ZimC6

...yesterday at Bloomington Gold.

5.5L, 450hp range
NO V6
Long, thin, LED lights along the fender, Cadillac like
Possible split window option
Some retro design cues

BlueOx

Who? What is his job? In what division? Did you record it? Did he supply you with pictures? He said NOTHING about the INTERIOR???

npayme

We shall see...

LT1_E85_Corvette

If this is true, the car better weigh less than 3k lbs. So disappointed with that HP.
A 14whp gain? really sad...

I will look at some C6Z's if you are right

Rapid Fred

C5 had only 20 more HP (if that) than LT4 which it replaced but was a much better car and sold well.

Let's look at the total package before being disappointed. The Z is really a no-compromises hard-edged car. It is not for everybody.

If the C7 comes in at 450HP and 3100 lbs, with great looks, excellent fuel efficiency, top-drawer interior and improved targa function, it will meet most Vette buyers' needs very well.

Varcix

then let's hope the ZR1 comes out within a year of the C7 release, because HP is what defined the Corvette...it's core American Muscle strength, not fuel economy!!!

LT1_E85_Corvette

The curve of today advancements are moving a littler faster than they did in the 90's. Chevy needs to be looking a littler closer to what their competitors are doing. I'm a young buyer (26), and I don't want to settle for second best when I make my next car purchase. I know Chevy will bring the looks, so that's the least of my worries. Hell everyone is providing beautiful cars these days for a good price. I'm interested in something that looks like the speed of light, and can back it up

C5 to C6 was a 50hp bump (350 vs 400), and ended up being a 86 hp bump a few years later (350 vs 436). GM needs to whip their D*ck out and show everyone what it means to be a corvette owner, and make a American bump in HP like ford did. At the very least we need to see 480hp for me to even consider the car. A C6 with one mod (Headers) shouldnt be more powerful than the C7.

With that being said, I'm going to call BS on this guys claim because I know Chevy knows better.

/rant

JPJR

For some reason, these nuggets sound like they might have some truth to them.
And I'm ok with it.
450hp would be the minimum I'd be happy with.

I'm literally not buying the "similar hp out of less displacement" approach.
I don't care if the size drops to 5.5L, it's got to put out at LEAST 450hp.

Rapid Fred

Being America's only true sports car is what defined the Vette. Yes, high HP is important (the Vette always had more than the Euro and Japanese competitors) but, excluding a couple "off-road only" specials, or high-priced Ferarri/Viper killers like the ZR-1, the really big HP typically went to the muscle cars and stoplight-stoplight competition. Vettes with IRS and lighter weight were somewhat competitive in this arena, but that was not their image.

450 HP will be higher than for any price-competitve 2 seater, and the Vette will be lighter as well (which is an eye-opener for those of us who remember Vettes were always the "tank" of sports cars). I included fuel economy not as a dominant factor, but because, if you combine class-leading HP and fuel economy, you can sell "balance" and "superior engineering," which are worth a lot. I think 450 HP will do fine for most buyers, although I respect that some folks in this thread are really focused on HP.

JPJR

All right, scratch my previous post.
The scenario I want to see played out again is when the C6 came out with only 5hp less than the previous model's Z06.

That would mean 500hp for the base C7.

That's my new story and I'm sticking to it!

chaase

I don't think 450hp would not be enough for me to sell my C5 and move to a C7 unless the C7 is just stunning and has an amazing interior. 475hp would be a better spot, 500hp would be great.

Rapid Fred

I think they'll sell a lot with 450; they'll sell more with 500

LT1_E85_Corvette

500 is the key number in my mind. The base motor for the corvette goes in all of the new SS Camaros, and it's a win win for the sports division at GM. They could do this by simply placing DI on the LS3, which will effectively provided better fuel economy and gain a 12% bump in HP (503hp to be exact).

We are then crowned the leaders again in the HP race over Ford. Call it wishful thinking, but I think GM came make this a reality.

gatti-man

Not a believer. No split window or flat leds for sure and 450hp is too low.

EvanZR1

450HP would probably not be enough to get me out of my C5 and into a C7.

SanDiegoBert

503 HP and everybody wins. OK, call it 500, if you must.

cam30era

Not! This couldn't be further from the truth. Makes me doubt the veracity of the rest of the info.

jd_black_00

I'm surprised so many people here only think in terms of power. Power-to-weight ratio is really the only number that matters. With a comparable ratio to the Z06 and improved handling, the C7 will be a monster

chaase

The odds of massive weight loss to make up the power difference are low.

Base C6 Curb Weight: 3200lb
Base C6 HP: 430
Weight vs HP 100lbs = 10hp

If people want the feel of 500hp, which I know I do, here are the numbers. Starting with a base C6 weight you will need 70hp more, or a reduction of 700lbs or a combination of the two. At 450hp, you need to shed 500lbs which isn't going to happen. At 475hp, you need to shed 250lbs which may be possible.

I won't go into the perils of power to weight. Power to weight is meaningful if the power is in a usable range which can be a problem with many engines. There isn't enough oomph off the line.

LS1LT1

More importantly, did you believe him (her)?
I mean did he (or she) sound like they REALLY knew what they were taking about, were they at least passionate about it as they were talking?

I'm starting to believe that the rumor mill is SO rampant lately with the information age, internet and smart phones being so much more prevalent now that it's almost like the old "telephone game" gone wild LOL.
It's possible that one little rumor was started by one or two people 2-3 years ago and all of a sudden even high ranking GM personnel are quoting it as gospel.
But maybe not.