MagicMtnDan

C6 'Vette Schedule Revealed

One of the most important of those launches - from a prestige, rather than volume standpoint - will be the next-generation Corvette, known internally as the C6. There have been countless rumors in recent months, along with a few spy shots, and not all that hitting the media is close to accurate, General Motors officials insisted during a series of interviews at the Vette's 50th anniversary bash in Nashville last weekend.

Those involved in the project were relatively tight-lipped, though some details did emerge, including the C6 roll-out schedule, which will start with a media preview at the Detroit Auto Show next January. The next-generation coupe will appear in showrooms at the start of the '05 model year, and before 2006 is out, there will be a new convertible and an updated Z06. The original plan was to have the coupe out in fall 2003 as an '04, but spending cutbacks following 9/11 put things on hold. That wasn't necessarily a bad thing, according to Gary Cowger, president of GM's North American operations, who says it let them "put some significant tweaks into the car."

Expect "more of everything," adds GM "car czar," Bob Lutz, including a good bit more horsepower. A base 400-plus horsepower appears a certainty, and with 500 hp being the new industry benchmark, that's expected to be the Z06 starting point. "The bar has been raised" at all levels, Chief Engineer Dave Hill underscores, so even the C6 interior will have to be world-class.

Design, stresses recently retired designer Jerry Palmer, will be evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. Lutz let slip that the C6's wheels will be moved a bit closer to the corners, the goal of every sports car development team. The bottom line, says Palmer, is that the next Vette will have to be a truly global competitor, "but we always try to retain the Corvette signature inside and out."

Source: The Car Connection (06/29/03)

Curtis A. Franz

I saw it at the car comnection too. It is the biggest collection of nothing new I have seen to date.
:chevy

Scissors

"The next-generation coupe will appear in showrooms at the start of the '05 model year"

Full model year for the coupe, which means probably a full or close-to-full model year for the '04s. Just like I've been saying.

The part about the 'Vert being an '05, but not being a full '05 run is new.


[Modified by Scissors, 8:47 AM 6/30/2003]

Curtis A. Franz

The part about the 'Vert being an '05, but not being a full '05 run is new

Not new to me. Dave had said this earlier.

Hurricane

Thanks for posting this information! Every little bit of information is appreciated!

Thanks!

:steering:

Scissors

Damn. I missed some C6 info.

I must go home and flog myself.

Daryl

Thanks for the update. Sharing is good! :smash:

LongTimer

:smash: :smash: :smash: :smash:
My Hopes for early C6 release.




[Modified by LongTimer, 5:25 PM 6/30/2003]

Rocketblock

Thanks for the post......... the wheels closer to the corners was news to me. :yesnod:

LongTimer

Hi Rocketblock,

It's not really news. We knew the C6 wheelbase is 1.2" longer than the C5 to accomodate the XLR tranny. We knew the overhangs, front and rear are shorter... result: "...the wheels are closer to the corners." I don't think I have seen these "facts" expressed this way before, but it is true.

GDP

It has been said numerous times. I believe overhang is supposed to be reduced by 1", and that would come to a total overhang reduction of 1.6" front and back. Kind of small if you ask me, but I'm sure we'll be able to see a small difference.