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Engine placement won't mean much if you don't have winter tires, which I think is the determining factor as to whether it's safe to drive a sports car in the winter. The key issue isn't snow; it's about performance and grip in low temps. Summer performance tires become hard and brittle in low temps, don't grip, and will crack. (Porsche makes winter wheels and tires available for purchase for the 718 and 911; driving a 911 in the winter cold air is a blast.)
The answer to the OP’s question, of whether the C8 will be better in snow and rain is clearly “yes”, for anyone here ever add weight over the rear axle of their pickups in that weather — and consequently get better traction.
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The 7th Gen Corvettes are weight balanced with 50% of the cars weight on each axle. Balance will remain an important aspect in the C8. That said, I wonder how much more weight there will actually be on the rear axle versus the front axle. I haven't raced my Corvettes in snow, so I'm more concerned about how they handle on dry pavement.
I wonder how they would fare - I would save a bunch of money if I could have this as my only car lol rather then spending money on a second car, insurance and spot in my garage
of course on major snow events I would stay home. and NJ winters aren't that bad... usually. I had a 370Z as my only car back in early 2010s and with winter tires it was fine
The answer to the OP’s question, of whether the C8 will be better in snow and rain is clearly “yes”, for anyone here ever add weight over the rear axle of their pickups in that weather — and consequently get better traction.
Uh, no, that's not how it'll work. As someone mentioned earlier: it'll be up to the rubber on the road, not where the mass is in relation to the mid-section of the car. It's likely the car will come with performance/summer tires and not all-weather or winter tires. Without a tire swap, the car is going to be pretty bad in the snow. With a tire swap, it'll do fine on cleared roads. There's still the issue of ground clearance, as always.
50/50 is an urban legend when it comes to best sports car handling. Better weight distribution for sports car handling is having around 57% of its weight on the rear wheels, e.g., all McLaren’s, AWD & ME Lambo’s, and ME Ferrari’s. Even Porsche’s 991 rear engined, street versions which have 60% of their weight on their rear wheels, move weight forward for their RSR’s, making them mid engined, when they compete with our C7.R’s.
Ferrari front engined cars have, over time as new models have come out, moved their weight rearwards to now 46.5% weight on their front wheels and 53.5% of their weight on their rear wheels (their latest FE’s). Lastly, our C7.R’s do not have the 50/50 weight distribution of our C7 street models, but they have been built to move their motors are rearward as much as they can to gain additional rear weight bias.
I believe that the F/E weight distribution of our ME Corvettes will be the same 57% weight on their rear wheels as other world class ME competitors.
Engine placement won't mean much if you don't have winter tires, which I think is the determining factor as to whether it's safe to drive a sports car in the winter. The key issue isn't snow; it's about performance and grip in low temps. Summer performance tires become hard and brittle in low temps, don't grip, and will crack. (Porsche makes winter wheels and tires available for purchase for the 718 and 911; driving a 911 in the winter cold air is a blast.)
In apples-to-apples comparisons (e.g. same tires being compared), more weight on the rear will produce better traction on frozen precip in a rear wheel drive car. In the days of mostly RWD vehicles and no winter tires, etc, folks put cinder blocks and sandbags in trunks and pick-up truck beds. Corvairs and VW Beetles were known as being excellent snow cars when I was a kid on their skinny, bias-ply tires.
When the Japanese, FWD econoboxes started showing up, we all marveled at great they were in snow with more weight on the front wheels.
I wonder how they would fare - I would save a bunch of money if I could have this as my only car lol rather then spending money on a second car, insurance and spot in my garage
of course on major snow events I would stay home. and NJ winters aren't that bad... usually. I had a 370Z as my only car back in early 2010s and with winter tires it was fine
It will no doubt be great with decent tires. Where you and I live a good set of all-seasons like Michelin AS3+ will get you though probably 360 days/year. The nice thing about having a DD Vette (besides saving money) is you never have to think: “gee I wish I was driving my Vette.”
Of course there is more to driving in the snow then rear wheel traction. You have to be able to also steer the car and some weight on the front tires help in braking and steering.. I remember having a new Buick FWD and I was really impressed with it's ability to get front tire traction in the snow when accelerating compared to all the rear wheel drive cars that I had owned with the engines in front. Then one day I took a corner al little too fast, and my front tires had no steering so I went straight into the curb knocking my front toe out of alignment.
I had a 1965 El Camino with the factory 327 4-speed. It was terrible in the snow, but when we got our first forecast of snow, I had my teenage daughter fill the bed with firewood and then I could go anywhere. No big deal, and she needed the exercise(actually, she enjoyed helping).
My DD is a front engine/rear wheel drive Mercedes and my three Corvettes are also front engine/rear wheel drive. Since I'm now retired I don't worry about driving in the snow as I just sleep in late, have a nice hot breakfast in my nice warm house while looking out the window at the beautiful fresh snow on the ground. After the county plows my street and all the major streets in town are clear, then I get out to get some milk, etc.
In apples-to-apples comparisons (e.g. same tires being compared), more weight on the rear will produce better traction on frozen precip in a rear wheel drive car. In the days of mostly RWD vehicles and no winter tires, etc, folks put cinder blocks and sandbags in trunks and pick-up truck beds. Corvairs were known as being excellent snow cars when I was a kid on their skinny, bias-ply tires.
I had no problems driving in heavy snow in my Toyota Corolla with all season tires. The skinny tires were a help, but it also had decent ground clearance. Sports cars like Corvettes are challenged in heavy snow because of their small ground clearance.
It was also FWD with more weight on the drive wheels . . . same principle. Yes, ground clearance is an issue, but we're talking apples-to-apples comparisons here.
It was also FWD with more weight on the drive wheels . . . same principle. Yes, ground clearance is an issue, but we're talking apples-to-apples comparisons here.
Apples to apples comparison. Okay.
My C6 Z06 has a 4.25" front splitter to ground clearance and 2" front air dam to ground clearance. So, snow above 2" depth is a problem.
Is the C8 going to be different with it's front splitter and front air dam?
06-19-2019, 06:59 PM
C8 better in the snow
