I can’t remember the exact price, but I do remember Tadge saying it wasn’t that much more than the base pricing now.

 

Historically GM at IVER has used substitution parts. Most IVERs lack even "real" headlamps and tail lamps (they use cobbled together parts).

I would not discount lack of slots in the rotors as any meaningful information. Size, yes, but construction, no. Brake cars (which would be used to tune the ABS, TCS and Stabilitrak) are usually at the brake supplier and can be updated to the correct parts as needed.

Carbon Ceramic not being caught in the wild could be on purpose. But even if they have them, my assumption would be like the Z06 it's an upgrade.

The thing about IVER cars (or any early stage "real" bodied development vehicle) is that the cars just have to be "representative" and that outside of the actual functional groups, you don't need specific up to date parts.

Vehicle dynamics will eventually update their cars to have all the parts, but that's after brakes, suspension, and steering get all the initial kinks worked out.

 

Tadge has not confirmed the existence of a mid-engine car therefore he would not comment on it.

You're thinking of a canned response to a generic "next generation" question.

The thing is, what you call next generation (or what you think it is) and what Tadge is actually speaking about are not really the same thing.

Company spokes people know this, and that's why they answer how they do. Generic words have no meaning.

You might as well ask, "is it dark at night?"

 

I have a hard time believing that the ME car will stand alone, meaning that it is not a total replacement for the current Corvette.

GM has never I do not believe had a unique engine beyond the original ZR1. For them to develop a DOHC smaller displacement TT engine for 1-2 cars would be totally out of their norm.

 

The 4.2L and 5.5L are also being co-developed for Cadillac’s upper end vehicles. For example, it is no coincidence that this year Cadillac’s DPi race cars were reduced from 6.2L to 5.5L?

 

It would also be very odd for them to release the replacement for something while the current version is still in production. The only times I've seen them do that is for low end fleet vehicles. Malibu, Impala, and low option work truck versions of the Silverado. 2019 would have to be the last model year of the C7, and that's super unlikely.

 

Malibu classic comes to mind....same for the two generation impalas..

Usually the older generation is kept around for rental companies and other fleet business thereby protecting the newer generation residuals.

Do rental companies or fleets buy corvettes?

If not I would not expect the front mid engine corvette to remain in production once the c8 is in production.

 

Mid-engine is not c8. And yes the mid-engine and the C7 will remain in production together.

 

I would think a critical system such as the brakes would need to be representative of the final iteration to be of any use for testing, but this is all just my interpretation of what we've seen so far. Your guess is as good as mine, but it's fun to think about until the big day comes

 

I've wondered for a while (as many of us have) whether the ME would be a replacement of the FE platform, or an addition model to be joined by a FE C8.

Curiously - while we haven't seen any obvious FE C8 mules, we've obviously got the ME mules roaming around. I'd love to see them add the ME as an additional model. But I also wouldn't be shocked to see the FE dropped.

 

Depends on who is testing. In my department we'd drive some pretty Frankenstein looking cars because for 90 percent of what we were testing not much else mattered.

HVAC/Cooling/Powertrain usually get the earliest cars to test and nail their stuff down, which they almost always end up changing except Powertrain, but they tend to be first in and get the most access.

You would think there are cars to go around but there are not. Depending on the product mix some vehicles get nearly 0 development.

2WD Jeeps its akin to the mechanic taking it for a spin in the parking lot and calling it good.

In the end I could honestly care less what it looks like. When I bought my C7 my benchmark was if it was better than the C6 I'm good. I'm more interested in pricing and power levels.

If this is going down the road of a Caddy or what LT1 Z51(and not what I am thinking) is saying this is not going to be a under 80k vehicle. In fact I'd think in the low 100's optioned up to the mid 130's.

I'd still buy one but planning for a 80K purchase versus a 120K purchase are two different things.

It has gotta have over 550hp out of the box and a DCT at that price otherwise there are other cars to consider.

 

Right now it seems like they're mostly doing cold weather testing. I don't think production-intent brakes are a critical part of that. As the weather gets warmer and they start doing vehicle dynamics (handling) testing, then brakes would be important.

 

My information isn't a guess, it's an informed opinion. I've worked on numerous GM programs (and other OEMs), and I'm telling you that even things like tie rod ends (which are also very important), knuckles, and yes, even brakes where not final job one intent designs on all cars (examples all from the ATS).

Really it depends on why they car is being built. Parts, contrary to public belief are NOT tested at the vehicle level. They are tested at the unit or component level. The only reason test cars get built is to deal with "system integration" issues. There is some overall durability testing (and those cars do get updated), but really the purpose of vehicles is to tune things as a system (so the function of vehicle dynamics). The other reason would be to do feature work. It's hard to verify if your lane-keeping or auto parking tune works right unless you have a whole car. However the functional aspects are all tested on the bench.

 

ME is a MY 2019, FE C8 is a MY 2021 (at the earliest). You won't see FE mules until 2019, IVERs until 2020.

 

We could be getting into an argument of semantics. Is the ME the next Corvette, yes! However, might GM choose not to call it an eight generation Corvette (C8), instead calling it something else, absolutely.

We do not know two things necessary to settle this difference of opinion:

1) What is GM’s official name for the ME going to be called (not talking about ZERV, ZORA or anything like that) but what generation will they call it?
2) We do not have definitive proof that the front engined C7 is going away at any time, in fact conversely we do not even any definitive proof that the C7 is going on for both the 2020 and the 2021 model years — though many believe that it is going to continue for both.

Only time will tell, and in the interim, while opinions are strong, GM-verified facts have yet to surface.

 

You'd be surprised.

If it's powertrain cold weather testing, the rest of the car could be a rolling husk of garbage.

Brake winter testing is done at the brake suppliers facilities (in this case Bosch). So it depends on where the pictures were taken.

Also during a program, you usually only get two winters. They take whatever garbage they have the first winter, do as much as they can. The second winter they take a near production version and do a delta tuning.

Final tuning of cars doesn't take place until 3-4 months before serial production. If this car is a MY 2019 (and I think it is), then this 2018 winter testing is the **** show of whatever cars we have lets get er done.

 

We did have something from a supplier of the composite body panels. They announced that they had work for the C7 Corvette thru 2020 or 2021. I can't remember which year, but I do remember the press announcement.

While not from GM, and while that CAN change, it seems like a manufacturing investment announcement related to this program was made with definite intent to a specific model year.

 

I really hope you're wrong... but I know you're in the business, not a moron, and have connections. I want a mid-engine NA/RWD/manual for $65kish... one can dream.

 

I'll be clear, I don't know where the exact line is. I just know there is a FE C8 program independent of the ME program.

So we can, I think, safely assume two things based on that. The current "base" Corvette Stingray, Z51 will be FE C8. The current ZR1 will be replaced by an ME car.

The question is, what happens in the Z06 space, and maybe more importantly the Grand Sport space. I think IF, and this is a big if, you only get a Grand Sport if the Z06 stays with FE. If there is no go-fast wide body, there is no Grand Sport.

While this doesn't box exactly with your pricing, I could see a Z06 ME type car going for $80k. But less than that is a tough sell. I think GM has to somewhat delineate in cost structure the FE and the ME. But that cost is entirely dependent on where the Z06 falls.

MAYBE we get lucky and there is overlap like with the Camaro.

 

There were some **** show cars in late '16 and early '17. The ones that had a C7 mid section grafted on to them.

I'll wager a cup of coffee that the ME car is MY2020. It'd fit with a NAIAS 2019 intro. Even if they did something crazy like Frankfurt (Sept) that's too late for MY2019.