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IMSA requires manufacturers homologate a version of the engine that they use in the production car. Sure appears that the twin cam engine that was in the C8R at Road America will be shown at the debut.
IMSA requires manufacturers homologate a version of the engine that they use in the production car. Sure appears that the twin cam engine that was in the C8R at Road America will be shown at the debut.
Will there be two cars unveiled at the 2019 NAIAS?
Is it possible that there are two lines? Both the front engine and the mid engine have it own base car?
If that true how come we have not see a C8 FE mule anywhere? I think that will confirm no changes to the c7 FE car, if it moves forward.
Exactly... there have been no FE mules, only ME development. We 100% have seen ME mules with "base" brakes and wheels/tires. However, there is someone on here now posting he has a "confirmed" source stating a LT2 exists and has been tested in Yuma. Whether that's for a refreshed FE car or the OHV entry level ME motor who knows.
Regardless... exciting times. Sitting on my hands until this shakes out. If there's a $70K ME or less I'm in. If the ME is a halo car, well then I'll keep playing with my C7.
Exactly... there have been no FE mules, only ME development. We 100% have seen ME mules with "base" brakes and wheels/tires. However, there is someone on here now posting he has a "confirmed" source stating a LT2 exists and has been tested in Yuma. Whether that's for a refreshed FE car or the OHV entry level ME motor who knows.
Regardless... exciting times. Sitting on my hands until this shakes out. If there's a $70K ME or less I'm in. If the ME is a halo car, well then I'll keep playing with my C7.
ToolHoarder. There is zero reason to have a mule for the C8 FE. You do understand that, right?
Is it possible that there are two lines? Both the front engine and the mid engine have it own base car?
If that true how come we have not see a C8 FE mule anywhere? I think that will confirm no changes to the c7 FE car, if it moves forward.
If (big if) there is a future FE Corvette, I assume it's a refreshed C7, which, other than body panels, could be out there, in numbers, testing and we'd never know it.
Even if there were C8 FE test cars out there, we'd probably never recognize them. They'd be C7s that may or may not have manufacturer plates on them. This was a very early C7 LT1 test car:
If the C8 FE ends up being basically a C7.5 (not necessarily a bad thing) then it'd be very easy to test the updated powertrain and electronics hidden inside an otherwise normal appearing C7. We wouldn't see camoed C8 test cars until much later in the process.
ToolHoarder. There is zero reason to have a mule for the C8 FE. You do understand that, right?
If the C8 FE is such a minor change that there are no mules then it's not worth having. The C6 was basically a C5.5 and the C7 is really the same architecture and they had mules for all 3 C5/6/7. They have to validate any body changes for airflow and real world usability. They have to validate new engines in the real world and make sure they stay cool.
If the FE C8 is new body panels a new LT2 motor and a refreshed interior, they still have to make sure it all works and holds up.
Yes they could test a new motor in an existing C7, but that's just one small piece of the puzzle. They tested the C7 chassis/engine under C6 Grand Sports, but you could tell something was off as the longer wheelbase of the C7 didn't quite fit in the C6s wheel wells. We've seen nothing like this to date.
Now... that could mean the C8 FE won't be out for another few years so they're getting the Zora halo car done and to market along side the C7 and then will get to work on the real C8 FE development.
More and more I'm thinking this is the case.... ME car is fancy halo, C7 continues on sale as is through 202X, then FE C8 development starts next year. But... the only thing holding that back is that we've seen basic ME mules with basic brakes/wheel/tires. Why does that exist if the "Zora" is a FGT type car?
Even if there were C8 FE test cars out there, we'd probably never recognize them. They'd be C7s that may or may not have manufacturer plates on them. This was a very early C7 LT1 test car:
If the C8 FE ends up being basically a C7.5 (not necessarily a bad thing) then it'd be very easy to test the updated powertrain and electronics hidden inside an otherwise normal appearing C7. We wouldn't see camoed C8 test cars until much later in the process.
That's exactly what I saw up at Laguna Seca when GM Powertrain engineers came through with 4 Corvettes and 5 Camaro's testing new engines.
If the C8 FE is such a minor change that there are no mules then it's not worth having. The C6 was basically a C5.5 and the C7 is really the same architecture and they had mules for all 3 C5/6/7. They have to validate any body changes for airflow and real world usability. They have to validate new engines in the real world and make sure they stay cool.
If the FE C8 is new body panels a new LT2 motor and a refreshed interior, they still have to make sure it all works and holds up.
Yes they could test a new motor in an existing C7, but that's just one small piece of the puzzle. They tested the C7 chassis/engine under C6 Grand Sports, but you could tell something was off as the longer wheelbase of the C7 didn't quite fit in the C6s wheel wells. We've seen nothing like this to date.
Now... that could mean the C8 FE won't be out for another few years so they're getting the Zora halo car done and to market along side the C7 and then will get to work on the real C8 FE development.
More and more I'm thinking this is the case.... ME car is fancy halo, C7 continues on sale as is through 202X, then FE C8 development starts next year. But... the only thing holding that back is that we've seen basic ME mules with basic brakes/wheel/tires. Why does that exist if the "Zora" is a FGT type car?
Bingo, you realize you just agreed with everything I and many others have been extolling for a long time now!
You realize you just agreed with everything I and many others have been extolling for a long time now!
I guess the $1,000,000 question is if the ME is a halo car or the entire C8 line up... only time will tell. I was hoping I could get a $65K basic ME Corvette... that's the dream. If the ME is a halo car it does nothing for me.
There seems to be two camps on what the C8 generation Corvette is. This has surprisingly become a contentious issue with the Corvette faithful. One side thinks there will only be a mid engined version. The other side thinks we will have both front engined model and a mid engined model. Since there currently is a 65 year history of front engined Corvettes, why would Chevrolet ever want to walk away from that fan base? More importantly why wouldn't they do both and expand the demographics of the Corvette buyer? I personally think they will build both and we can go over the attributes of both configurations. Looking at how successful the C7 generation has been, why wouldn't they just massage and expand new technologies into the C7 platform to give us the best FE yet ! They already have in place the robotic equipment to build the C7 space frame chassis. New advancements on the mid engine chassis have shown high-pressure die-cast aluminum or magnesium structural ribbed chassis stiffeners, struts, and brackets. The new ME is also using an advanced mixed-material approach for the lightweight body structure and that tech would certainly transfer over to the C8 FE chassis. The new C8 FE chassis would therefore most likely be lighter, stronger, and stiffer. Keeping the same body panel mounting point locations would then allow them to redesign the exterior body shape and in effect just switch out the body panels. A virtual new body design could be implemented easily and efficiently. A entirely new driver centric interior design could also be developed with a slightly higher level of quality specifications to give us the best FE interior ever. We know that they are developing the latest SBC OHV generation engine that in effect could be called the LT2. Most likely the suspension, brakes, and other control systems would carry over and could also be enhanced. Realizing that we currently have four FE models(Stingray, GS, ZO6, ZR1) they could still maintain that model progression. One big change that would most certainly get approval would be to redesign the front fascia to accommodate better breathing and reduced heat soak. I can see the new C8 ZO6 having a ZR1 style front fascia with 3 large openings to satisfy the track guys. Fixing any C7 issues while modernizing the FE platform would still create the best FE ever. Of course there will be a plethora of other changes so that we can expand the wide range of buyers.
There seems to be two camps on what the C8 generation Corvette is. This has surprisingly become a contentious issue with the Corvette faithful. One side thinks there will only be a mid engined version. The other side thinks we will have both front engined model and a mid engined model. Since there currently is a 65 year history of front engined Corvettes, why would Chevrolet ever want to walk away from that fan base? More importantly why wouldn't they do both and expand the demographics of the Corvette buyer? I personally think they will build both and we can go over the attributes of both configurations. Looking at how successful the C7 generation has been, why wouldn't they just massage and expand new technologies into the C7 platform to give us the best FE yet ! They already have in place the robotic equipment to build the C7 space frame chassis. New advancements on the mid engine chassis have shown high-pressure die-cast aluminum or magnesium structural ribbed chassis stiffeners, struts, and brackets. The new ME is also using an advanced mixed-material approach for the lightweight body structure and that tech would certainly transfer over to the C8 FE chassis. The new C8 FE chassis would therefore most likely be lighter, stronger, and stiffer. Keeping the same body panel mounting point locations would then allow them to redesign the exterior body shape and in effect just switch out the body panels. A virtual new body design could be implemented easily and efficiently. A entirely new driver centric interior design could also be developed with a slightly higher level of quality specifications to give us the best FE interior ever. We know that they are developing the latest SBC OHV generation engine that in effect could be called the LT2. Most likely the suspension, brakes, and other control systems would carry over and could also be enhanced. Realizing that we currently have four FE models(Stingray, GS, ZO6, ZR1) they could still maintain that model progression. One big change that would most certainly get approval would be to redesign the front fascia to accommodate better breathing and reduced heat soak. I can see the new C8 ZO6 having a ZR1 style front fascia with 3 large openings to satisfy the track guys. Fixing any C7 issues while modernizing the FE platform would still create the best FE ever. Of course there will be a plethora of other changes so that we can expand the wide range of buyers.
Yep... more and more I think that's the logical outcome. Which doesn't give me the ME Corvette I can afford
If the second car is an update FE car, there will nothing but crickets over at that car.
Depends... if the ME is a $150K "supercar" and then the FE C8 comes out in 2023 that's a long time psychologically. The rich guys will have the ME Zoras and then the rest of us may get excited for a fresh car by that point. If they come out any closer than 3 years apart the FE car will be "crickets" as you say.
OK, time for some logical conjecture. I've known about this for a few days now so here goes. Both Monterey Classic Car Week and Corvettes At Carlisle have the same exact dates this year. There's also intel out there right now that GM will be making a major announcement soon, very soon. Both events are huge and I've extolled the virtues of Pebble Beach in the first post of this thread. Carlisle is huge also but is directed at the traditional Corvette clientele. Pebble Beach and the whole Classic Car week has all the mid engined sports car manufacturers there and would be incredible to debut the ME Zora there with the other top mid engined cars of the world. If you look at the Carlisle link below and scroll down the page you will notice that there is a list of Team Corvettes engineers, designers, and marketing people. Tadge Juechter has been to Carlisle numerous times but is not on the list there this year. Neither are Kirk Bennion, Tom Peters, and other top critical people from the Corvette team. I now find out this morning that Kai Spande will be at Laguna Seca and most likely other venues around Monterey-Pebble Beach-Carmel. If Tadge is not at Carlisle, where do you think he is going to be? If you are like me and guessed Classic Car week you'd be right logically. I'm thinking a dual World Debut at both locations at the same exact time of the day on Friday the 24th. Both would have video feeds on the internet and both would be showing the Zora in it's base form. The folding hardtop Spyder version would debut a few months later at the Los Angeles Auto Show for the convertible sun seeker crowd. Both Targa an Spyder versions will be at Detroit. A world debut at Pebble Beach in front of all the brass from Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, and McLaren will go a long way in creating hype well beyond any normal car show where people and kids are crawling all over the beautiful new Zora. I can only assume that CEO Mary Barra, Mark Ruess, and other top GM brass would want to do it this way as well in front of their main competitors at this beautiful world class event. Time will tell if I'm right on this but it certainly looks to be a logical debut of the incredible new Zora !!
08-14-2018, 09:00 AM
