Beyond the "standard" C7 Corvette

[dwightlooi]

What will you like to see beyond the "standard" C7 corvette?

Personally, I'll like to see the Z06 move up market and gun for the ultimate expression of a Naturally Aspirated RWD performance car that gives the F458 Italia no quarters. This is what I'll do...

2015 Corvette Z06 "Stealth Ray"

Base Price: $84,995

Price with Options: $84,995 (there are no options)

Chassis:

• ~200 lbs lighter than "standard" C7 corvette (2,850 lbs)
• Hardtop only with stressed Carbon Fiber roof panel completing structural cell
• Lightened Aluminum frame with reduced bracing and material thickness
• Carbon fiber panels replace fiber glass for ALL exterior body panels

Engine:

• 6.8 liter Small Block V8 (LT5) -- Magnesium Block, Aluminum Head, Inconel exhaust headers
• Pushrod OHV, 2-valves per cylinder
• 103.25 mm (bore) x 101.6 mm (stroke) -- LT1 bore w/ LS7 stroke
• 12.7:1 compression w/ Direct Gasoline Injection
• Cam-in-cam dual independent VVT
• Variocam Plus style 2-stage cam switching lifters in-lieu of AFM
• 575 bhp @ 6300 rpm
• 525 lb-ft @ 5300 rpm
• 91 octane unleaded gasoline (required)

Transmission:

• RWD w/ rear mounted transaxle
• 7-speed manual with auto rev match (standard)
• Electronically controlled active rear differential

Performance:

• 0-60: 3.4 secs
• 1/4 mile: 11.0 secs
• Skidpad: 1.08G
• 15 (city) / 25 (hwy) mpg

Given the increased pricing, the ZR-1 takes a hiatus and less "dedicated" buyers can opt for a $70K "grand sport" which gets you the LT5 engine but without the expensive Carbon Fiber bodywork.

Edited January 22, 2013 by dwightlooi

[Camino LS6]

My guess is that you are close to the truth.

I have my doubts that ZR-1 will return on the C7.

[dwightlooi]

BTW, this car should have no "Black" color as a paint option. You can get in in other colors, but black is not available. Instead, for those who like black hues, there is the "Naked" color option which has the entire carbon fiber body clear coated but otherwise unpainted.

[hyperv6]

I think it is simple on what is coming.

The Z06 or what ever they chose to call it will be a bigger brake and more composite car with a mid range engine. It also will have other performance features added. I expect it to also remain coupe only. It will also carry options also offered on the ZR1.

The ZR1 or what ever they will call it is pretty simple. It will be powered by a supercharged 6.2 LT4 engine. HP will be at or near 700 HP at the least. The car will carry a entire carbon fiber body and the ceramic Brembo brakes. It will also carry over an updated magnetic shock package possibly Gen 4 by the time it comes to market. This is the model that will be below 3000 pounds.

Tadge Juechter has made the mission clear on the Vette. Make it lighter, better quality, appeal to younger and non traditional buyers. He also does not want to ge the price out of sight on the lower end either. IT will go up about $5K but what has been added will account for a good value with this increase.

The greatest goal of the new car is to get the base model to sell better. The last 5 years the Vette has been selling at a sickly 13,000 unit average per year. If this number drops Tadge state it could be a problem for the line. His goal is to return the car and double what it has been selling. To do this the focus has been to appeal to more than the aging traditional owners. They want to get the younger buyers who have migrated to the GTr and other sports cars. They want these buyers to see the Vette as more than a old mans car. Also they would like to sway people away from the much more expensive 911 and even Boxster with better performance and lower price.

With a tight economy all sports car sales are down even Porsche. With a better performing car and a much better price it may help some down size their budgets but not have to give up any performance. The C7's goal is to change minds of what a Corvette really is.

Note on the LT4. This is not just somehting I made up. It was an engine seen on a computer at GM that listed it for the C7 ZR1. A lot can happen from development to production but the LT1 was on the computer with it and many feel that this is the top engine at is to come. Many wonder why the name of a very limited model from the 90's but that is how it was tagged.

Might consider I recieved info from a GM engineer a while ago that stated the present ZR1 engine could have gone to 725 HP as it was and passes all emissions and durability test at GM. I am sure the MPG suffered some. But with the addition of DI and a few other tricks they may finally make the 700 HP level. Tadge was asked if the HP wars were over and he said no. He wish they all would come together with MFG agreed limits and work else where in the cars but that is not going to happen. With the Mustang at over 600 HP the Vette is expected to make a move up.

[dwightlooi]

I think it is simple on what is coming.

The Z06 or what ever they chose to call it will be a bigger brake and more composite car with a mid range engine. It also will have other performance features added. I expect it to also remain coupe only. It will also carry options also offered on the ZR1.

The ZR1 or what ever they will call it is pretty simple. It will be powered by a supercharged 6.2 LT4 engine. HP will be at or near 700 HP at the least. The car will carry a entire carbon fiber body and the ceramic Brembo brakes. It will also carry over an updated magnetic shock package possibly Gen 4 by the time it comes to market. This is the model that will be below 3000 pounds.

Tadge Juechter has made the mission clear on the Vette. Make it lighter, better quality, appeal to younger and non traditional buyers. He also does not want to ge the price out of sight on the lower end either. IT will go up about $5K but what has been added will account for a good value with this increase.

The greatest goal of the new car is to get the base model to sell better. The last 5 years the Vette has been selling at a sickly 13,000 unit average per year. If this number drops Tadge state it could be a problem for the line. His goal is to return the car and double what it has been selling. To do this the focus has been to appeal to more than the aging traditional owners. They want to get the younger buyers who have migrated to the GTr and other sports cars. They want these buyers to see the Vette as more than a old mans car. Also they would like to sway people away from the much more expensive 911 and even Boxster with better performance and lower price.

With a tight economy all sports car sales are down even Porsche. With a better performing car and a much better price it may help some down size their budgets but not have to give up any performance. The C7's goal is to change minds of what a Corvette really is.

Note on the LT4. This is not just somehting I made up. It was an engine seen on a computer at GM that listed it for the C7 ZR1. A lot can happen from development to production but the LT1 was on the computer with it and many feel that this is the top engine at is to come. Many wonder why the name of a very limited model from the 90's but that is how it was tagged.

Might consider I recieved info from a GM engineer a while ago that stated the present ZR1 engine could have gone to 725 HP as it was and passes all emissions and durability test at GM. I am sure the MPG suffered some. But with the addition of DI and a few other tricks they may finally make the 700 HP level. Tadge was asked if the HP wars were over and he said no. He wish they all would come together with MFG agreed limits and work else where in the cars but that is not going to happen. With the Mustang at over 600 HP the Vette is expected to make a move up.

The reason I did not advocate a supercharger is three fold...

Firstly, I think it is unnecessary to go to 700 hp or even 600+ hp. The Z06 hits 60 mph just 0.1 sec behind the ZR-1 despite a 133hp deficit and while the ZR-1 is faster in the 1/4 mile both cars are solidly in the 11s. With direct injection and power ratings in the upper half of the 500s, that's plenty of power for two drive wheels and acceleration becomes more of a traction issue than anything else.

Secondly, a Supercharger, the aftercoolers, and their heat exchangers & pumps adds weight. The ZR-1 is 3400 lbs compared to a Z06's 3180. These all go in the front too. A NA car will be lighter and better balanced all else being equal.

Lastly, a Supercharger adds cost. For the same amount of extra dough, I'll rather more carbon bodywork or an active diff or both than more power to an already overpowered car.

[hyperv6]

Again you think in one dimension.

This game is play out more than just a bunch of number on a post on the internet. Tadge pointed out how the public responds to the one upmanship of the big numbers.

To me you make a car lighter all the way around you can do more things like stop faster and handle better since more HP does not add these things. But again you give the market what it wants.

As for balance you can balance a car with or with out a SC. GM did it witht he past ZR1 and will do it again.

As for cost you are going to get the engine and Carbon body anyways. The added cost of 10K to the engine is not a factor. Hell these owners pay extra now to be able to build their own engine in Wixcom and have it shipped to the plant to pay extra to pick the car up at the museum.

Now if we were speaking on the base car where there is give an take you may have a point but most of your points are not valid in the real world with the market they are working with. Sorry but when you add real people to your numbers the number tend to lose to peoples wants. You always have to take the unlogical with the logical when selling cars in the maket place.

In a perfect world most sports cars would take the lotus approch with high powered small engines in very light cars. But in a real world the public does not respond well to this and that is part of the reason Lotus has stuggled for years even now as they have finally gotten the quality up.

[Guest Anthony]

GM is the world's "bargain" super car manufacturer. No other auto company can match the Vette's performance to cost ratio. I think pound for pound the ZO6 is one of the top cars on the market. It has so much potential left open for the buyer to add performance parts and take it to insane levels of performance. The future ZO6 IMO will be still a NA motor with no more than 575 hp. Any more HP a ZR1 variant will be tough to top the ZO6 when you factor in the extra weight of a supercharger and it's components. The ZO6 will also have more top end racing components (lighter materials, better suspension, track tuned suspension, etc...) this is truly one car to get excited about!!!

[hyperv6]

The real issue with the Vette is this the price has gone up and is quickly leaving a void behind it where many buyers were. It is great to have all these options but one of affordability is getting left behind and this will effect volume.

Even the bargin of the Z06 is not what it once was as if you add some of the performance options it is not well into the $90,000 range on the C6 and I am sure it will grow even more with the C7.

I would like them to keep the ZR1 and Z06 with the new Stingray and then offer a lower base Corvette like they always have but make it more a'la cart. Make it so the buyer can build it to meet his performance needs and pocket. Now It still not get the Zo6 or ZR1 engines but it would give options of its own to enhance the car while keeping the price in the $50K-60K range.