[ZR1] Corvette C7 Mid-Engine?
07-06-2007, 08:26 PM
#1
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St. Jude Donor '15
Corvette C7 Mid-Engine?
Corvette C7 Mid-Engine?
Am I out of the loop on this one, has anyone heard that the C7 would be a mid-engine. Received my August 2007 issue of Automobile magazine today and when talking about the Corvette SS the following quote appeared in the article:
“Plan on spending $100,00 for the last hurrah before the C7 Corvette arrives in a mid-engine configuration”. Page 64.
Am I out of the loop on this one, has anyone heard that the C7 would be a mid-engine. Received my August 2007 issue of Automobile magazine today and when talking about the Corvette SS the following quote appeared in the article:
“Plan on spending $100,00 for the last hurrah before the C7 Corvette arrives in a mid-engine configuration”. Page 64.
07-06-2007, 08:53 PM
#2
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2020 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16,'17,'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
I hope not.
Writers and Editors need controversy to sell magazines. In the absence of facts, they substitute opinions (spelled G-U-E-S-S-W-O-R-K).
07-09-2007, 12:45 PM
#4
Safety Car
Mid-engine designs are more perfectly balanced than 99% of the front-engined designs. The driver can be pushed forward more in the chassis to see better, etc. The McLaran F1 is a prime example of one of the best handling cars in the world (with an exotic price to go with it too)...with a perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
Ferrari, Lambo, Saleen, etc. must have it all wrong to put this design in the hands of the general public, right?
Why do you think they build the prototypes race cars as a mid-engine? Or Formula1 & Indy race cars?
I can agree with your statement when it comes to rear-engined designs like the Porsche...having all that weight behind the rear axle can give you some real surprises...thankfully for me they were all track experiences that I drove away from with no damage.
But a mid-engined design is far more stable & predictable at the limits of adhesion.
07-10-2007, 09:57 PM
#8
Safety Car
With all the handling issues with the current z06 and the disastrous handling with even more power in the blue devil I think mid engine will be coming for sure. If not cost got in the way.
07-10-2007, 11:11 PM
#9
Le Mans Master
?????
07-11-2007, 12:32 AM
#10
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A mid-engine C7 is a distinct possibility as a mainstream model, or a special variant. Deal with it and move on. Time will tell.
07-11-2007, 09:34 AM
#12
Safety Car
Must not have been TOO disastrous...build a car that can spank everything else on the road, and as long as the styling still says Corvette people will buy it...even the whiners who say it isn't "traditional".
GM has built many Corvette mid-engine designs as test vehicles over the years...
C.E.R.V. I
and C.E.R.V. II
Astro 1 Vette
Astro 2
Aerovette
Corvette Indy (CERV III)
So you can see that GM has been researching the mid-engine concepts since Zora was in charge. The CERV 1 was built in 1957!!!
I think that GM will add another model to the lineup...the C7 won't be mid-engine. They will make another model of the Corvette that will be mid-engined and cost $150k + to spank the world with.
They can't get the costs for a mid-engined design down to the grass-roots level where they have enjoyed their market share. The CERV III was a beautiful design, but they can't make it for $70k.
Of course, you still have to take it to the Chevy dealership to get it fixed
07-11-2007, 10:06 AM
#13
Safety Car
They should keep the base C7 car with forward engine ... but, the top end vettes ( Z's and Devils) are long overdue to be mid-engine.
Until Chevy does a mid-engine on their top models ... they really won't be perceived as Supercars by the world at large. Supercars need to look exotic ... and mid-engine is the easiest way to achieve the distinctive worldclass look.
Also, the C7R car needs to assume the mid-engine platform ... to allow it to continue to dominate G1.
Until Chevy does a mid-engine on their top models ... they really won't be perceived as Supercars by the world at large. Supercars need to look exotic ... and mid-engine is the easiest way to achieve the distinctive worldclass look.
Also, the C7R car needs to assume the mid-engine platform ... to allow it to continue to dominate G1.
07-11-2007, 10:57 AM
#14
Melting Slicks
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Glad to see the GM engineers are apparently a little more flexible than some demagogues.
07-11-2007, 12:12 PM
#15
Melting Slicks
Don't know how you can say that with a straight face...
Mid-engine designs are more perfectly balanced than 99% of the front-engined designs. The driver can be pushed forward more in the chassis to see better, etc. The McLaran F1 is a prime example of one of the best handling cars in the world (with an exotic price to go with it too)...with a perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
Ferrari, Lambo, Saleen, etc. must have it all wrong to put this design in the hands of the general public, right?
Why do you think they build the prototypes race cars as a mid-engine? Or Formula1 & Indy race cars?
I can agree with your statement when it comes to rear-engined designs like the Porsche...having all that weight behind the rear axle can give you some real surprises...thankfully for me they were all track experiences that I drove away from with no damage.
But a mid-engined design is far more stable & predictable at the limits of adhesion.
Mid-engine designs are more perfectly balanced than 99% of the front-engined designs. The driver can be pushed forward more in the chassis to see better, etc. The McLaran F1 is a prime example of one of the best handling cars in the world (with an exotic price to go with it too)...with a perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
Ferrari, Lambo, Saleen, etc. must have it all wrong to put this design in the hands of the general public, right?
Why do you think they build the prototypes race cars as a mid-engine? Or Formula1 & Indy race cars?
I can agree with your statement when it comes to rear-engined designs like the Porsche...having all that weight behind the rear axle can give you some real surprises...thankfully for me they were all track experiences that I drove away from with no damage.
But a mid-engined design is far more stable & predictable at the limits of adhesion.
I would disagree to this extent: Street-driven cars are always safer with some understeer at the limit, as most of us don't catch oversteer that well. As the Corvette is front mid-engined now (the engine is wholly behind the front axle) and has a nearly 50-50 F/R distribution, it may understeer a touch at the limit (although this can be fixed with tires and alignment), it rotates pretty well, and it is pretty safe. Early C6Z06 tales of snap oversteer are history with some shock revalving, I understand.
Rear mid-engined cars are the best handlers because they are usually neutral, or maybe even oversteer a touch, at the limit, by design, and can be rotated quickly. This is all well and good, if you are a good driver. Most rear ME cars actually have some rear weight bias--not 50-50--and indeed, if you are a good driver, some rear bias may help you rotate quickly, albeit with some more risk for the unattentive or unskilled.
Now we all know rear-engined cars, in contrast, by the laws of physics lean toward oversteer all the time and must be reigned in with staggered tire sizes, trick alignments, etc., but if engineered well, can be very quick (i.e. Porsche 911s).
Of course, modern computer aids help all of us keep it off the wall, but they also dim the advantages given to good drivers who like a car that rotates quickly.
Except for bragging rights about how cool your rear mid-engined car is, there is something to gain and something to lose with a mid-engined design for the street as far as handling is concerned. Also, rear ME cars often are much harder to service as the engine and related hardware can be tucked away in a tough spot, like in a Cayman, for example.
Last edited by quick04Z06; 07-11-2007 at 12:15 PM.
07-11-2007, 12:23 PM
#16
Le Mans Master
I would disagree to this extent: Street-driven cars are always safer with some understeer at the limit, as most of us don't catch oversteer that well. As the Corvette is front mid-engined now (the engine is wholly behind the front axle) and has a nearly 50-50 F/R distribution, it may understeer a touch at the limit (although this can be fixed with tires and alignment), it rotates pretty well, and it is pretty safe. Early C6Z06 tales of snap oversteer are history with some shock revalving, I understand.
Rear mid-engined cars are the best handlers because they are usually neutral, or maybe even oversteer a touch, at the limit, by design, and can be rotated quickly. This is all well and good, if you are a good driver. Most rear ME cars actually have some rear weight bias--not 50-50--and indeed, if you are a good driver, some rear bias may help you rotate quickly, albeit with some more risk for the unattentive or unskilled.
Now we all know rear-engined cars, in contrast, by the laws of physics lean toward oversteer all the time and must be reigned in with staggered tire sizes, trick alignments, etc., but if engineered well, can be very quick (i.e. Porsche 911s).
Of course, modern computer aids help all of us keep it off the wall, but they also dim the advantages given to good drivers who like a car that rotates quickly.
Except for bragging rights about how cool your rear mid-engined car is, there is something to gain and something to lose with a mid-engined design for the street as far as handling is concerned. Also, rear ME cars often are much harder to service as the engine and related hardware can be tucked away in a tough spot, like in a Cayman, for example.
Rear mid-engined cars are the best handlers because they are usually neutral, or maybe even oversteer a touch, at the limit, by design, and can be rotated quickly. This is all well and good, if you are a good driver. Most rear ME cars actually have some rear weight bias--not 50-50--and indeed, if you are a good driver, some rear bias may help you rotate quickly, albeit with some more risk for the unattentive or unskilled.
Now we all know rear-engined cars, in contrast, by the laws of physics lean toward oversteer all the time and must be reigned in with staggered tire sizes, trick alignments, etc., but if engineered well, can be very quick (i.e. Porsche 911s).
Of course, modern computer aids help all of us keep it off the wall, but they also dim the advantages given to good drivers who like a car that rotates quickly.
Except for bragging rights about how cool your rear mid-engined car is, there is something to gain and something to lose with a mid-engined design for the street as far as handling is concerned. Also, rear ME cars often are much harder to service as the engine and related hardware can be tucked away in a tough spot, like in a Cayman, for example.
Good assessment.I also agree about the service. I wouldn't look forward to $300 oil changes like P cars.
07-11-2007, 12:46 PM
#17
Safety Car
Ever see a MINI serviced? They remove the entire front clip in about 10 minutes...the entire engine is exposed to work on without worrying about scratching the fenders.
Just make the design engineers actually work on the protoypes they design, and they'll find a way to make it easier
...
07-11-2007, 02:09 PM
#18
Safety Car
They be 'old school' guys ... with passage of more time, GM won't have to please them so much with next generation vettes.
07-11-2007, 10:19 PM
#19
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Corvette C7 Mid-Engine?
Am I out of the loop on this one, has anyone heard that the C7 would be a mid-engine. Received my August 2007 issue of Automobile magazine today and when talking about the Corvette SS the following quote appeared in the article:
“Plan on spending $100,00 for the last hurrah before the C7 Corvette arrives in a mid-engine configuration”. Page 64.
Am I out of the loop on this one, has anyone heard that the C7 would be a mid-engine. Received my August 2007 issue of Automobile magazine today and when talking about the Corvette SS the following quote appeared in the article:
“Plan on spending $100,00 for the last hurrah before the C7 Corvette arrives in a mid-engine configuration”. Page 64.
I read the same article. It would be nice, I had a mid-engine car the handling is superb. We'll see.
07-11-2007, 11:50 PM
#20
Drifting
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And yet they sell every car they make...
Must not have been TOO disastrous...build a car that can spank everything else on the road, and as long as the styling still says Corvette people will buy it...even the whiners who say it isn't "traditional".
GM has built many Corvette mid-engine designs as test vehicles over the years...
C.E.R.V. I
and C.E.R.V. II
Astro 1 Vette
Astro 2
Aerovette
Corvette Indy (CERV III)
So you can see that GM has been researching the mid-engine concepts since Zora was in charge. The CERV 1 was built in 1957!!!
I think that GM will add another model to the lineup...the C7 won't be mid-engine. They will make another model of the Corvette that will be mid-engined and cost $150k + to spank the world with.
They can't get the costs for a mid-engined design down to the grass-roots level where they have enjoyed their market share. The CERV III was a beautiful design, but they can't make it for $70k.
Of course, you still have to take it to the Chevy dealership to get it fixed
Must not have been TOO disastrous...build a car that can spank everything else on the road, and as long as the styling still says Corvette people will buy it...even the whiners who say it isn't "traditional".
GM has built many Corvette mid-engine designs as test vehicles over the years...
C.E.R.V. I
and C.E.R.V. II
Astro 1 Vette
Astro 2
Aerovette
Corvette Indy (CERV III)
So you can see that GM has been researching the mid-engine concepts since Zora was in charge. The CERV 1 was built in 1957!!!
I think that GM will add another model to the lineup...the C7 won't be mid-engine. They will make another model of the Corvette that will be mid-engined and cost $150k + to spank the world with.
They can't get the costs for a mid-engined design down to the grass-roots level where they have enjoyed their market share. The CERV III was a beautiful design, but they can't make it for $70k.
Of course, you still have to take it to the Chevy dealership to get it fixed
http://u-poster.com/posters/cars/Jag...8_Picture.html