TCracingCA

I wish Chevrolet would hook up with someone like Lotus again. Thus have someone like Lotus, Rapier, Mosler, or whoever market a Chevrolet backed Supercar (Rear engined). Then to help the specialty manufacturer let them pedal Corvettes specially badged with supertuning and trick components and make them on a limited edition bases. The Corvette with the differing models is successful for now (ZR1, ZO6, GS, etc. etc.), but I would like to see a permanent plan to keep the brand healthy long term. Thoughts?

Kingsize

Stupid

glhs386

There already is a limited edition rear mid-engine Corvette/Lotus, aka the Hennessey Venom.

John T

This is a great question ! Billions and billions have been lost at factories that did it wrong like Ford and GM . Fiat has done very, very well with Ferrari and it appears that VW has been fairly successful with Bentley, Lamborghini, Bugatti, and now they have fully acquired Porsche.
I still believe that if you build a great car , they will come, no matter what you call it. Just ask Tesla.

Jinx

Chevrolet has amply demonstrated that they can build and sell sports cars from $30K up through $120K. Why would they want to partner with someone to build competitive product? They want the vehicle business, and they want the aftermarket business.

The kit car and boutique car guys will keep building their wacky niche product and selling it in their small numbers, and they're welcome to buy crate motors and whatever other parts they like from the Chevrolet parts catalog.

I just do not see the benefit.

.Jinx

LS1LT1

I like Corvettes.

jdmvette

i like pie.

JerriVette

Lotus is on the brink of going down the drain yet again. Why would chevy hook up with them again?

Corvette engineers have better R&D. Worlds best in my opinion. Exotics such as Ferrari lambo Aston Martin and lotus really don't hold a candle to what GM knows..".the exotics offer a striking looking product and they are cool to view but from an R &D perspective there is no contest.

Good question by OP though.

The euro exotics would do well to just use the new LT1 and Lt4 power plants.....not even bother with their own motors

TCracingCA

Right off the top, a thread gets slammed! Thus this will be fun!

You know I would like to see a Chevrolet based engined supercar give it to Audi, or Porsche or whoever. The Corvette is very loved by me (all generations). A specialty/tuner/or race manufacturer can do wonders. Case in point Callaway or Lingenfelter, AMG, Ruf, or whoever. And honestly, Callaway and Chevrolet almost got it right working together! Basically the Corvette is strong currently but other manufacturers as one astute forum member noticed are backed by VW which lead to the design of the Bugatti. The Pagani Zondas are basically Mercedes race cars, the Ferrari has the backing of Fiat etc.. Thus Chevrolet could throw some of that great engineering which can compete with anyone!!!!!!! into a Supercar partnership. Hell you had Cosworths in Lotus, Tyrrells, McLarens and Cosworth had Ford backing it in the early years. Ya Lotus will probably die! and that would be unfortunate. I pulled that name up just because they did it with the ZR-1 and they were an awesome race car company. I didn't know the build of the Venom. I will look it over closer. Another thought that prompted this thread was seeing awesome LS engines being dropped into Nobles, Rapier Superlites, and the Mosler.

Thus is my question, Stupid. Throw the one guy off the forum for a week as a penalty to his stupidity!

PS I own four Chevrolets (1964 Corvette Roadster, 1968 T-Top, 1965 El Camino and a 2010 Cobalt). PS I think the modern Z-06 is a dream car! I am in love with the new ZR-1's and the limited edition this and that. But coming from a loyal Chevy thru and thru guy, they still get their AZZ kicked by the Porsche Turbos and teeter tooter on beating a big slug like a Nissan GTR.
For years it was an embarrassment for Chevrolet to race itself in GT-1. Yes they battled the Viper early, then the basically privateer Aston Martins and Ferrari's. I was happy to see the GT-2 jump.

Basically and we basically have the car I am dreaming off in the Daytona Prototypes. It is dominating here, but whatever rules exist, keep it out of Europe and away from LeMans. Thus hand one to someone to spec for entry to kick but# and end Audi! I have a model collection and I am so tired of having to buy another and another Audi. Unfortuately I have collected the LeMans winners since age 18. Thus I would like to see one period where we have total domination!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jdmvette

TCracingCA

Very limited in typing, maybe your keyboard is a little too sticky!

MikeyTX

Beat me to it ...................

Nitrous Oxide

Right now you can order a C6RS Corvette from Pratt and Miller. They start with a Z06 and turn it into a street legal supercar based on the C6.R race car; which is a result of the partnership between GM and Pratt and Miller. So it seems to satisfy your criterion that the resulting car be produced by a manufacturer that is hooked up to GM.

CPhelps

I'm just not seeing where the benefit really is for Chevy. Would it be cool to see the Evora or something use a Gen V small block instead of the Toyota based V6 that probably weighs as much? Definitely. As another poster said, if Lotus was interested they are free to go that route. There are lots of "boutique" super cars that use LS-based power, so GM obviously has a precedence of doing this in the past.

I just don't really see what Lotus would bring to the table. Their cars are light and generally regarded as handling very well, but the Corvette is also extremely light when you consider how much larger of a car it is. GM has tons of racing experience and has applied much of what it learns from AMLS into the Corvette, the C7 will be no different. Corvettes are always at the top of lap time comparisons of any track. Reviews complain about interior design/quality, and sometimes steering feel, but outright performance is never an issue. The lap times speak for themselves.

So while I think a Chevy based engine at the heart of a mid-engined lotus would be really cool, I don't think GM's involvement needs to be any greater than selling them an engine and letting Lotus go crazy, the same way Lotus buys Toyota engines for some of its cars now. Hennessy does already make the Venom GT, as was mentioned.

Really since GM made some suspension tweaks and went to better tires than the GY RFs the GTRs and 911s aren't giving the high end Vettes any trouble on actual race courses, maybe in 0-60 spec competitions when AWD traction is an advantage.

You mentioned being embarrassed with them racing in AMLS???? The reason they were "racing themselves" is that they were so dominate all the other teams LEFT THE CLASS to avoid competing with them! I think Chevy and Corvette are doing just fine on their own. I agree it is great to see them have real competition in GT2 the last few years though, and also great to see them rise to the challenge!

In 2012, the Small Block-powered Corvette Racing C6.R beat Ferrari, BMW and Porsche to sweep the drivers', team, and manufacturer championships in production-based American Le Mans Series GT class. These championships make Corvette Racing the most successful team in ALMS history, with a total of 77 class wins, eight drivers' championships, and nine manufacturer and team championships since 2001.

0Callaway Chris

Almost got it right? Out of curiosity, what exactly wasn't right?

Our mandate (by GM) was to add 100 hp to the Corvette (we added 115 hp, initially, up to 153 hp the following...), which met Federal Emissions Standards, and was backed by a full powertrain warranty. We accomplished what we were hired (by GM) to do I hope this helps.

Zee0hSix

Really? My first thought was 'great thread' my second thought was the Ferrari, Fiat connection which produced the famous Dino.

OMG

Where does the OP get his information? The Vette dominates the racing events they are in, their stock form holds records on the nurburgring, Lagua Seca and many other tracks and not even the top trim, the Z06.

Performance is their strongest bullet point. They don't need help from anybody else and if they did they already have Callaway and Pratt&Miller.

I know you were throwing it out there but Lotus hasn't made a "fast" car in a long time, all they've made has been basically go-karts with a mild toyota engine.

ferrari and lambo hasn't been competitive with their road cars for the last few generations unless your "performance goal" was to feel like you're driving an indy car, turn heads or have a snazzy interior. Not saying they're not fast, but they're not Z06 or ZR-1 fast. So why should GM ask them for help? Porsche has been struggling to keep their dated RR 911's relavent with all this technology. I remember all the people stated how much smaller and nimbler the 911's were and were superior handling they were, but really up until the previous generation they were actually weren't and I pointed it out here when they actually updated it, it was oddly the with in .5" of the vette (C6) in almost all facets, then it magically became the "best handling" porsche ever, despite getting stomped by the Z06 on all cornering stats. Even more embarrassing is their bastard stepbrother Cayman's are stomping their 911's if given the same power.

There's a reason why those companies all got bought out by Fiat and VW. The vast majority of their buyers are buying them for superficial needs (panty droppers), while the vette has stood the test of time for 60 years by catering to additional markets the racers, the modders, the show-boaters, the 18 yr old kid that wanted ferrari-like performance but maintenance of a malibu (me 8 years ago)

So no thanks on the joint venture crap. GM has dominated both the racing league, amatuer and street without help and most importantly keeping it feasibly affordable. Teaming up with any of those other guys will add a great amount of cost to purchase and own.

Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous Oxide

I think it would be nice for GM to have a non-bargain performance almost street illegal version of the Corvette. It would be so limited that it wouldn't compete with ZR1 sales. So when the ACR sets a new Ring lap time, that Corvette beast would be sent there in retaliation.

GM probably doesn't have idle cycles for that. So it's probably better to outsource that project to folks like Pratt & Miller or Callaway.

MikeyTX

No Hooters Girls option ..............................