An Important Overlooked Spec
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An Important Overlooked Spec
According to the latest Car and Driver comparison between the 911 S and C7 Z51, the C7 recorded a Center of Gravity Height of 17.5", the lowest they have ever measured.
For comparison, some of the other leaders in this category are the BRZ/FRS at 18" and the 911 and Cayman at 19". I'm sure the Miata, Elise, Exige, Boxster and C6 deserve an honorable mention as well but I couldn't find measured results for them.
Anyway, just wanted to point that out for those of you who missed it. Certainly this low Center of Gravity Height would contribute to the C7's amazing handling characteristics.
For comparison, some of the other leaders in this category are the BRZ/FRS at 18" and the 911 and Cayman at 19". I'm sure the Miata, Elise, Exige, Boxster and C6 deserve an honorable mention as well but I couldn't find measured results for them.
Anyway, just wanted to point that out for those of you who missed it. Certainly this low Center of Gravity Height would contribute to the C7's amazing handling characteristics.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
According to the latest Car and Driver comparison between the 911 S and C7 Z51, the C7 recorded a Center of Gravity Height of 17.5", the lowest they have ever measured.
For comparison, some of the other leaders in this category are the BRZ/FRS at 18" and the 911 and Cayman at 19". I'm sure the Miata, Elise, Exige, Boxster and C6 deserve an honorable mention as well but I couldn't find measured results for them.
Anyway, just wanted to point that out for those of you who missed it. Certainly this low Center of Gravity Height would contribute to the C7's amazing handling characteristics.
For comparison, some of the other leaders in this category are the BRZ/FRS at 18" and the 911 and Cayman at 19". I'm sure the Miata, Elise, Exige, Boxster and C6 deserve an honorable mention as well but I couldn't find measured results for them.
Anyway, just wanted to point that out for those of you who missed it. Certainly this low Center of Gravity Height would contribute to the C7's amazing handling characteristics.
"At least Tesla uses this mass to good effect. The battery is below the passenger cabin—as low as it can be placed. The electric motor and power electronics also are mounted low and behind the rear axle. The result is a front/rear weight distribution of 47/53 percent and, more important, a center- of-gravity height of 18.0 inches. That’s one of the lowest we’ve measured, second only to the Corvette Z06’s 17.5. "
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...r-pedal-page-2
But to really blow your mind........the C4 is 15" and my 1964 coupe is 16.5"(based on SAE paper which showed the 1963 coupe is 16.5"). C3 is 17".
But, if it makes you feel better, my 1956 has a center of gravity height of 19.8". I guess that explains why my C6 Z06 corners better than my '56, but not as good as my '64. LOL
Last edited by JoesC5; Nov 3, 2013 at 10:45 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Dec 2010
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From: SoCal
Could be something they picked up off a CAD file, or just called someone at GM with access to that. I get that they're doing their own measurements, but the fact that the reported numbers are in .5" increments is a little suspect as well.
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C6 Z06 is also 17.5". I guess they never measured many cars, or C&D has a very poor memory.
"At least Tesla uses this mass to good effect. The battery is below the passenger cabin—as low as it can be placed. The electric motor and power electronics also are mounted low and behind the rear axle. The result is a front/rear weight distribution of 47/53 percent and, more important, a center- of-gravity height of 18.0 inches. That’s one of the lowest we’ve measured, second only to the Corvette Z06’s 17.5. "
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...r-pedal-page-2
But to really blow your mind........the C4 is 15" and my 1964 coupe is 16.5"(based on SAE paper which showed the 1963 coupe is 16.5"). C3 is 17".
But, if it makes you feel better, my 1956 has a center of gravity height of 19.8". I guess that explains why my C6 Z06 corners better than my '56, but not as good as my '64. LOL
"At least Tesla uses this mass to good effect. The battery is below the passenger cabin—as low as it can be placed. The electric motor and power electronics also are mounted low and behind the rear axle. The result is a front/rear weight distribution of 47/53 percent and, more important, a center- of-gravity height of 18.0 inches. That’s one of the lowest we’ve measured, second only to the Corvette Z06’s 17.5. "
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...r-pedal-page-2
But to really blow your mind........the C4 is 15" and my 1964 coupe is 16.5"(based on SAE paper which showed the 1963 coupe is 16.5"). C3 is 17".
But, if it makes you feel better, my 1956 has a center of gravity height of 19.8". I guess that explains why my C6 Z06 corners better than my '56, but not as good as my '64. LOL
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...-tests-feature
In fairness to Car and Driver though, they did specifically say that the C6 ZR1 was the lowest they have ever measured but did not say what that number was, from this article of the BRZ.
"Except for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s, the BRZ’s 18.0-inch center-of-gravity height is the lowest we’ve measured."
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
To answer your questions, this is how Car and Driver measures Center of Gravity Height. They started doing this in late 2011. That explains why the C6 Z06 was not accounted for in their statement.
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...-tests-feature
In fairness to Car and Driver though, they did specifically say that the C6 ZR1 was the lowest they have ever measured but did not say what that number was, from this article of the BRZ.
"Except for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s, the BRZ’s 18.0-inch center-of-gravity height is the lowest we’ve measured."
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...-tests-feature
In fairness to Car and Driver though, they did specifically say that the C6 ZR1 was the lowest they have ever measured but did not say what that number was, from this article of the BRZ.
"Except for the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1’s, the BRZ’s 18.0-inch center-of-gravity height is the lowest we’ve measured."
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 10,084
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From: CA
But to really blow your mind........the C4 is 15" and my 1964 coupe is 16.5"(based on SAE paper which showed the 1963 coupe is 16.5"). C3 is 17".
But, if it makes you feel better, my 1956 has a center of gravity height of 19.8". I guess that explains why my C6 Z06 corners better than my '56, but not as good as my '64. LOL
But, if it makes you feel better, my 1956 has a center of gravity height of 19.8". I guess that explains why my C6 Z06 corners better than my '56, but not as good as my '64. LOL
Michael
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Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
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From: Springfield MO
Off hand, I don't have the C5's spec, but I would guess that the C5 and the base c6 would have a center of gravity height slightly lower than 17.5" as they have the steel frame which is really positioned down low, the aluminum from engine cradle(also down low) that is ten pounds heavier than the Z06's magnesium cradle. The C5 and base C6 also have heavier floorboards than C6 Z06 and the C7, mounted down low.
The C6 Z06 and the C7 Z51 have the higher mounted oil reservoir that raises the CG vs the normal oil pan in the C5 and base C6, but some of that is offset by the lower mounting of the battery in the Z06 andC7
Of course, to offset that somewhat, the C6 Z06 and the C7 have the lighter body panels mounted up high, that help lower the CG.
So, I'm guessing that the C5 and base C6 would be somewhere around 17-17.5".
The C6 Z06 and the C7 Z51 have the higher mounted oil reservoir that raises the CG vs the normal oil pan in the C5 and base C6, but some of that is offset by the lower mounting of the battery in the Z06 andC7
Of course, to offset that somewhat, the C6 Z06 and the C7 have the lighter body panels mounted up high, that help lower the CG.
So, I'm guessing that the C5 and base C6 would be somewhere around 17-17.5".
Thread Starter
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I posted because of your saying that maybe the C6 might "deserve an honorable mention", as if it was somehow inferior to the C7 regarding the center of gravity height. As I pointed out, other generations of Corvettes have bettered the C7's center of gravity height, going back 50 years, and the C7's center of gravity height is no lower than the old, obsolete, ugly C6's center of gravity height.
In any case, the point of this thread was not to compare it to discontinued cars from the past, which were lighter overall and were subject to less fuel economy and safety regulations. It is good to know that the Center of Gravity Height of the C7 is still class leading in comparison to other modern cars.
I find it amazing that the C7 beats the BRZ/FRS, 911 and Cayman, even though they all have ultra-low boxer engines. Anyone know the numbers for the Viper and the GTR (lolz!)?
Le Mans Master
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Not so amazing when you consider those are steel-bodied cars. The bodies in those cars are probably hundreds of pounds heavier than the alloy body and composite panels on the Corvette. That being said, GM has done a great job in keeping CoG low.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Southeast, WI
I posted because of your saying that maybe the C6 might "deserve an honorable mention", as if it was somehow inferior to the C7 regarding the center of gravity height. As I pointed out, other generations of Corvettes have bettered the C7's center of gravity height, going back 50 years, and the C7's center of gravity height is no lower than the old, obsolete, ugly C6's center of gravity height.
This is just to upsetting for you!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
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From: Springfield MO
If your going to try and position the C7 on top of the heap, at least do it in a category in which it excels. Out to seven generations, only the C1 has a higher center of gravity, and the C7 betters none of the remaining six.
It seems you are the thin skinned one as you can't even accept that the C7 is not the most wonderful car of all time. The C7 is nice, but it's not at the top of the heap, all by it's lonesome in every conceivable category.