ZL-1

GM: Vette will survive

Rick Kranz
Automotive News
September 21, 2009 - 12:01 am ET

As the federal government ratchets up fuel economy standards, General Motors Co. says it will do whatever it takes to keep the Chevrolet Corvette -- even a hybrid powertrain.

"We will only do a hybrid if that is what is required to maintain the vehicle," says Tom Stephens, GM's vice chairman of global product development. "I think we have a pretty good plan right now that probably will not require a hybrid in the near term."

New regulations require a company average of 35.5 mpg in the 2016 model year.

To boost fuel economy, GM plans to reduce the Corvette's weight, offer tires with less rolling resistance and offer an engine with direct injection, variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation. Electric power steering alone could add about 0.5 mpg.

The base 2010 Corvette coupe has a 430-hp, 6.2-liter V-8 that gets 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

As for a smaller engine, Stephens says, "I don't believe that we need to do a six-cylinder engine in a Corvette at this time.

02MillenniumVette

We have known that the Corvette would survive for awhile now.

ST Graveyard

I'm a huge Corvette fan, but the more I read about GM and the way they think and work, the more I wonder what the hell they are thinking ...

Making the car lighter, adding different tires ... come on ... Why not try and create a hybrid supercar like BMW does with the VISION ... Super low fuel consumption and incredible specs ...

I've read they will be bringing back the split window for the C7 ... That would be cool ... Do something daring, striking with the design ... Something different ...

Now do something as well on the mechanical side and put this car back on the map ... Make it special damn it! ;-) Make it better than everything else! Always milking old technology, not investing in new technology is what brought GM and the whole USA auto industry where it is today. The Vette would be a perfect car to set a new example for the whole industry in the USA. Make it happen ...

0.2

SCM_Crash

Here'd be my hybrid electric super Vette drivetrain:

3 cyl turbo bio diesel electric generator.
Dual Siemens AC motors (1PV5138-4WS24) which are 260HP and 390Lbs/Tq each.
10KWH Lithium Sulfur battery pack (plug-in chargeable)
3 speed clutchless transmission.

This would be enough power to get the car past 200MPH and do 0-60 in under 3 seconds.
Just one of those motors would be good enough to take a C5Z.

Lets see GM do something brilliant for once instead of dropping the ball.

ST Graveyard

Thank you. Finally somebody who gets the point.

Make an example of it. A leader, like in the old days. Not a follower!

ZL-1

The Automotive News headline "Vette will survive" was misleading, we did already know that. The news was that GM is actually talking about how they might address the recent MPG ruling. Of interest to us was the fact that they would even consider a hybrid powertrain, and the confirmation that they hope to stay with V8 power. While many of us did know this, others had been predicting a V6. When a GM official makes a statement it is worthwhile news for us, most of what we see here is just speculation.

Personally I'd like to see as much new technology as possible in the next Corvette. However GM has to be very careful, the Vette is an American icon, like Harley Davidson. So many buyers are older guys who have dreamed of Vettes since they were a kid. They don't want change, they want the traditional Corvette they've dreamed of.

As cool as a groundbreaking high-tech Corvette would be, GM must keep it as traditional as possible to please all its fans. These people buy a lot of Corvettes, they can't risk losing them.

SCM_Crash

Well, dropping down to a V6 isn't traditional unless you're talking C1. But the Corvette doesn't mean V8. It means American Sports Car. I personally think that going hybrid is the only way the Vette would be able to meet the MPG standards and still stay competitive with other manufacturer's sports cars. If BMW, Lamborghini and Ferrari are doing it, we should be doing it better. I'm sure there's plenty of Lambo owners that are going to be pissed that they won't have the traditional V12 in their cars and are getting hybrid electrics... But once they drive one, they'll forget all about the V12. Same with Ferrari owners.

Tesla Motors couldn't sell a Roadster to anyone for $100,000 without giving them a test drive in it because nobody wants to spend $100K on a Lotus Elise. But after you feel the amazing acceleration of an electric car, you shell out whatever it takes to get that.

pastorbrad

GM is now Government Motors.
If they tell me the Vette is going to survive, I believe the exact opposite.
Do the math...

02MillenniumVette

Obama didnt say the Corvette would survive, people that actually work at GM said it would survive.

AbsolutHank

Have some faith Pastor

And relax with the Government Motors...I hope you aren't as biased on Sundays

ls2kev

Thanks for the info. Not everyone knew about this, so don't mind the smart *** remarks.

ajri02

pastorbrad

Naw, but I guess I should have posted in PR&C!

ls2kev

This coming from the guy who asked if the ZR1 came in automatic.

jsmbluecar

If, in fact, we are at the end of the true internal combustion engine era so be it. With the Z06 that I own I feel like I'll have had a piece of the best V8 sports car ever made. Bring on our new electric overlords, just make sure they are fast fast fast!

hhntr111

Yeah, I kind of agree. I really like my C5, great V-8, and if we are off into a new era of fast and cool, so be it. It just better be fast and cool...

Racer X

We were promised 4 rotor Wankels and turbines after the V-8..... not a six cylinder. At least they sounded cool.

And what about my flying car? I was promised back in about 1970 we would have flying cars by 2000. So if the next version of the Vette could fly (VTOL), had at least the same top speed, I wouldn't care if it were powered by a gerbil on a wheel. Well except for when I was driving/flying under another Corvette with a gerbil relieving himself.

Imfishintx

Until someone brings down the cost of these "hybrid" and battery powered cars, they will never do such foolishness!! If GM makes the vette with this cutting edge techno stuff it will be priced so far out of reach they will only sell a handful. Meet the gov'ment standard mileage req. with the rest of the product line and keep the vette what it supposed to be, a V8 powered import fighter!!! You know Ferrari and Lambo won't be building no hybrid's anytime soon!!!

SCM_Crash

Not really. The technology for this is actually quite cheap. It's been hyped enough to make it expensive out of pure greed. I've already done a lot of research on this.

Put aside battery cost for a second (which I'll touch base on in a sec). GM is known for making combustion engines. In this new era of technology they need to evolve. They should be concentrating on making electric drive motors starting with either AC Propulsion's designs or Siemens designs. The EV1 had a great designed motor/controller combo, but there's been many advances since. If GM built their own power/drivetrain and constructed their own traction packs (the battery modules) they could drop the price on the hybrids to nearly half what they are now.

As for batteries, they don't need to spend so much on batteries to be honest. They make a big deal about batteries costing so much, but the truth is that on hybrid vehicles they aren't so expensive. For example, an all-electric vehicle needs about a 35kWh to go approx 200mi on a single charge (assuming it's an efficient electric car). A 35kWh traction pack would cost the consumer about $20K, but would cost GM far less because of bulk pricing.

However, a hybrid vehicle only needs 40mi worth of batteries (20% less batteries) which would cost around $4K to the average consumer directly and again far less to GM at bulk pricing.

So the whole argument about batteries is BS. GM doesn't want to make hybrids but they have no choice.

I can build a full out electric super car with $90K in parts. But that's a no compromise electric car. GM can build a hybrid Corvette for nearly the same price they build the current Corvette. The main cost is in retooling. But they'd have to do that anyway, right?

Imfishintx

I agree the price of the batteries is way out of line, I also agree that it is possible to build a very good full electric vehicle however I personally don't want to see them drop internal combustion engines down to something to charge batteries. I think there is room for both but I don't think full electric is the right choice for everyone, I commute between Dallas and Houston quite often and a 300 mile one way trip would be out of the question for a full electric currently and wait 12-24 hours for a recharge is not practical, people who commute less than 20 miles a day would be a fine fit for a reasonably priced electric car.

Still all those fine discussions aside, I would hate to see the Corvette changed just to conform to the standards set forth in a general mileage requirement! Not to turn this political, but why does the gov'ment continue to attempt to force all the fun out of everything??? There will always be a demand for these "specialty" cars that people want. In the big picture a fossil fuel burning sports car is not the demise of our society, technology is great, but let me have a choice please!!