gatti-man

I can get a 662 hp mustang for 55k. So asking for a 500hp vette doesnt seem like too much to ask. Just 6 more months for healthy helpings of crow to be served en masse on this forum.

gatti-man

There wont be a z06. Only a top and base engine model. Gm learned its lesson now. Z06 sales are almost non existant since the zr1.

Z_Rocks

I was talking to the owner of a Chevy dealer that I know and he said, he has been selling GM cars for over 20 years and has close contacts with GM and he said, GM is not letting any info out on C7. He said he knew a lot of info on Camaro way before anyone else but on C7, nothing.

ZL-1

I can't believe how many guys here believe the base C7 is supposed to compete with the big-engined Mustang. That's Camaro's challenge. The C7 is a 2 passenger sports car that is intended to excel in many areas. I'm expecting that even with 450 hp or less the C7 will turn better lap times than that big Mustang with 200 more horsepower. And expect highway MPG way into the 30's. Wait and see...

...but if the drag strip is your thing, go buy that Mustang now!

LS1LT1

I agree with everything you've said except that last part.
I'd be shocked if the base car had 500+hp (or even 500 on the nose).
But if you're guaranteeing and promising it then I'll take it!





True, but that's also assuming that the base car will even have that aluminum frame. It does make sense but that's still just another rumor at this point, just as the 5.5L engine is.





It's not too much to ask for, I just think it's too much for them to actually deliver.
460-475 is still a safer bet in my opinion.




I too have been saying that all along, I'm very curious if we'll turn out to be correct on that one.

Base car (coupe and convertible).
Upmarket base car (Grand Sport?).
ZR1.

gatti-man

It is in the same market whether you like it or not. It doesnt need to put out the same power but yes a two seater should be able to hang with a similarly priced much heavier 4 seater muscle car. The base c6 was faster and then stayed even with the gt500 pre 2013 for 6 years so your argument is wrong imo.

Jinx

In each model's first year of production? Or eventually?

Nobody ever eats crow. They equivocate. Or they just stop showing up.

SCM_Crash

glass slipper

I think you would be less than thrilled. The C6R 5.5L engine uses E85 fuel, very high compression, and a racing camshaft that's not EPA friendly. The camshaft, exhaust, and intake are all tuned to provide HP in a very narrow range which is ok since the transmission is a close ratio gearbox offering RPM drops of less than 1000 RPM which keeps the engine very close to its peak HP at all times. By the time it makes it to a production car, my guess is you'll see no more than 440 HP and the RPM drops on each gear shift will have the engine fall way off peak HP...figure at least 100 HP off.

If you've ever seen the video of the C6R/ZR1 drag race where the C6R won pretty handily, the beginning of the race started out badly for the C6R...to be expected when you have a peaky engine with a close ratio transmission with a very high 1st gear. Once the C6R came up on its HP curve, the shifts came fast and furious allowing it to deliver close to peak HP for its average HP. The ZR1 starts off well due to better gearing and much higher low RPM HP but it falls 100 HP off its peak HP on each shift. Even though the ZR1 has over 140 HP more at peak, you can't give up that much HP on each shift to a much lighter car and expect to win.

Personally, I don't want to see a 5.5L engine in the Corvette unless it comes with a couple of turbos. Keep the boost modest and make an easy 500-525 HP and I would be fine with that. With turbos, torque could peak at around 1700-1800 RPM and stay there until 5000 RPM.

Anything less than 475-500 HP in the base Corvette regardless of engine type will be a failure as far as I'm concerned. And I hope to see the aluminum frame used across the board along with the magnesium engine cradle from the Z06/ZR1. A 3100 lb base Corvette with a 550 HP turbo 5.5L and a 7 speed DCT is my fantasy. That would finally be enough to get me out of my '93 ZR-1.

SCM_Crash

I just don't get why the next base Vette has to have 62 HP more or else it's a failure. I can't think of any Corvette generation that ups the anti that much on its first year.

I think 450HP is quite good, even if it's only 12 HP. Especially if it's coming from a smaller more efficient engine. More importantly, the weight of the car AND how it's geared is going to make a huge difference. Remember, the rumors are a 7 speed manual and 8 speed auto. For all we know this car may not fall out of its HP range during shifts.

z edge

well the LS1 to LS2 was + 50 HP from 2004 to 2005, i guess we'll see what happens.

z edge

this i believe

gatti-man

When was the last time a mustand had 600rwhp stock priced the same as a base model c6? Times are changing. Thinking status quo at this point would be a disaster.

Jinx

You keep bringing up this mustand (sic) as if it's Corvette-killing competition and yet you won't buy one. Tell us now, if C7 debuts with less than 500hp, will you go out and buy a GT500? Because if you its biggest fan won't buy one, it's not the threat to Corvette you say it is.

BlueOx

It's amazing to read all the guarantees and assuredness that gets thrown around here by people who know NOTHING but how to make assumptions.

jdhommert

Don't buy it at all. Most insiders consider it to be a pretty well known thing that it will have a 6.2 DI, not a 5.5, and it will have more than 450hp

GordyRay

Good Looks and Performance is a MUST for the C7. Sure the interior needs improvement and the Nav needs to come into the 21st century.
I am confident that will be done, but at an overall weight penalty. However, the manly men of America are not going to buy the C7 if it doesn't kick ***.

I called a weekly "pilot meeting" yesterday for my fighter pilots in my group to purposely discuss the requirements of the C7, of course we were armed with quality beer for this meeting. I explained to everyone how I read this C7 forum about 4 days per week. I also mentioned how if forum members don't like what you say that you get your *** handed to you in the replys just like in a fighter squadron. Out of 27 pilots, 12 in attendance own C5 or C6 Vettes. 9 owned Porshces. 2 had both vehicles. Overall consensus: the C7 better look great, weigh no more than 3200 Lbs. and have a minimum of 480 Hp or no deal. Everyone said that they would not purchase a new C7 if it has a measley 450 Hp, as the rumors go.
With Direct Injection the increase in Hp norm is approximately 15%, therefore the base C6 with 430 should hopefully increase by 65 Horses moving close to 500 Hp. WE all agreed that the car will not get much lighter due to all the crying over interior and bells/whistles required. At best a 50-100 pound reduction. If the C7 weighs in at 3100 lbs. and has 500 Hp most in the room stated that they would want the second year version of the C7. Hopefully, this type of information flows back to the GM Leadship. Lastly, I was stunned that the young guns in our meeting wanted DCT in the C7 and would give up the 6 or 7 speed standard shift. Some things can't be taught to the younger generation. Only experience will bring them back to the surface.
Cheers,
Fuze

BlueOx

So now we need to know how many Corvette owners in the U.S.A. are fighter pilots and we will know how much all their opinion matters.

As to the younger members and DCT, isn't it true that the younger pilots are far less hands-on with the newer planes than the older pilots were with the older planes? Same is going to be true of the newer Corvettes. Newer technology tends to take more and more human error out of the equation.

BlueOx

The real question to ask your pilot buddies is "if the C6 was taking design cues from the F-22, what military hardware should the C7 take it's design cues from?"

How about the UXV Combatant Warship?

Jinx

A lot of guys say "if it doesn't have at least X horsepower I won't buy it." The thing is, these comments don't often survive outside the vacuum of future-car discussion.

When the day comes and (for example) the 500hp base C7 doesn't exist, and your choices are a 450hp C7 or a 330hp Cayman S or a fortified Mustang, or hanging onto and living with an older/tweaked car for several more years... that C7 may not be the car you wished for, but it's likely still the closest thing to your ideal and the one you'll end up buying. If it's not, you probably weren't serious about Corvette in the first place.

Because it's not like some other manufacturer is going to see that C7 is only 450hp instead of 500 and jump in and make a better Corvette.

.Jinx