JoesC5

What makes everyone believe that just because there is a higher horsepower crate engine based on the LT1, that it is going to be available in a production Corvette?

Remember back in the C6 era and the LS3 engines. No production C6 base or GS was ever produced with a LS based engine with more than 436 HP. Yet there was a LS376 crate engine with 495 HP, another LS376 crate engine with 525 HP, another LS376 crate engine with 533 HP. None of those crate engines were ever available in a production C6.

JoesC5

The C5 coupe or Z06 makes an excellent car to mod. After SOME LOW COST MODS it can outrun a stock C7 Z06 on a drag strip or on a road course, dollar for dollar.

thill444

I think a small HP bump (especially for GS) is very possible. C7 sales have slowed and GM knows a small bump and some new tweaks will result in more sales. Lots of Corvette faithful that will sell their 1-3 year old C7's for a refreshed one.

JoesC5

Sales tanked on the C6 after the 2010 GS was introduced(because of the economy). Even though GM had several LS3 crate engines with over 436 HP, they did not up the horsepower for the 2011, 2012 or the 2013 C6 to try to boost sales, even though overall car sales had started to increase during those years(people were starting to buy new cars, but not new Corvettes in 2011, 2012 and 2013). I would think that with C6 sales down around 12,000-13,000 annually, GM would have upped the horsepower if they though it would boost the Corvette's sales during tha last couple of years of the C6's production.

But, it they had raised the horsepower of the LS3 to 495 or 525 or 533, then the 460 HP of the LT1 would have really turned people off from buying a new C7 in 2014.

GM knows that they have to leave something on the table for the base C8 to have, say 500-525 HP, to one up the C7. You can't sell a new product if it offers less than the product it is replacing.

sunsalem

Don't expect big power numbers; any HP boost coming to the C7 will be incremental.
Forget the wait and buy now with a good discount.
If more power is a must, just mod.

roadbike56

I think you're right. Looking back at the C6, the slow-down in sales was linked directly to the slowing economy. Right now, the economy is heating up, but C7 sales are slowing down, not a good formula.
GM has to do something to keep C7 sales up or the 2018s will be completing with the previous four years, like the 2017 is currently doing. IMHO, a mild face lift combined with a modest bump in HP would be enough to create some sales of new Corvettes instead of a selling a bunch of certified C7s.
Besides, the C6 DID have an HP bump of 30HP in 2008 the C7 Stingray never received a bump.
We'll see.

luky7

Its awful that I have to suffer with only a 460hp A6,,,cant even hardly climb the smallest hills without a push :>) How much is enough? 6cyl camaros have more power than usable in everyday life
Yeah I know ,,Im gonna get bashed..but really ,,,

roadbike56

It's all about bragging rights at the local Cars & Coffee

J_Vette_Manuel

I'm curious as to why people think that GM would break from past behavior.

Take the C5 for example. Released in 1997 and replace in 2005.. 9 year model run. Minimal appearance changes throughout the years. Only slight HP increases in the model by end of model run.

C6 released in 2005 and replaced in 2014... 9 year model run. Minimal appearance changes througout the years. Only slight HP increases in the model by end of the model run. Add GS after a few years and Zr1

Why would the C7 be replaced in 4 or 5 years? The C8 is likely going to be in production until 2020/2. They just added the GS after a few years and there is obviously another model coming, likely a Zr1.

The car isn't getting replaced anytime soon and there isn't going to be a 550HP version of a GS.

Past behavior is a predictor of future behavior. Just my humble opinion.

thill444

Refreshed and replaced are two very different things. I don't think people in this thread are talking about the C8 they are talking about some updates to the C7 to keep it fresh since it is likely at the mid-life of the model run and sales have slowed.

ZR1 is coming. Probably some minor changes for the rest of the lineup for the next several years until the C8 is released.

LT1 Z51

The C6 was originally a 7 year program. The bankruptcy delayed the C7 two years.

Further standard development cadence in automotive has settled on a 6-7 year model run with a refresh in year 3 or 4. This keeps platforms fresh. Sometimes a segment doesn't generate enough profit or sales and so a model gets extended. However these extensions usually are emergency in nature and no new development is spent on them.

The other extreme can happen. The E2XX Malibu came out as a 2017, 4 years after the E1XX (Global Epsilon) version which debuted in 2013. This however was an upgrade from the non-global Epsilon model which debuted in 2004, was refreshed in 2006, and reskinned in 2008. That 2008 version only existed because E1XX was so delayed GMNA actually put more money into an older dead platform. The 2013 Malibu was originally a 2010 model when first proposed.

DickieDoo

In 2008, C6 went from a 400/400 LS2 to a 436/430 LS3, completely new motor... a +36hp . I would bet that everyone would be very happy with a 36 HP bump in the LT1 460 > 496
Yes, as a percentage, it was minor but it was a major engine upgrade.

Corgidog1

I can understand where the OP is coming from. I would be a little bummed out if I bought a 17 and the 18 came out a couple of months later with another 20 hp or so- it might really gnaw at me.

thill444

This is just the way it is. The next better car is always right around the corner. Let's be honest most people are not going to notice a 20hp bump anyway when the car already has 450+.