Corvette Stealthray

[dwightlooi]

While the Stingray is a world beating every man's $50K sports car, the Stealthray replaces the ZR1 as the Chevrolet's no-excuse Supercar. The Stealthray sets it sights at beating the Ferrari 458 Italia in every measure of performance -- acceleration, braking and road holding -- while retailing at half the price. It does so quite simply by being a 2.4% lighter car with 24.6% more power, 76.9% more torque, one more gear and bigger tire contact patches. The Stealthray name stems from the full carbon fiber body shell.

The Stealthray differs from the standard Corvette in the following aspects:-

• Full carbon fiber bodywork and floorboards over lightened closed roof aluminum frame
• 3,200 lbs vehicle weight (100 lbs less than Stingray) despite increased mass from supercharged engine
• Supercharged 6.2 liter engine (LT9) with titanium rods, intake valves and pushrods
• 700 bhp @ 6000 rpm, 700 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm @ 10.5 psi boost & 10.5:1 compression
• 8-speed Dual Clutch gearbox with active differential as sole transmission choice
• Titanium Exhaust System
• 8-piston brake rotors with Carbon-Ceramic discs
• Meteorological shocks with active roll control
• Forged Magnesium Alloy Wheels
• 295/35 R20 (Front), 335/30 R20 (Rear), Michelin Pilot Supersport ZP Tires
• MRSP $119,500

For the everyman stretching his budget, there is always the Z07 starting at $79,995 with a 625 hp / 625 lb-ft version of the supercharged engine (LT5) and making do without the carbon fiber body shell or the carbon brakes. Or, if he desires 4-door practicality, the Cadillac CTS-V with the same engine, 500 lbs more weight but similar pricing.

[Drew Dowdell]

I like it.

[Robert Hall]

I like the idea--I wonder how close this will be to the spec of the next ZR-1..don't like the name--sounds cheesy.

[Lamar]

Love the specs. But ZR1 should stay as the name.

[David]

Love the Idea and specs, ZR1 - Stealthray would be a great World Beating Supercar for GM to produce.

[dwightlooi]

BTW, we know that the basic LT1 architecture will make that kind of power... Lingenfelter's performance package makes 720 hp @ 6500 rpm/ 655 lb-ft @ 3800. It runs 7 psi on the stock 11.5:1 compression. But it also has seriously port heads and revised cams. The kind of hand porting used by tuners is impractical for GM to mass produce and high lift/overlap cams may have rougher idles. Dropping the compression by a point and using 3.5 psi more boost helps with using factory manufacturable heads and less aggressive cams. High RPM suffers so max. power drops in both magnitude and rpm. But, higher boosts results in higher maximum torque. 700/700 isn't bad. And, while something like this will require and not simp;y recommend 91 octane fuel, that is unlikely to be a concern for buyers of this type of car.

[Drew Dowdell]

If one is spending $119k base on a car like this, they can afford 91 octane.

But at the same time, I think Chevy could (and should) charge more if there is room for it.

[dwightlooi]

If one is spending $119k base on a car like this, they can afford 91 octane.

But at the same time, I think Chevy could (and should) charge more if there is room for it.

For a Caddy maybe, but 120K for a Chevy is already pushing it. It'll be like a $200,000 Toyota Supra or Honda NSX. A Chevy -- or Toyota or Honda for that matter -- will never have the prestige of a Ferrari or Lamborghini. The idea isn't to put the Corvette on same price class as these very expensive exotics and make more money per car. The idea is to put it in the same performance class while elevating the image of Chevrolets in general -- both as a manufacturer with supercar creeds and also as the "thinking man's" choice.

But, since we are in the cheesy mode, here's how the Stealthray emblem may look like...

[Drew Dowdell]

The GTR is already at $106k and the new track versions will probably be pushing the price up some.

[dwightlooi]

The GTR is already at $106k and the new track versions will probably be pushing the price up some.

Right, and that's pushing it!

[Z-06]

So other than transmission, carbon fiber usage, and added power through newer block nothing is different than the ZR1 with a modest update in the price. I think this is what General is gunning for the ZR1 anyways.

[dwightlooi]

So other than transmission, carbon fiber usage, and added power through newer block nothing is different than the ZR1 with a modest update in the price. I think this is what General is gunning for the ZR1 anyways.

Going to carbon bodywork IS a big deal and going to dual clutch box IS a big deal.

[Z-06]

So other than transmission, carbon fiber usage, and added power through newer block nothing is different than the ZR1 with a modest update in the price. I think this is what General is gunning for the ZR1 anyways.

Going to carbon bodywork IS a big deal and going to dual clutch box IS a big deal.

Yes, but given the usage of aluminum frame and doses of CF in the pedestrian Stingray, using more carbon fiber for higher Corvettes is the only logical step forward and so is the dual clutch, which is a possible foregone conclusion.

[ocnblu]

What makes the shocks "meteorological", exactly?

[dwightlooi]

What makes the shocks "meteorological", exactly?

LOL, it's a typo courtesy of auto-correction. Magnetorological is to correct word.

This type of shocks have uses an oil which has ferrous particles in it. When current is applied to create a magnetic field through the fluid the viscousity changes creating greater or lesser resistance to the fluid passing through the offices in the shock piston. This in turns allow electronic and continuous adjustment of the firmness of the shock absorber. Active roll control uses G-meters and wheel deflection sensors to differentiate between bumps on the road and lean whilst a car corners. The outside shocks are firmed up momentarily for the cornering effort reducing body roll without relying on overly stiff anti-roll bars for that purpose. This permits the suspension to be more independent (by nature anti-roll bars reduces independence), and allows the car to have a high degree of cornering flatness without the vices of jitteriness, bump steer or wooden roller coaster ride associated with suspension tunings based on overly thick anti-roll bars, high damping forces and stiff springs.

Edited December 2, 2013 by dwightlooi

[Lamar]

What makes the shocks "meteorological", exactly?

LOL, it's a typo courtesy of auto-correction. Magnetorheological is to correct word.

This type of shocks have uses an oil which has ferrous particles in it. When current is applied to create a magnetic field through the fluid the viscousity changes creating greater or lesser resistance to the fluid passing through the offices in the shock piston. This in turns allow electronic and continuous adjustment of the firmness of the shock absorber. Active roll control uses G-meters and wheel deflection sensors to differentiate between bumps on the road and lean whilst a car corners. The outside shocks are firmed up momentarily for the cornering effort reducing body roll without relying on overly stiff anti-roll bars for that purpose. This permits the suspension to be more independent (by nature anti-roll bars reduces independence), and allows the car to have a high degree of cornering flatness without the vices of jitteriness, bump steer or wooden roller coaster ride associated with suspension tunings based on overly thick anti-roll bars, high damping forces and stiff springs.

FTFY

[daves87rs]

Works for me!

[David]

FTFY

What the? I so hate acronyms. Makes it so much harder to understand some times.

[Lamar]

FTFY = "Fixed that for you."

What the? I so hate acronyms. Makes it so much harder to understand some times.

FTFY. :smilewide:

[David]

FTFY = "Fixed that for you."

What the? I so hate acronyms. Makes it so much harder to understand some times.

FTFY. :smilewide:

Mucho Appreciate it. Learn something new everyday!

[dwightlooi]

Honestly, I think GM can and should consider buying a good tuner shop and delegating the ZL1s, ZR1s and the Z06s to it. Buy Lingenfelter or some good tuner, and make it the performance arm of GM making specialty cars -- very much like the Shelby brand is to Ford. Anything you don't plan on selling more than 3000 a year goes to the specialty tuner unit. The Caddy V-cars is debatable... it can go either way.

[Lamar]

Honestly, I think GM can and should consider buying a good tuner shop and delegating the ZL1s, ZR1s and the Z06s to it. Buy Lingenfelter or some good tuner, and make it the performance arm of GM making specialty cars -- very much like the Shelby brand is to Ford. Anything you don't plan on selling more than 3000 a year goes to the specialty tuner unit. The Caddy V-cars is debatable... it can go either way.

Ford's performance arm is SVT; Shelby is still its own company. The Shelby badge is licensed for the Mustang because of the history behind the name, but the GT500 is more SVT than Shelby at this point.

I think the only manufacturer that bought its performance arm was Mercedes.

[Z-06]

Honestly, I think GM can and should consider buying a good tuner shop and delegating the ZL1s, ZR1s and the Z06s to it. Buy Lingenfelter or some good tuner, and make it the performance arm of GM making specialty cars -- very much like the Shelby brand is to Ford. Anything you don't plan on selling more than 3000 a year goes to the specialty tuner unit. The Caddy V-cars is debatable... it can go either way.

GM had its performance division till it was disbanded with the 2008 event. Guys like Ron Fellows have constantly provided more than just input in GM's performance vehicles. Callaway will be exclusively designing, testing and racing C7R for GT3. I think these relationships are unique for GM and does not get an obvious need for a separate shop.

[Drew Dowdell]

GMPD was disbanded in name only.

[Z-06]

GMPD was disbanded in name only.

Yes, I do not disagree. But the namesake existed and it is a very active division within GM.