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conclusion? yah, that would be outrageous... speculation? ummm, seems ok to me. The timing is right, there is def something being developed/tested, seems reasonable that a C7 mule would ride on a C6 setup...
an old NPP exhaust? lol... why? well, if the wheels weren't offset I'd say could be, but with the whole picture being what it is, I wouldn't say it's not that outrageuos to "speculate" that this could be a C7 mule...
I agree with you. Speculation is always fun.
However, the title of this article is:
"Spy shots confirm Chevrolet C7 Corvette to retain front-engine layout [Spied]" ...Really?
why? just for the "fit and finish"? I don't think that is important on a test mule... I would think a wider GS would provide extra clearance to test out the new suspension geometry...
Bingo! Generally speaking sports cars are low & wide, and the lower & wider the better. The GS bodystyle is wider, which gives more room to play with suspension, wheels, brakes, etc. Why limit yourself by using the smaller body car to test potential new parts.
Did anyone notice the cable hanging under the back? A GM rep reported some time ago, that there were two C7's built for testing, with the new body. I have a hard bound copy of a Corvette book that shows the C6 body on a car 3 years before it hit the showrooms. With all the cell phones with cameras, why can't some one take a good picture and sneak it out?
Did anyone notice the cable hanging under the back? A GM rep reported some time ago, that there were two C7's built for testing, with the new body. I have a hard bound copy of a Corvette book that shows the C6 body on a car 3 years before it hit the showrooms. With all the cell phones with cameras, why can't some one take a good picture and sneak it out?
You can't be serious. That 15 minutes of fame is not worth loosing their jobs over. If it is a full body mock-up or buck it is in a secured room that only a handfull of people ever have access to. These are core Corvette team members or design studio personnel.
You do understand that tests cars that don't look like the intended vehicle are exactly what GM calls "Mules"
The first thing that looks like anything like the intended car is an IVER (or Integration Vehicle).
Basically, Mule = Test Car; it's semantics.
Not really. When I read mule I expect a C6 body on a C7 frame, just like was done for the past 20+ years, and they never look right. This looks like a mostly stock GS that is a test car for sub-systems. It could have the LS4 in it for example.
You can't be serious. That 15 minutes of fame is not worth loosing their jobs over. If it is a full body mock-up or buck it is in a secured room that only a handfull of people ever have access to. These are core Corvette team members or design studio personnel.
Not really. When I read mule I expect a C6 body on a C7 frame, just like was done for the past 20+ years, and they never look right. This looks like a mostly stock GS that is a test car for sub-systems. It could have the LS4 in it for example.
How do you know that the C7 won't be basically the same as the C6 regarding wheelbase/frame dimensions? By using basically the same chassis, as the C6, they minimize cost to convert Bowling Green.
Maybe the C7 is going to have the present day Z06/ZR1 aluminum frame with some modifications to work with the targa/vert body, as standard equipment. Or they could be testing the new engine, maybe a transmission change, or new electronics. Possible they were doing brake evaluations or maybe a new tire or some changes in the suspension.
I seriously doubt if the C7 will be a clean sheet of paper like the C5 was. More like a new driveline that fits the C6 chassis and new body panels.
Are you aware that the "new" 1968 Corvette rode on the "old" 1967 frame and suspension. Only the body was changed. In fact, the frame and suspension, introduced for the 1963 Sting Ray, lasted for 20 years, with very few changes during that time.
What's the tape hiding on the passenger rocker panel?
I guessing they are testing a transmission or brake change. The tape is holding wires from the transmission/brakes to test/recording equipment that is inside the car. Instead of drilling holes through the floor boards, they just run the wires under the door(the weatherstripping is pliable enough to allow that) and tape them to the rocker panel to keep them from flapping around and dragging the ground.
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Originally Posted by steve miller
Test mules with c6 bodies. There's nothing unusual about that
If you look close that the rear cradle, it would appear that the sway bar and also lower control arm attachment points have changed so it does not appear to be a C6 under there....but again all you can do is go off the pictures.