laconiajack

I would think gasoline direst injection will be adopted by 2011; the base car will remain as the value leader/touring model, especially when equipped with F55 magnetic suspension; the Z06 will be dropped because its sales are being eaten up by the look alike GS; and the ZR1 will soldier on as the super technology/performance car. But only time will tell.

AFVETTE

And get 40 MPG..... and make all the Greenies happy that I'm not killing the planet.

jschindler

Of all the predictions I'd bet a steak dinner on, it's that the ZR1 will be gone in two years - maybe less. History shows that when you double the price of a Chevy, there is simply a limited number of folks who are going to buy it. It's a two seat, manual transmission only Chevy. Heck, even the $90,000 Viper took a year off due to poor sales about 18 months ago. And that car has more appeal to a lot of folks because it's not based on a car that can be had for $50,000. It's considered by Viper owners to be more of a poor mans exotic than a Corvette - regardless of which Corvette.

I actually think that there is more of a chance that Chevy "dumb's down" the ZR1 by offering the 550 hp version in the Z06 so they can keep the more affordable () Z06 in production.

diverdan

It's a no brainer that the Z06 and ZR1 will go away in a couple of years - the C6 line is ending and will be replaced by the C7 2013-ish. They won't roll out a new base C6, GS, Z06, and ZR1 all at once. The questions is what higher level models will Chevy roll out, a year or two after the C7 comes out. I think there will be one representing a Z06-level step in performance from the base model, regardless of what they call it or how much it costs.

I don't see any significant changes to the C6 line before it ends, particularly direct injection (which most likely will be on the C7). They might throw in a small HP bump, through tuning, on the Base/GS to give it performance parity to the Z28.

Regardless, I plan to hold on to my current car for a while.

Gearhead Jim

Supposedly, a GM engineer said last year that the ZR1 was always planned as a 2 year production run. Supply contracts set up that way, etc.

Things could change, but I suspect that 2010 will be the last year for either the ZR1 or Z06, probably not both.

08VRZ06

It's a Win Win!!!

Mark

Ravenwolfe13

There isn't going to be a Z28!

Road & Track just reported this. Both the Z28 and the department that was developing it have been killed by GM. The company's broke! They don't have the money to justify a product like that. Hennessey is apparently going ahead with a 500+ hp Camaro, but that's a tuner, not an official version that will have any effect on GM's product line.

Maybe the base Vette will get a small hp bump, along the lines of the 2008's 30hp increase, but a 500hp LS3? That's wishful thinking. But I wouldn't bet on a hp increase at all. It got a mid-life upgrade in 2008. That's probably going to be it for the C6. Just my two cents.

Vette Suspension

Thats old news. This just broke the wires a few days ago.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...NEWS/909229993

06 C6 vert

. I have never been able to understand why the current GS has no additional HP. I am guessing more HP was planned and like the Z28 it was delayed because of the economy. Again, just my 2 cents worth here. Paul...[/QUOTE]

Its a no brainer dude. GM can sell plenty of the GS in 2010 without any HP increase. They will raise it in a couple of years

Kent1999

Here's a forecast with a twist...

The new 2011 LS3 (LS4?) gets a displacement DROP to 5.5L just like the GT2 race cars, but gets direct injection and a few tweaks, keeping the HP level the same at about 430, but with better MPG and fewer emissions. One possibility is to reduce displacement by shortening the stroke, and enabling a higher redline (7300rpm?), allowing the "LS4" to utilize more of the deep breathing improvements made when the LS3 was designed.

Same HP, better MPG and emissions. Enthusiasts are OK ( I won't say 'happy') because the HP is the same, and the Govt and greenies are placated -- since decreasing engine size and lowering emissions is the politically-correct thing to do.

BIG Dave

I certainly hope there is no increase in HP for 2011!

(I'm looking to get into a 2010...)

Gearhead Jim

An additional 10-15 hp in the GS would get it back to about the same power-to-weight ratio as a 2009 Z51.

lh4x4

GM will add interesting things each year to keep sales going since it will be several years before a C7 comes out.

This year launch control and Grand Sport. Next year ? But more ponies is always good. The LS3 in 08 only after three model years with the LS2.

JoesC5

SharkDiverZ06

Hey, you're stealing my prediction...

GotVett?

inthehunt2

vdaddy

...Across all corvette engines.

TBIRD57

then gm can leave everything else the same as far as i'm concerned.

tolnep

once again i get to post what i think would be cool..

i dont really care bout zr1 its too expensive...

so..

take cts-v caddy motor drop it into the new z06, make all vettes flex-fuel capable, so you can run your car on e85 which as octane rating of 105. and sure the mpg goes down but you're burning greeny acceptable fuel and getting more hp outta your motor at the same time.

a sc z06 that could run on e85 from the dealer would make an really interesting easily tunable for more power car.. just change a pully and do a slight tune..

anyway.. if i was gm id get rid of the 427 and replace it with a sc caddy ls3 from the 'parts bin'.... and drop that sucker in a z28 too which is what the z28 is right?