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I love all the people who are here spouting the weirdest things. Horsepower by itself does nothing for me, it's one of those things that I always think is amusing about the Corvette crowd and it always boils down to people who seriously think 600hp is too little power...
I want the Z06 to be able to use its power, not be overwhelmed by it. The C7 Z06 is a care where too much power hurt the overall performance, sure it was quick and had the grunt to make passing traffic easy...but so did the base C7 Stingray. The Z06 should be honed for performance in more than just straight line speed and that requires a balance between what the chassis, brakes, and suspension can handle. The C8R ad a race car is limited to probably 500ish horsepower but would blow a C7 ZR1 away on a race track. Sure it is likely much lighter, but the race car is built around making the car work with the engine...not the other way around.
If GM really wants to offer a super car experience then they need to dial in the handling, offer an exhilarating engine, and make the car a bit more aggressive than what I am hearing about how the C8 Stingray behaves.
The C7 Z06 even with the Z07 package was too soft as evidenced by how the ZR1 was way more powerful yet easier to drive. The supercharged LT4 is a cool engine,enginforced induction is kinda meh in a real sports car. Why is the GT3 RS the more desirable Porsche than the GT2 RS? Because the engine is more engaging is completed the experience, a scalpel compared the the GT2 RS sledge hammer. Different stroke for different folks but the simple fact remains that turbos, superchargers, and hybrid motors take some of that "experience" away. Anyone, and I mean anyone who has had the experience of driving F355, 360, 430, or even the 458 understands that while some cars may be faster, none touch the feeling you get from these cars. The 488 is a better car in almost every performance metric than the 458...but it just doesn't feel as special...and the car shares the 458 structure.
So after all that blather, I am of the persuasion that GM could release an NA engine in the Z06 that makes less power than the C7 Z06 and still absolutely crush it. If they decide to go with turbos, I just hope the Grand Sport gets a version of the turbo engine without turbos because I want an engine with character over just MOAR POWAH!
not only couldn't GM build a car that could do that NA... neither could any builder... look at the cost of a GT3rs? And it still only about matches the Z06 on every track sans the nurburgring.
without a boosted application, the 3800lbs plus C8Z will be a dog.
It will be a TT fpc small displacement engine. SC is out of the question directly from Corvette team members at Carlisle. It will have twins.. heat management is going to be an issue as well.
Notice the side rear ducts under the camo behind the rear wheels? Yep..... more heat extraction.
not only couldn't GM build a car that could do that NA... neither could any builder... look at the cost of a GT3rs? And it still only about matches the Z06 on every track sans the nurburgring.
without a boosted application, the 3800lbs plus C8Z will be a dog.
It will be a TT fpc small displacement engine. SC is out of the question directly from Corvette team members at Carlisle. It will have twins.. heat management is going to be an issue as well.
Notice the side rear ducts under the camo behind the rear wheels? Yep..... more heat extraction.
I agree. Not enough credit given to the C7Z. The C8 has more weight and power to go along with the ME and DCT to beat out the C7. ME, DCT, and some aero won't be sufficient for a C8Z with less power and more weight to beat out the C7Z.
I doubt very much there will be 6 models (+ right-hand drive versions) of the C8.
It doesn't make much business sense to me...
So then the question is which models disappear?
Porsche clearly has a ton of 911 variations but they also have major profitability as well. The C8 could fall somewhere in the middle.
But it sure seems we will see LT2 and LT2 with electric (E-Ray?) and at least the FPC DOHC engine. The FPC engine in the CAD drawing has twin turbos. So a NA version and a TT versions? Or just twin turbo? And finally the FPC engine with electric motor? So that’s at least five models.
North American International Auto Show is this June and I think they will show something but it won’t come out till 2021. That would put a model launch cadence within almost a year of the C8 introduction and keep things on pace to release a new variation (excluding convertibles) once a year. If convertible versions trail by 3 months, that’s a nice marketing/PR pace to keep the Corvette in the media regularly.
It looks like you've made the best of a bad situation, but having a piece of tacked on plastic like that is a travesty on a halo car.
Thanks. I do agree, spats on an $80K car is a joke. Development money was clearly very tight with the C7Z. Car was a mess when it came out.
No excuses with the C8Z. Take their time and do it right. Love the idea of FPC but it's a big challenge.
Benchmark car is a GT2RS against this variant. That's about as far as GM will take the performance, and this is the end game prototype. This is the C8 halo car.
With the advent of climate and pressure emulation chambers I know Corvette can figure out elevation turbo tunings without the GT2RS...but it is cool PR.
The GT2RS is a 3420 lbs (Stock 25% optioned) 690HP/550TQ turbo car....
Short of making the C8Z06 all carbon chassis ala McLaren at 3200/3300 lbs.....still think the C8 Z06 in the picture is a naturally aspirated rig?
It's a common theory. I don't believe the bore spacing would allow them to increase the cylinder bore size however, and not sure they can increase stroke either.
They build the blackwing in Bowling Green because they moved the entire performance build center there and it's a performance engine. I wouldn't read too much into that.
I wasn't reading too much into it, just theorizing. I wonder if the production line that builds it has already changed over to something else or will be soon.
They have been testing Z06 in the wild since as early as July. We Just didnt know we were looking at it.
I can't tell that is a widebody from those 2 photos. The sidescoop looks like it has the same angle as the stingray instead of the C8R scoop and no side skirt protruding at the bottom either. Hmm I don't know, just can't tell for sure. Hope there is better options for wheels than those trident wheels.
Last edited by vettesweetnos; 01-22-2020 at 06:28 AM.
With the advent of climate and pressure emulation chambers I know Corvette can figure out elevation turbo tunings without the GT2RS...but it is cool PR.
The GT2RS is a 3420 lbs (Stock 25% optioned) 690HP/550TQ turbo car....
Short of making the C8Z06 all carbon chassis ala McLaren at 3200/3300 lbs.....still think the C8 Z06 in the picture is a naturally aspirated rig?
Pretty sure we are going to see an NA engine...the video with the quick pass on the mountain road has zero indication of any turbo noise. None. We were speculating on the C8 Stingray Nurburgring videos about possible supercharger whine for months, yet this video has nothing to even wonder about.
However at this point it's all speculation, other than the few people still stuck on this being the halo car...you guys are a trip. GM isn't in the practice of bringing out their big guns until sales start to slump late in the model life. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of more than 4 distinct Corvettes that people are anticipating.
So far we have the Stingray...a copy of the C7 lineup. Which lends credence to the idea that next up is the C8 Z06. It does not take a sharp mind to understand that even though the C8 is targeting a wider group, the majority of buyers will likely be the same buyers of Corvettes that has existed for generations, and that group is not very good with change for the sake of change. The Corvette business model works, it does not make sense to change it too much and expecting GM to throw the baby out with the bath water is just poor business acumen.
Last edited by Supermassive; 01-22-2020 at 06:49 AM.
Benchmark car is a GT2RS against this variant. That's about as far as GM will take the performance, and this is the end game prototype. This is the C8 halo car.
Pretty sure we are going to see an NA engine...the video with the quick pass on the mountain road has zero indication of any turbo noise. None. We were speculating on the C8 Stingray Nurburgring videos about possible supercharger whine for months, yet this video has nothing to even wonder about.
However at this point it's all speculation, other than the few people still stuck on this being the halo car...you guys are a trip. GM isn't in the practice of bringing out their big guns until sales start to slump late in the model life. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of more than 4 distinct Corvettes that people are anticipating.
So far we have the Stingray...a copy of the C7 lineup. Which lends credence to the idea that next up is the C8 Z06. It does not take a sharp mind to understand that even though the C8 is targeting a wider group, the majority of buyers will likely be the same buyers of Corvettes that has existed for generations, and that group is not very good with change for the sake of change. The Corvette business model works, it does not make sense to change it too much and expecting GM to throw the baby out with the bath water is just poor business acumen.
I personally don't believe there will be a NA higher tier C8 corvette but will admit the current emission and fuel consumption rules made the NA LT2 possible so that possibility should not be discounted all together.
However I disagree with the premise that Corvette forks out higher tier models ONLY when the lower tier falters.. Obviously that was not the case for neither C6 or C7 which experienced peak sales of base models the same year Z06 was introduced. I think they look at this as competitive segments and they also monitor sales of competing products to determine the how and the when. Tadge admitted that much when it stated that the C7 ZR1 was not aimed as competitor to the low volume no daily driver 911 GT2RS but to the popular and relatively good selling 911 turbo which BTW is coming in new version spring 2020.
Pretty sure we are going to see an NA engine...the video with the quick pass on the mountain road has zero indication of any turbo noise. None. We were speculating on the C8 Stingray Nurburgring videos about possible supercharger whine for months, yet this video has nothing to even wonder about.
However at this point it's all speculation, other than the few people still stuck on this being the halo car...you guys are a trip. GM isn't in the practice of bringing out their big guns until sales start to slump late in the model life. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the idea of more than 4 distinct Corvettes that people are anticipating.
So far we have the Stingray...a copy of the C7 lineup. Which lends credence to the idea that next up is the C8 Z06. It does not take a sharp mind to understand that even though the C8 is targeting a wider group, the majority of buyers will likely be the same buyers of Corvettes that has existed for generations, and that group is not very good with change for the sake of change. The Corvette business model works, it does not make sense to change it too much and expecting GM to throw the baby out with the bath water is just poor business acumen.
On your na with no turbo noise comment the clip was cut short, clearly a staged release video leak and maybe 5 seconds of off throttle in a 9 second clip. You get a downshift and coast. Enough to tell it's a fpc but that's it. I am hoping for a video of hard acceleration. You can not hear 488 and other turbos a majority of the time either. Also if it is na it could be a grand sport, they haven't released one before a Z06 though. The stingray, Z06, GS, ZR1 releases make sense, your basically improving on 2 models but giving a choice of 4 and a stingray, GS, Z06, ZR1 release is a little different but in line with some competitors.
And all the rest of your post I agree with. A ZR1 is a ways off.
Last edited by vettesweetnos; 01-22-2020 at 07:57 AM.
01-21-2020, 08:31 PM
