Hirohawa

Pulling for a NA 427. It would be epic.

Not a good idea ADDING weight to the C7s heftier platform.

McGirk94LT1

Another 428ci at 605hp? I'm all for it.






(Oh yes I went there...)

NVMYRC51

A ZR-1 is going to be difficult to pull off in this economy. Didn't the C6 ZR-1's end up getting sold at deep discounts? I am sure GM is closely watching the Viper debacle and hopefully taking notes. An American made car at that price is hard to market. Just a thought here though. What if they had a double clutch, paddle shifted, NA 427 with special track handling package; full active aero, wide body kit with wider tires, that came in under $100K? Change the rear tail lights back to round/oval whatever just not what is there now and give the ZR-1 special paint options. Playing the HP game is not where the money is at but it is where cost is at. Keep costs down, introduce the American market to an awesome paddle shift 6 or 7 speed and a car than out handles everything? I think that is where the future may lie but is it sacriledge?

TTRotary

I just watched this video, and it is VERY interesting. 2 highlights jump out:

1. "There has been no discussion of a Z06". That seems to me about as clear as it gets. Or is it? Perhaps it's just the name he is referring to - it seems from the Camaro discussion that they have become especially focused about the RPO they use in that it has to adhere to historical significance with a very specific set of performance criteria. So, I don't know if he is referring to the lack of ANY mid-level performance variant at this point (sole focus on supercharged ZR1 replacement), or just that the Z06 successor will carry another name.

2. On a related topic, he mentions the decision to keep Wixom open for the LS7 for the Z28. Then he goes on to say that the LS7 will continue to be built there for the remainder of it's life "in it's current form". This is big, to me, because it means the 7.0L platform will continue to be used. It also means they will likely no longer hand-build this engine, which in turn means that it will be a far less expensive engine in the future.

skank

I also thought he was just playing name games as well. He definitely diverted the conversation when asked about the 7.0 ZO6. I don't think GM would be spending millions on their new Engine Build plant addition at Bowling Green for only one motor. Since the LT1 is going to be built in Tonawanda, the 7.0 version of the LT1 and the new ZR1 motor(LT4 or LT5) would be built at BG. The two big HI PO motors being hand assembled at the factory with the Engine Build option is going to be very popular. After watching that video again for the second time, I believe Mark Reuss said the LS7 would be built at Wixom, UNTIL they got the new Engine Build plant up and running at BG. They will still hand build the LS7, only for the Z28 though. He clearly said they had to renegotiate an extension at Wixom, Michigan until Bowling Green was ready.

skank

All I've heard from my source is these two bigger versions of the LT1 block. One 7.0 and the other a 6.2 supercharged. Really, the same formula they used with the C6 cars. We can buy a bottle of Crown for each other when this all comes down. It's going to be very exciting to see these big boy Vettes kick butt.

starchedup

What happened with the Viper.. I thought the new motor and body and electronics for suspension was a hit. I don't follow that car... What's wrong with it other than the fact that its OVER PRICED?

harlold

It isn't overpriced (unless you option it out) - the issue is $100k 2 seat performance cars aren't exactly a hot commodity.

Yes, $120,000 porsches sell all day long, but the ZR1 and Viper aren't exactly cross segment vehicles.

genv6.2gm

120,000 porsches still are marketed to put the kids in the back, drive in snow, and even put bike rikes on the roof....whether the owners do that or not, when making a decision to buy, it helps them justify their unpractical purchase.


the zr1 does not! it is similar to a 180,000 GT3. summer only, hell, dry weather only marketing.

Hirohawa

Fingers crossed! That would be the winning combo.

TTRotary

That's the way I heard it as well, but I also inferred that the 7.0 will no longer be a hand-built motor and it will be renamed something else. I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing, since the LS7 is eye-wateringly expensive...almost $10K more than a LS3 when you shop crate engines. That should help give back money for other content expenses, while keeping price more or less in line with the Z06. The most encouraging thing for me was his comment "in it's current form" referring to the LS7, which clearly indicates continuing use of the 7.0L smallblock. Very cool stuff.

As far as the naming convention - the following occurred to me upon further thought: The historical Z06 lexicon now includes 3 cars with differing characteristics: the first was an endurance road racing car with uprated cooling, brakes, suspension, and larger fuel tank. The C5 and C6 variants had a different mission: track package. But the theme they all have in common is a fixed-roof coupe. I believe it was Tom Peters who said: "the roof will never come off the Z06" and I think Dave Hill said something similar. I think it's pretty clear the C7 variants will all have removable roofs. The cost of having them all this way is lower, and the purpose for it is basically gone, as the requisite rigidity for all contemplated power levels is already built into the C7 chassis. So perhaps what Reuss is saying is: do not expect us to do another FRC. Z07, then?

ATC399

I just don't get the secrecy

VRYALT3R3D

The Viper is cheaper then a ZR1.....compare the base prices at MSRP.

Hirohawa

Gotta sell those base model Stingrays. If half the people knew a better model was just a few months out they would probably wait.

Porsche has been doing it for decades with the 911 - they always release the Turbo 1-3 years after the "base" 911 debuts.

VRYALT3R3D

Because then it loses its corvette DNA.

The Corvette is a toy.....

JBauer47

I don't care what powers it as long as they focus on weight reduction. It's should be lighter then the C7



MC

simplegto

Think de stroked to 5.5L with SC or TT that turns 8k rpms. My guess

SBC_and_a_stick

No need to get thicker walls than the 6.2L for boost, so the 5.5L is purely a loss of displacement with no gain in any other metric (except efficiency in NA forms, not the case here).

8k rpms is useless in the 2 valve head. This head doesn't flow enough up top to make any more power up there. Sure, some cams are extreme enough to make power up to 8krpm but none of the engines would be profitable with a warranty, nor would they pass emissions. The other useful bit would be variable lift and overlap, but you can't do either with GM's VVT.

My best guess on this is no and on, no on 5.5L, and no on 8k rpm.

A 7.0L is probable, and it would get me to the dealer.

Bronzevette85

Since we have pretty much seen the leaked LT4 engine, do you think we'll get to see the ZR1 before the ZO6/7?

skank

I wouldn't think so. They'll show the ZO6/ZO7 first then the ZR1 with the more powerful LT4/LT5 after. Watch the Motor Trend WOT video with Mark Reuss on post #20. That is very telling !!