I Bin Therbefor

The present C5/C6 chassis/suspension and drive trains are great pieces of engineering. Compare the weight of those cars against similar cars from MB, BMW, Porsche, Ferrari and Audi and you can see how good a job GM did. You have to go to a full carbon tub before you get any appreciable improvement.

The New Gen V engine is reportedly an improvement in packaging and weight. If so, that can start a bit of an improvement chain in the rest of the car. 3000 lbs is doable starting from that point.

The contract with the Japanese firm on carbon fiber parts is aimed at being able to manufacture those parts consistentaly to the necessary quality level. Might lead to some weight loss in various places like body panels.

For the ultimate in light weight cars using then available technology look at the mountain climbing racing cars from Porsche in the 50s and 60s. They even hand wound the transformer coils around a balsa core to save a couple of ounces!

A street/race stripper would be an easy option, but I'll bet not many sell.

68ragtop69

I don't see it happening!! The weight will probably stay close to where it is now, give or take a few pounds. After all, the ZR1 comes in at 3333 lbs and is an awesome car. As long as they maintain a good power to weight ratio who cares!!!

Racer X

I do, the Veyron has a great power to weight, but it still weighs like 4000 pounds. Power to weight helps acceleration. Low weight helps braking, handling, acceleration, fuel economy, reduces component size, including brakes, transmissions, tires, etc. F1 wheels are ~ 13" in diameter and the brakes are like 11 innches, and give great performance, but the cars are 1408 ponuds including the driver.

Weight means a lot to a car's performance. Lighter is better, except maybe for crashes with heavier vehicles.

PeteZ06

Um.. Just about everyone I think except you. The government demands better fuel efficient cars.. the manufacturers need to come up with these higher standards and the consumer definitely wants better mileage cars with gas hovering around $4 just about all year long.

Everyone in racing has figured out that weight is the devil.. kills performance.. so you need a bigger engine to get the thing going.. you need bigger/heavier brakes to get the thing to stop... you need bigger/heavier suspension parts to get the thing to turn and it becomes a vicious circle.

jackhall99

Racer and Pete: While I agree with the vicious circle you describe, why is everyone expecting or demanding Chevy produce miracles on the Corvette when other cars in its class are, for the most part, heavier?

The MB SL63 - 4274 lbs.
The Maserati GT - 4147 lbs.
The GT-R - 3829 lbs.
The Jaguar XK - 3770 lbs.
The Aston Martin DBS - 3737 lbs.
The Ferrari 599 is - 3722 lbs.
The MB SLS - 3573 lbs.
The Lexus LFA - 3263 lbs.
The Corvette Z06 - 3175 lbs.
The 911 Carrera - 3042 lbs.

Corvette can shrink in size and weight and become a Miata, Lotus, MR2, Boxster, Cayman etc. class car, or GM can continue to refine the car as they have done over the past many years, and as Porsche has done with the 911.

PeteZ06

I totally agree with you jackhall99.. This is why I'm saying theres no way in heck the C7 will come close to 3000 when many supercars using TONS of carbon fiber have a problem keeping their weight down... We'll be lucky if the C7 doesnt gain another 50 lbs over the C6!!

zland

In a fantasy world I guess we can expect the C7 to drop weight, increase hp to over 450hp, rev to 8000+ rpm, improve mpg, have best in its class interior etc but in reality I think it defies reality. Weight reduction tends to cost a lot unless to simply take out creature comforts.

To me the beauty of the LS motor has always been bang for buck hp & dependability. Likewise for the Corvette overall. My concern is the C7 does not gain weight & become too expensive. There are a number of $100-250K attractive sports cars with high repair costs. I personally hope the Corvette does not join that group.

jackhall99

OK amigo. I guess I took your comments the wrong way. I'll be happy with no weight gain, and your 50 pound gain is possible.

I Bin Therbefor

Dave McLellan makes a case for a 3000 lb curb weight Corvette using the present chassis architecture. As a famous British designer once said, always add lightness.

To go beyond that, McLellan advocates a carbon tub using a mid-rear design with the engine mounted cross wise and utilizing an AWD drive option. He points to the Mosler MT900 as an example of what could be done, although that car does not use a transverse engine mounting nor AWD. He feels that the using a composite honeycomb tub with tubular subframes would deliver a 2500 lb car. This was in 2002. The new McLaren comes closer to his concept than the MT900 using more modern technology in manufacturing and fabricating. Maybe this is where the new contract with the Japanese frim will come into play. But for that, you're talking about the C8.

thirtythird

The aluminum frame, magnesium top and cradles, and cf fenders helped offset the weight gain from the LS7 package, brakes, wheels. But of course these added cost.

A new c7 with a smaller engine package and 18" wheels and an aluminum frame would be a great start to hold weight down. Ditch the run-flats and go with lighter, 18" wheels all around and tuck a spare in there someplace. Maybe different glass technology would save more weight.

BMWDAD

Is the removable hardtop a weight gain, loss, or break even?

I would think a fixed roof coupe would be a weight savings?

jackhall99

The fixed roof is available in the form of the Z06 and ZR1. Not a key factor at all.

Streetk14

Yep, I'm really amazed that the C6 (especially the Z06 and ZR1) still have the run-flat tires. The improvement in weight and ride quality when you lose them is incredible. All of BMW's ///M cars for the last 10+ years have had standard tires and no spare. The mobility kits they provide work just fine as long as you don't have a blow-out or run over something big.

OnPoint

I'm betting this will prove correct.

C3DeedlyDee

I'd be okay with the current weight, but less would definitely be better. That and a body that produces downforce as opposed to lift.