LT1 versus the competition
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
Likes: 136
From: Short Hills, NJ
While we're decrying the misleading or at least incomplete picture that hp/liter paints, let's not do the same by comparing the MPG of cars with significantly different mass and aerodynamics and ascribe all efficiency to the engines.
A big reason for the Corvette smallblock's efficiency is the fact that it's in a very slippery and lightweight package. (Yes, some of that package is allowed by the engine architecture, but a lot of it isn't.)
A big reason for the Corvette smallblock's efficiency is the fact that it's in a very slippery and lightweight package. (Yes, some of that package is allowed by the engine architecture, but a lot of it isn't.)
But I don't care what/how/why the Corvette does it, it still does things with a gallon of fuel that no car making this kind of power/delivering this kind of straight line (and overall) performance has any business delivering.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
At one point I had thought that there was a chance that the base car could get a 6.4L or 6.5L engine...and there is still a chance that a future model (Z06? ZR1?) Corvette C7 could include a higher displacement version of this LT1 as well. 
Is that 60 pound increase actually confirmed?
I'd heard that it was roughly 40 pounds heavier but not a full 60.
And yes it does sound a bit high.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,159
Likes: 175
a friend of mine purchased a used CLS 550 in 2006. A few years back, I drove him to his dealer to pick up his car after some routine maintenance...
I don't remember what the repairs were now but I do remember they were routine in nature...the bill was almost $2,000. I promised myself, that day, that I would never own a Mercedes (especially out of warranty). Those of you who do...God Bless you.
He's stated to me that EVERY trip to the dealer had cost him a minimum of $900 since he bought the car in 2006. He sold the car earlier this year.
I don't remember what the repairs were now but I do remember they were routine in nature...the bill was almost $2,000. I promised myself, that day, that I would never own a Mercedes (especially out of warranty). Those of you who do...God Bless you.
He's stated to me that EVERY trip to the dealer had cost him a minimum of $900 since he bought the car in 2006. He sold the car earlier this year.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,682
Likes: 3
From: Coatesville PA
And of course gearing plays a strong role there as well.
But I don't care what/how/why the Corvette does it, it still does things with a gallon of fuel that no car making this kind of power/delivering this kind of straight line (and overall) performance has any business delivering.
But I don't care what/how/why the Corvette does it, it still does things with a gallon of fuel that no car making this kind of power/delivering this kind of straight line (and overall) performance has any business delivering.
GT500 is now 15/24 vs zr1's 14/21
GTR 16/23(keep in mind full time awd, also 545hp now) vs. z06 15/24
Mustang boss(mandatory 3.73 gears) 15/26 vs srt8 challenger auto(faster then stick) 17/23 vs c6 16/26
Yeah, I get it, I'm gonna hear n"I didn't buy it for its gas mileage" a hundred times now, but it's still a valid point. Since they changed the ratings to make it tougher, the corvettes official rating really isn't that great against some of its competition(didn't say all). Not only that but beyond engines, those 3 cars are notably heavier then each level vette, the GTR is awd, none are direct injection and no mustang made has skip shift, something all vettes do. I mean, the gt500 now is 3mpg better then a zr1 highway. That's a butt ton in car world(though each of those 2 have very little impact on the bottom line I know). I know it still gets better then a lot of it's competition still, but the gap has indeed shrunk
Last edited by McGirk94LT1; Oct 26, 2012 at 07:39 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 8,099
Likes: 398
From: Oakland, CA
It's true that the comfortable advantage Corvette once had in fuel economy has withered. It doesn't seem so long ago that they were crowing about having the best fuel economy in the high-sport category, or whatever weird name they use to describe it.
But let's be honest, these smallblocks are essentially untouched since before bankruptcy, and that's a long time.
And the rolling resistance of Corvette's tires can't be doing it any favors. Aren't they generally wider than the competition?
BTW, doesn't that Challenger have cylinder deactivation?
But let's be honest, these smallblocks are essentially untouched since before bankruptcy, and that's a long time.
And the rolling resistance of Corvette's tires can't be doing it any favors. Aren't they generally wider than the competition?
BTW, doesn't that Challenger have cylinder deactivation?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
Although the Corvette is not much more slippery or lighter than the competitive sports cars with equal power, it still has at least equal mileage to those high tech, small displacement, complex engines. And gearing isn't as much of an issue as one might think when you consider that the vette will do roughly 65 mph at 1500 rpm, because those other cars geared the same way would not produce enough hp at 1500 rpm to be comfortable at those speeds. The small displacements don't have the torque at low rpms.
And I do agree that the mileages have slipped a bit the past several years but the power has also escalated quite a bit.
And I do agree that the mileages have slipped a bit the past several years but the power has also escalated quite a bit.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 27,254
Likes: 136
From: Short Hills, NJ
I'll get flack for this, but honestly, that's not entirely true anymore. Just like in 05 when it had no competition speed wise, the corvette got best mpg too of anything in its ballpark, but I've noticed that mpg benefit has slipped. For being one of the biggest benefits of the small block, it's honestly slipped a lot.
GT500 is now 15/24 vs zr1's 14/21
GTR 16/23(keep in mind full time awd, also 545hp now) vs. z06 15/24
Mustang boss(mandatory 3.73 gears) 15/26 vs srt8 challenger auto(faster then stick) 17/23 vs c6 16/26
Yeah, I get it, I'm gonna hear n"I didn't buy it for its gas mileage" a hundred times now, but it's still a valid point. Since they changed the ratings to make it tougher, the corvettes official rating really isn't that great against some of its competition(didn't say all). Not only that but beyond engines, those 3 cars are notably heavier then each level vette, the GTR is awd, none are direct injection and no mustang made has skip shift, something all vettes do. I mean, the gt500 now is 3mpg better then a zr1 highway. That's a butt ton in car world(though each of those 2 have very little impact on the bottom line I know). I know it still gets better then a lot of it's competition still, but the gap has indeed shrunk
GT500 is now 15/24 vs zr1's 14/21
GTR 16/23(keep in mind full time awd, also 545hp now) vs. z06 15/24
Mustang boss(mandatory 3.73 gears) 15/26 vs srt8 challenger auto(faster then stick) 17/23 vs c6 16/26
Yeah, I get it, I'm gonna hear n"I didn't buy it for its gas mileage" a hundred times now, but it's still a valid point. Since they changed the ratings to make it tougher, the corvettes official rating really isn't that great against some of its competition(didn't say all). Not only that but beyond engines, those 3 cars are notably heavier then each level vette, the GTR is awd, none are direct injection and no mustang made has skip shift, something all vettes do. I mean, the gt500 now is 3mpg better then a zr1 highway. That's a butt ton in car world(though each of those 2 have very little impact on the bottom line I know). I know it still gets better then a lot of it's competition still, but the gap has indeed shrunk
Not sure what those other cars do in real day to day driving as compared to their manufacturer's 'ratings' but I've found that late model (LSx engined) Corvettes ALMOST ALWAYS exceed/surpass those ratings.
As others have noted, I too have seen as much as 30+mpg on the highway at 60-65mph in my C6, and manuals do even better.
