Viper_Vette

First off I think its great that the Vette and Viper has competed so strong against one another. This competition makes the car companies produce awesome cars for us enthusiasts.

Now, with the new Viper having 620hp. I think GM will need to make the C6Z06 even more lighter, or supercharge it like what they did to the limited production ZR1, to compete with this new Viper. IMO,the LS7 V8 is tapped out. I cant imagine what power numbers the Viper's V10 will make with higher flowing heads, cam plus bolt ons, 800 plus hps??

What do you guys think about the future of the LS7 motor? Thanks

Chuck

Varmit

I think there is still plenty of hp left in the LS7

Vette_Pilot

That hopped up V-10 may have more HP but what about poorer gas mileage, higher insurance rates and less reliability. Then with 6 or 800 hp that will just add to the frustration of having all that hp for the street and the same f**ked up speed limits. Personally I can't even afford the new Z06 with 500 hp. Imagine the price of a 6 or 800 hp beast and top it off that it will only drink premium.

CORVETTEZL1001

There is no future for the LS7. Congress is poised to pass a much higher Cafe rating which will definitely effect all performance cars. The future is less displacement,better mileage and cleaner emmissions. The next 3 years will probably spell the end of the HP wars.

burtonbl103

I tend to differ

Look at motor trend or any of those mags
the corvette gets better mileage then most economy cars
and the power to weight is

LGR

CAFE="Corporate Average Fuel Economy" note average. Dealers might have to take a couple econo-boxes to get those Z06's and ZR1's. That is how it has been done in the past. Remember the $88.00/month 4 cylinder S-10's.

robvuk

The econobox cars are only boasting 30+ mpg. The Vette does that on the highway. If mileage requirements go up, it will be for corporate averages not any individual cars. They'll have to start with the cars they sell the most of. Not the 35k Corvettes they build each year. I don't know what GM's total production is, I'll guess at 5 million, but even if they DOUBLED the mileage of the Corvette, it wouldn't change the corporate average by more than 2/10ths of a mpg. It's the SUV's they have to work on. People spend ridiculous money for vehicles that are ridiculously too large for their needs and wonder why the mileage is so bad.

GMuffley

The future capabilities of the LS-7? Look at what Katech achieves.

nag1945

The V10 gets poorer gas mileage, but the insur rates for my Z06 and my viper are the same. Big diff is reliability. You can take your viper out and beat the crap out of it day after day year after year and only replace tires and oil. You could even put slicks on it and not be afraid you will break something. Last three vettes all had clutch problems, axle probs, tranny probs, who knows how many electrical issues and even a water pump on a new 06 Z06. When you drive a viper you don't sweat things like clutch sticking to the floor or dirty clutch fluid. Six thousand on new viper no dirty clutch fluid. And then you have the GM mechanic who has to call his mother in law to even begin to fix anything. Half the chevy dealers can't even jack the car up let alone fix it.

Trawicked

I think the future holds, 500CI, 600hp and 50 state emission legal. just look at the C6RS motor Katech built.

Viper_Vette

Gentlemen lets put aside the "better gas mileage" I am talking about performance only. The horsepower wars
I wanted a better gas mileage car to, so I bought a Toyota Prius for my family.

Chuck

robvuk

You had all those problems on a Z06 within 6000 miles?!!!!!
Your car is definitely the exception to the rule.

BTW, doesn't the Viper use the same exact tranny?
One of my best friends bought a new SRT10 and it couldn't be made to meet emissions for the 3 years he owned it.

John Shiels

how did he drive it?

John Shiels

they are building to different parameters than GM

OregonC6

I think it will be VERY interesting what ZR1 mileage is. Obviously, hp costs energy and the supercharger will pack more gas into the engine for more power. However, except for some I suppose, you're not going to be using all 650 hp all the time.

So with 6.2 liters to feed vs 7.0 in the LS7 perhaps, just perhaps, the mileage of the ZR1 will be pretty close to the Z06?

If that's the case perhaps GM will end up building more ZR1s than expected since it might not hurt CAFE numbers much more than the Z06?

Yes, I've seen it once before. The hp wars will be over soon...I am certain the end is on the CAD/CAM systems even now......

Any performance future for GM will be, IMO, in smaller displacement like the 6.2.

WeaponsGradeTorque

What a silly post. First of all, the new Viper does not have 620 hp. It's 600. Second of all, GM has proven they are not going to take a back seat. So what ever it takes to be the top, GM will do it.

As for the LS7 being tapped out, it already makes so much power that tires can barely hold it. If people want more power, there is still plenty there in camshaft and porting. It's been shown that the C6 Z06 is a 10 second car in stock form, so whatever.

Viper_Vette

Its 620hp..

robvuk

The ZR1 mileage will be comparable to the Z06. Under the same driving conditions. It of course will suck down a lot more under full throttle but that's not how the best mileage is attained. They can build as many ZR1's as they want to with no adverse affect on the CAFE numbers.

To answer John, each time he didn't pass inspection, he would get it fixed but it would only last long enough to get a pass. He finally traded it on a P car when he failed the last inspection again. It was in for numerous other repairs as well.

WeaponsGradeTorque

Viper_Vette

Looks like you missed it.

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1882445