[RJB]

How about putting the rarest of the rare Corvette names on it...ZL-1.

[Northstar]

Hopefully those tires are Michelin Pilot Sport Cups. One of the mags said that if the Z06 didn't have run-flats and had the Pilot Sport Cups like the 911 GT3, it would be a lot faster.

[ZL-1]

How about putting the rarest of the rare Corvette names on it...ZL-1.

<------------- I'm all for it!!!

[CMG]

What am I missing? NEXT year's Vette looks alot like LAST year's Vette.

Time for a radical change IMO. Make the LOOKS more inline with the PERFORMANCE?

:wink:

[CMG]

<------------- I'm all for it!!!

BLASPHEMY!!!!!

[hyperv6]

looks pretty awesome.

and good, i hope michelin wins. i'm so tired of goodyear and their crappy tires.

The Goodyears were taylored to GM's spec at the price they wanted to pay.

Goodyear is getting away from OE sales as there is little profit and the performance can not be all it can be due to drive by sound regs and compund not as good due to milage regs. The Run Flat requirement is a real killer too.

Notice the best Eagles as well as most of the best perfomance tires regardless of MFG are never OE for these reasons.

The new F1 Eagles have been great performers and one of the best rated tire in many independent test but are not a OE tire.

The bottom line will be the lowest bidder not the best tire no matter the claim and car companys want cheap tires no matter the application.

[CMG]

Notice the best Eagles as well as most of the best perfomance tires regardless of MFG are never OE for these reasons.

The new F1 Eagles have been great performers and one of the best rated tire in many independent test but are not a OE tire.

I coulda sworn the SRT8 Mopars- both the Chryslers and the Dodges- used 245/45/20 (front) and 255/45/20 (rear) Goodyear Eagle F1s as the stock tires?

[AAS]

I remember hearing that we should/could expect drastically different bodywork... what happened to that?

[CMG]

I remember hearing that we should/could expect drastically different bodywork... what happened to that?

That's what I would like to see. Not an added rear spoiler...

[RJB]

Its just a mule, of course they aren't going to show you their hand. The changes will be different enough to distinguish it from other Vettes.

[ZL-1]

BLASPHEMY!!!!!

Its just a mule, of course they aren't going to show you their hand. The changes will be different enough to distinguish it from other Vettes.

I hope so, but please, nothing too gaudy/tacky...

[David]

I like the wheels. The current ones are all too simplistic and unsubstantial looking for the car body, imo.

Any word on better color selection? For a $90K car, one silver, one black, etc, won't cut it. Gunmetal grey would make it the ultimate sleeper supercar.

I wonder if this will be an all-out performance car (Z06 x2) or more of a well-rounded GT supercar (SLR). A custom interior will be sweet.

I disagree with you, these wheels are busy and what a pain it will be to keep them clean. There are some amazing wheels on the market that are simplistic and easy to clean yet very distinct and in my mind superior to these ugly wheels.

I do agree with you that a GunMetal gray would be kick ass on this car. Plus lets drop the ugly plain black. Go with a metallic black. Something that has more zip than just a basic ugly plain black.

[cletus8269]

How about putting the rarest of the rare Corvette names on it...ZL-1.

good call, they only made what 2 or 3 of those? i read a write up that a mag did on the surviving one i think it was hemmings muscle machines. the owner bought the thing at a police auction cause it was seized from a drug dealer... cant remember how much he paid for it but he got it for a steal compared to the real world value of the car.

[hyperv6]

I coulda sworn the SRT8 Mopars- both the Chryslers and the Dodges- used 245/45/20 (front) and 255/45/20 (rear) Goodyear Eagle F1s as the stock tires?

Chrysler has been know to take acception with tread wear requirements in shearch of performance.

The Michelins on my buddys Viper were only good for 17,000 , miles with few burn outs.

GM on the other hand put Comp TA radials on my GP that were not near as good as the Comps I bought for my other car. I replaced them with Goodyears with 70,000 rating and they have been great in wear and traction. The Comps only got 24,000 miles with my wife driving around town.

Comps are like Eagles there are good and bad in the same line. Note BFG is owned by Michellin and they suffer the same thing. Tire lines are like car companys. They have goods, old, new and bad in their lines.

After working with engineers from BFG, Goodyear, Firestone Michelin, Bridgestone, General, and Hankook I can tell you some things that would amaze you on what goes into to OE tires and how the engineers hate them.

[RJB]

good call, they only made what 2 or 3 of those? i read a write up that a mag did on the surviving one i think it was hemmings muscle machines. the owner bought the thing at a police auction cause it was seized from a drug dealer... cant remember how much he paid for it but he got it for a steal compared to the real world value of the car.

Here is some history on the ZL-1 Corvette.

http://www.autofacts.ca/classics/FAPC/ZL1Corvette.htm

Edited August 31, 2007 by RJB

[Chris_Doane]

Its just a mule, of course they aren't going to show you their hand. The changes will be different enough to distinguish it from other Vettes.

Don't be so sure. The parts with camo on them may be all that's changing.

[91z4me]

Don't be so sure. The parts with camo on them may be all that's changing.

But are the parts the standard composite plastic parts?

[CMG]

Chrysler has been know to take acception with tread wear requirements in shearch of performance.

I guess Chevrolet also takes exception to treadwear requirements in search of performance.

Both the Corvette and Corvette Z06 was supplied with Goodyear Eagle F1s, were they not?

[Chris_Doane]

But are the parts the standard composite plastic parts?

The roof is carbon fiber. The hood is carbon fiber and polycarbonate.

There may be other CF parts.

[hyperv6]

I guess Chevrolet also takes exception to treadwear requirements in search of performance.

Both the Corvette and Corvette Z06 was supplied with Goodyear Eagle F1s, were they not?

Not the top line F1 tires. the Vette has the lesser F1 and not the F1 DS-D. Just saying F1 means nothing but when you add GS-D to it it is a whole different animal.

The SRT I think are the all season F1 that are the same as the Vette that are nothing but OE F1 grade tire that are no where near the same or as good as the F1 GD-D3.

The Z06 I think gets the F1 Supercar but they are even a lesser F1 than the F1 GS-D3

When you say Eagle or F1 it is like saying Pilot with Michelin or Comp TA with BFG and it narrows it to about 6-12 different tires of varing performance, price and quality.

[CMG]

Not the top line F1 tires. the Vette has the lesser F1 and not the F1 DS-D. Just saying F1 means nothing but when you add GS-D to it it is a whole different animal.

The SRT I think are the all season F1 that are the same as the Vette that are nothing but OE F1 grade tire that are no where near the same or as good as the F1 GD-D3.

The Z06 I think gets the F1 Supercar but they are even a lesser F1 than the F1 GS-D3

When you say Eagle or F1 it is like saying Pilot with Michelin or Comp TA with BFG and it narrows it to about 6-12 different tires of varing performance, price and quality.

Are you talking about different compounds but the same tire?

I was referring to your claim that Eagle F1's aren't an "OEM" tire. Which I'm pretty sure they are.

[hyperv6]

Are you talking about different compounds but the same tire?

I was referring to your claim that Eagle F1's aren't an "OEM" tire. Which I'm pretty sure they are.

Just look at Goodyears web site and you will note

There are a range of Eagle F1 tires is a whlole subset line under the Eagle line that have the following.

Different names after the F1

Different compounds

Different tread

Some run flat some not

Some all season some not

Some winter only and some not

Some street performance some track only with shaved tread.

My point is just because you say F1 it is not just one line of tire it is a whole range of different performance tires even under the Eagles sub set.

The F1 tire on the Corvette and the the GS-D3 are two totally different tires that only share the F1 letter on the side wall.

The GS-D3 were tested 2 years ago by most of the magazines and showed they were a top performer vs Michellin and many other top brands. These are not OE tires nor are they track only.

The bottom line is you can't compare the OE Vette tire and say it represents the entire line. Just as you cant Compare the TA radial and say it represents the best Comp TA.

Read up on all the different F1 tires offered under the F1 name and you will catch on that F1 is only a name for the better line of performance tires good year offers and the Vette get the cheaper comprimised ones to GM spec.

If you want you can just look at the pictures in a Tire Rack add in the magazines. It might be easier at the pictures will just point out a few of the entirely different tires they offer under the F1 name.

A good example they made a Goodyear Eagle F1 GS Fiorano as OE for the F-50 Ferrari. It can still be purchased and is not a tire GM would ever offer on the Vette do to cost and tire noise. It only shares the F1 anme just as the GS-D3 does.

[CMG]

Wow, pretty dumb IMO.

I wonder how many people are told to buy Goodyear Eagle F1 tires and wind up with completely different tires than they think they are getting...?

[hyperv6]

Wow, pretty dumb IMO.

I wonder how many people are told to buy Goodyear Eagle F1 tires and wind up with completely different tires than they think they are getting...?

It is no different than Michelin using Pilot and BFG using Comp TA on 14 tires with varing degree of performance and quality.

GM did the same when they put Cutlass on how many cars in their lineup.

Not all marketing people are real smart and when they get a good name they can kill it with over use on too many products.

Smart people look before they buy because you get what you pay for some times and other doen't get what they pay for.

I am running the Assurance Triple Treads and they are some of the best tires I have had in overal performance and tread wear. But paid less than I did for the last set of Eagles I had. I don't expect the Triple Treads to make any OE aplications as they are too expensive for the car companies and Goodyear is getting away form low profit poor quality OE tires.

Also the last set of Comp TA VR were as bad as the last set of Eagle GA tires that came on my Truck. Both were OE and both were not as good as other tires of the same line [Eagle and TA] that I have owned.

The Michelins on my buddys GTP were no better than the Comps that came on mine. Again OE.

If you see the TPC on the side wall they are OE ouality tires and most times are not as good as most others you can get.

Car companies don't want to pay much for tires and tire company can move a lot of tires on OE sales. But to make money thingds get cut.

OE tires to the tire compnys are the same as fleet sales to a car company a dumping ground to get your name out with little profit.

Edited September 1, 2007 by hyperv6

[MGZ06]

This is a great thread!

I was at Belle Isle on Sunday to watch the IRL race and just happened to be at the right place at the right time to meet Dave Hill( I nearly fainted) , although he is retired is still extremly active in the C6 program. I asked him a few questions about the SS/Blue Devil and he assured me that it would be debuting at NAIAS in January. I asked him to give me some HP numbers but he just laughed as said the competition will be shaking in their boots. I tried to ask Tadge Juechter a few questions but he was really tight lipped about it. . . which is completely understandable.

The best part about our conversations was the he knows all to well about Cheers And Gears and actually believes that sites like ours made the launch of the C5 that much more successful. So keep it up!

[91z4me]

This is a great thread!

I was at Belle Isle on Sunday to watch the IRL race and just happened to be at the right place at the right time to meet Dave Hill( I nearly fainted) , although he is retired is still extremly active in the C6 program. I asked him a few questions about the SS/Blue Devil and he assured me that it would be debuting at NAIAS in January. I asked him to give me some HP numbers but he just laughed as said the competition will be shaking in their boots. I tried to ask Tadge Juechter a few questions but he was really tight lipped about it. . . which is completely understandable.

The best part about our conversations was the he knows all to well about Cheers And Gears and actually believes that sites like ours made the launch of the C5 that much more successful. So keep it up!

Your conversation brings up a good point I hadn't thoght about before. How does the top Corvette going from a 7.0 NA V8 to a 6.2 SC V8 affect the C6R program? I know the C5R ran a 7.0 mill that was production based on the 5.7 found in the standard Corvette but does that mean the C6R goes SC?

[hyperv6]

Your conversation brings up a good point I hadn't thoght about before. How does the top Corvette going from a 7.0 NA V8 to a 6.2 SC V8 affect the C6R program? I know the C5R ran a 7.0 mill that was production based on the 5.7 found in the standard Corvette but does that mean the C6R goes SC?

There may not be a C6R next year. With no other car in the class it is pointless to run the car where it is now.

They are considering moving the car down and run it in a lower GT class against the 911.

Now if they run the SC or not may be up to the series leaders as they make the rules and try to keep everyone close.

If someone steps up to race the CR they may stay but as of now with Aston being gone and no word yet on a new Viper racing it is not a sure thing.

[Northstar]

The Blue Devil will certainly be debuting at NAIAS. It starts production in 10 months.

Did Hill happen to mention the real name (of the car)?

[Nick]

There may not be a C6R next year. With no other car in the class it is pointless to run the car where it is now.

They are considering moving the car down and run it in a lower GT class against the 911.

Now if they run the SC or not may be up to the series leaders as they make the rules and try to keep everyone close.

If someone steps up to race the CR they may stay but as of now with Aston being gone and no word yet on a new Viper racing it is not a sure thing.

What happened to Aston? Last I checked they were doing real well and provided great competition for the C6R...hell, they took Lemans (24 hours) this year. Edited September 5, 2007 by Nick

[loki]

What happened to Aston? Last I checked they were doing real well and provided great competition for the C6R...hell, they took Lemans (24 hours) this year.

"this year"?... was this the year they had a rotor explode on one car, and had to fix damage to another car?

[hyperv6]

What happened to Aston? Last I checked they were doing real well and provided great competition for the C6R...hell, they took Lemans (24 hours) this year.

They only ran limited in Europe and not in the American Lemans series where the CR6 went head to head with them every week last year. The only race they went head to head was Lemans I believe. Aston did not even come to Sebring this year.

As it stand now in AMLS there are two cars in the Vettes class and both are Yellow.

Will have to see what and who comes to their class. If no one challanges them I look for a move to a class where they can beat someone other their team mate.

The Pratt and Miller team and Chevy had looked to run in Europe but I think they know they still need to be in a top series here in their largest market.

My hope is the return of the VIper may bring back a old challanger but with Chryslers sales and the many cust they will see I will not get much factory backing is my fear.

Even the Mopar parts division is in risk of being cut.

Edited September 5, 2007 by hyperv6

[MGZ06]

Did Hill happen to mention the real name (of the car)?

Unfortunately he did not, but he had large smile when I mentioned the SS as the 4th model. He said he's heard a lot of rumors from the internet but could not confirm anything. . . boooo!

BTW, I was still in shock that I was talking to the man himself... probably the greatest moment of my life! I hope I see him next year.