Why does a Ford Mustang (Shelby GT500) get 662 HP out of 5.8 litres? While you are expecting the ZR1 to only have 650 from 6.2 litres. If it were in GT500 hp/cid it would generate 707 HP.

 

Fortunately, when comparing these enormous HP outputs, we can rely on SAE standards . . . And I imagine the manufacturers use 93+ octane for the certification test.

Unfortunately, that octane is really scarce (at the pump) in CA.

 

Because there is much more to an engine design than its displacement. DOHC vs OHV, for one. Fixating on hp/litre is not productive; the measurement is an engineering curiosity, not a useful performance metric, at least not without a lot of asterisks. It might matter in the context of displacement taxes, but such taxes don't exist in the US, are trivial in other jurisdictions like Germany, and don't make much of a distinction between 5.8 and 6.2 in others.

.Jinx

 

From a European perspective, let me say the following:
For more than 4 years I had two cars (not counting my wife's BMW) - a Lotus Elise MK I ( this original version never made it to the US) which was only 1650 pounds and a C6 Zo6.

I did use the Elise as a daily driver and as a matter of fact, I often had no choice in winter, since there are no winter tires available for the Z06 and these are both, mandated by law and necessary on snowy roads. The Elise on the other hand can't keep you warm, when temperatures drop below freezing, but it was still better to wear an extra sweater than to run into way more serious trouble. Fun thing is, the Corvette shined on roads you don't have - on the Autobahn beyond 150 mph, a speed the Lotus - even though mine hat a heavily massaged engine - could not even touch. By the way it tracks at 170 mph much straighter and easier to controll than the last gen 911 - don't know about the new one, though)
So the Elise has no Ac, no power brakes no power steeing or Locks no power windows, no airbags, ......tell you what - I did not miss anything of all that. I did miss better build quality (as is true for the Corvette), a somewhat larger trunk and - sometimes - more power.
Why on earth do people need to lift therr asses up and down by means of heavy electric motors - especailly in a sports car? I just don't get it.
So will we see a C7 under 3300 poungs - i doubt it. Safety regulations and the market (so sad to say: That is us) will prevent it. I would love to get a c7 at 2800 pound without all the electronic nonsense (which aslo contributed to 5 dead batteries,car lolcking me ot, not closing of frozen windows etc) and the creature comfort. Read: Simple door opener, manual windows, lightwight better sealts (actully the hard unadjustabe seats in lotus were much mor back friendly than thoses in the Corvette), Ac optional, simple radio with two speakes base, no electric adjustment of whatever, carbon brakes as a standard model option, no unnecessry engine covers and the like and -presto -you get this weight without titanium exhaust or carbon fiber body using the Z06 base structure of the C6 model.
As for engines: There is no substitute for the V8 in this car ( as there is none for the flat 6 in a 911). Europeans love to think that their heavy , complex and expensive multi cam engines are state of the art, and journalist like to refere to a small block in terms of stone age technology - this is crap. For on thing: the v8 with a central cam appeared in the mid 30s - so it is a layout that is historically YOUNGER than the multicam engine - that was used amost 20 years earlier and even "mass" produced in the 20s by Alfa Romeo for instance. The small block is lighter, more compact, low on friction... and . much cheaper to make, the hp per liter question is intersting to see in terms of volumetric efficiency when comparing engines with identical lay outs, otherwise it is indeed not saying much.

So looking at it from Munich, how would a feasabel C7 look like as my dream car (that will never be produced):
DI, idependant throttled 7.0 producing 620 hp with headers, basic goodies but better interior plastics, better visibility and a smaller turning circle, less lift while keeping it's drag numbers at the current level, an inch or two less in every direction, 7 speed manual that is a little less resistant to shift quickly than the 6 speed used now. And the weight reduction.
Considering the fact that almost 30% of a new car's cost are due to it's electronics contents (most of which they could keep, thank you!), they could even reduce the price a bit ;-)