"Blue Devil" News: Test Details Roll In
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Joey D
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I don't know the Porsche's, Lambo's, Audi's, and the like don't have to much of an issue when it comes to AWD. And the C7 vette will probably be looking at a base 500hp so that it more then enough power to move it along. Also I would wager more carbon fibre will be integrated as well.
- 7,666
Those cars are also quite different from the Corvette in that they are more expensive and so their makers have better resources to do more to the car. GM probably won't underfund the C7, but they might just want to stick with the old formula or something.
And more carbon fiber? Will that send the through the roof? The stuff ain't cheap.
Joey D
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Well I think you will see GM moving the Corvette more higher end since they will have the LS2/3 Camaro to fill the shoes of a more base model of Vette. There are rumors of a DSG-ish type transmission and AWD already of flying around.
- 7,666
That is true. And this car probably has something to do with the Corvette moving up in the world. If the Camaro is going to be where the base Vette is now, couldn't they just make the current Z06 the base model? Wasn't there a rumor about this going around at some point?
I can see why GM would want to put a twin-clutch box and other goodies in the Corvette to really say that this car is way above the Camaro.
I can see why GM would want to put a twin-clutch box and other goodies in the Corvette to really say that this car is way above the Camaro.
Joey D
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I would agree with the Z06 becoming the base model with the ZR1 taking the place of the Z06. And with the AWD I don't think it would be standard, but I do see it as an option being offered. I would love to see a 650hp, AWD, twin-clutched, Z06 run around the Ring, that would be a monster.
Joey D
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Well like I said, I think the Camaro will step in as GM's budget sports car assuming it won't sell like crap. But yes I'm in the same boat as you, I would like to see the Corvette stay where it is now but I think it's time for the car to grow up a bit as well.
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It appears to me that the top Camaro will probably be around what the current base Corvette is at. The Camaro probably won't be able to take on the old Corvette's job of budget supercar fighter, although it could still be a budget sports car. A Z06 and ZR1 left as-is will probably be sufficient anyway.
And if GM really wants the Corvette to go upmarket, I'll be looking for a Cien.
Is the ZR1 more of a track machine? In that case, maybe it should stay as a RWD manual. But having dual cluth and AWD options would be a good idea. Especially on the Z06.
And if GM really wants the Corvette to go upmarket, I'll be looking for a Cien.
Is the ZR1 more of a track machine? In that case, maybe it should stay as a RWD manual. But having dual cluth and AWD options would be a good idea. Especially on the Z06.
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- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
Actually, its hard to really peg it for absolute certain as to what the future of the Corvette is with the Camaro due to be out soon, but my guess is that things won't change much in the near-future. The Camaro has had a long history of being not too far off the pace of the Corvette in performance, but enough to justify the price of the Corvette over all.
Given that the Camaro is based on the Zeta platform, and we do know that the G8 is certainly not a light car, my guess is that even in top trim (at least for now), we're at best going to see a 400 BHP Camaro. In that form, we could probably expect a high four second 0-60 run with a top-speed in the 160-170 range. Handling should be good for a car its size, probably just a hair or two better than where the GTO/Monaro CV8 left off.
Considering that the Z51 Corvette, at about $15K more adds quite a bit of performance, I don't think Chevrolet would be too worried about any kind of Corvette model shift. While adding the 505 BHP LS7 would likely make that gap much smaller, there is always that "prestige" thing with the Corvette.
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As for AWD on the Corvette, its something thats still up in the air. The die-hard Corvette guys (like myself) on GMI aren't too into the idea of it being on the "affordable" sportscar. But, much like the 911, we do recognize that a couple different models wouldn't hurt at times. This being said, I can see it happening on the next-generation XLR long before it shows up on the Corvette. That way the price increase would be better-justified, and at least in the company of the R8 and whatnot, it would appear to make more sense.
It will likely depend on this whole FM/MR debate, and my guess is that if the Corvette remains FM (as it should), we won't see the formula altered too much in the future...
Given that the Camaro is based on the Zeta platform, and we do know that the G8 is certainly not a light car, my guess is that even in top trim (at least for now), we're at best going to see a 400 BHP Camaro. In that form, we could probably expect a high four second 0-60 run with a top-speed in the 160-170 range. Handling should be good for a car its size, probably just a hair or two better than where the GTO/Monaro CV8 left off.
Considering that the Z51 Corvette, at about $15K more adds quite a bit of performance, I don't think Chevrolet would be too worried about any kind of Corvette model shift. While adding the 505 BHP LS7 would likely make that gap much smaller, there is always that "prestige" thing with the Corvette.
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As for AWD on the Corvette, its something thats still up in the air. The die-hard Corvette guys (like myself) on GMI aren't too into the idea of it being on the "affordable" sportscar. But, much like the 911, we do recognize that a couple different models wouldn't hurt at times. This being said, I can see it happening on the next-generation XLR long before it shows up on the Corvette. That way the price increase would be better-justified, and at least in the company of the R8 and whatnot, it would appear to make more sense.
It will likely depend on this whole FM/MR debate, and my guess is that if the Corvette remains FM (as it should), we won't see the formula altered too much in the future...
Keef
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Nah. There's plenty of improvement left to do with the current chassis, which is a very good one to begin with. I think the main area of improvement is with the rear suspension. They had all sorts of trouble with the Z06, and even though they've sorted it a bit the car is still to unstable. I don't think AWD will solve anything except make the car slower but more stable on track. They're not looking to go slower, I don't think. Why would they bring their performance down to Turbo, GT-R, and Gallardo levels? 
Keef
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General Motors would like to beat the foreign competition while keeping with tradition to show that the The Corvette is a winner. They'd also like to be relatively inexpensive, because you don't have to spend an insane amount of money to make a good performance car.
All-wheel drive, a mid-engine layout, and all that stuff are drastic changes from Corvette's past, so they're reluctant to make those changes when they can keep improving the current formula.
All-wheel drive, a mid-engine layout, and all that stuff are drastic changes from Corvette's past, so they're reluctant to make those changes when they can keep improving the current formula.
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Its a bit of both, actually. The Corvette really hasn't gained much weight overall in the past few years, really an amazing feat considering where the industry has gone. This all being said, GM doesn't like to change things much because keeping it simple keeps the fans happy, and furthermore, keeps prices down not only for them, but those who buy them as well.
My guess is that the most dramatic somewhat immediate changes we'll see will be the addition of a direct-injection-gasoline setup, probably a dual-clutch automated manual transmission, and probably further refinement of the Magnaride system that allows it to out-perform the current Z51 and Z06 suspension setups.
- 5,987
If the Z06 is being hyped up as this track monster (which it is with all of the smack-talking going on these days), then tires are the least of concern. Stock tires are hardly enough for more than a handful of events at which point the owner swaps something stickier. Magazine reviews will complain about tires because they drive them from the factory, but the real ownership is another deal entirely.
Unless of course there is some size issue that I am unaware of, but I am fairly certain that GM made things relatively universal.
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There's a reason the Aerovette got canned.
Big engine in front,rear drive, light car, good suspension. That's the formula for any corvette that sold after 1955. It's worked for the past.. 51 years that the car wasn't hampered by the anemic 'Blue Flame". (3 one barrels!? !?!?)
Keep the engine up front. I'm not totally against AWD, as long as they continue to keep a RWD car that is somewhat comparable. It works for the Porsche 911, and they were still nice enough to keep the engine in the back when they added turbos, and then later a driveshaft and transfer case.
Big engine in front,rear drive, light car, good suspension. That's the formula for any corvette that sold after 1955. It's worked for the past.. 51 years that the car wasn't hampered by the anemic 'Blue Flame". (3 one barrels!? !?!?)
Keep the engine up front. I'm not totally against AWD, as long as they continue to keep a RWD car that is somewhat comparable. It works for the Porsche 911, and they were still nice enough to keep the engine in the back when they added turbos, and then later a driveshaft and transfer case.
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- YSSMAN
- YSSMAN
This largely depends on where the engine programs go within the next two years. The current GM plan is to adapt a DIG setup to nearly every engine they offer, and given that they're already running DIG on the 6.2L L92 V8, its a very small stretch to see them doing so on the 6.2L LS3.
...The question is, will GM just skip straight to GenV for DIG or adapt the GenIV engines and roll with the changes?
Its hard to say. The GM engineers that first demonstrated the DIG Escalade said that they would likely wait for the setup to show on the GenV models of the small-block. My guess is that GM would just offer DIG on all of the Corvette models, but not until the 2012 switch to the C7 Chassis.
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I doubt we'll see AWD. With the new Fuel Econ measures, all the extra drivetrain drag would just slow it down and make it thirstier. Besides, why does the Corvette need four driven wheels, anyway? It's done fine for YEARS with two...
