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It's been 25 years since Corvette had an engine worthy of being displayed.. and it was hidden.
If it's just a bunch of plastic covers and a rat's nest of wires and hoses I'd rather have the storage space.
I disagree that properly dressing an engine is expensive. I owned a Katech built and dressed engine in a C6 Z06, and it didn't cost much for the appearance. Spread that cost across a large number of units, and thus amortized, it becomes even less expensive.
I would assert that if GM chooses to display the engine (which I hope they do), it would in fact be indefensible on cost to not dress it appropriately.
Question is do they pass that cost savings onto us or do they up sale\add cost because of the new look. Just because they paid less to make it doesn't mean they are going to charge less.
Question is do they pass that cost savings onto us or do they up sale\add cost because of the new look. Just because they paid less to make it doesn't mean they are going to charge less.
Both. Without a doubt a properly dressed engine will cost more - even if incrementally - than one hidden or buried under cheap plastic. If GM chooses to display the engine and dress it appropriately, they will benefit from scaling that across the lineup and thus reducing actual cost of the parts. The consumer benefits from that, but they nonetheless are getting a slightly more expensive product. That said - doing this is hardly cost prohibitive as anybody who has actually spent bucks on a dressed engine knows.
To your question - could they take another step higher? I think they could. They could make it an option. This would reduce overall cost savings captured by spreading it across the whole line, would necessitate a higher entry point for the option, and could even be bundled with other stuff to capture guys like me who would check that option box.
From: Philadelphia PA (Birthplace of the USA, UNESCO World Heritage City)
Originally Posted by bbbvettes.com
It's all a tradeoff. Do you want cargo space above the engine like the Mclaren GT, or do you want to be able to see the engine?
Can't have it both ways.
Says who? GM can be clever and create a removable panel with a heat shield underneath. That way you have extra storage when you need it, and engine view when you don't need the storage.
Last edited by ArmchairArchitect; May 30, 2019 at 10:36 AM.
Personally I don't think an engine needs to be "dressed" to look good, with headers and good materials it'll look good without a plastic cover. Hopefully we will be able to see these under a display window while driving around
Personally I don't think an engine needs to be "dressed" to look good, with headers and good materials it'll look good without a plastic cover. Hopefully we will be able to see these under a display window while driving around
My guess is that the coupe will have a visible engine and the vert won't. I think the trunk will be behind the engine and not over top of it like the NSX, but on the vert they'll have to put the top over the motor when stowed, but who knows.
It's cheaper and easier for GM to run the PCV and evap hoses however they want and then just cover it all up with crappy plastic... I hope they get away from that, but we'll see. They haven't made a motor w/o plastic covers since the C4, but I hope that changes. The CADs give hope... nice red intercooler covers and some nice clean turbo pipes would look cool.
Says who? GM can be clever and create a removable panel with a heat shield underneath. That way you have extra storage when you need it, and engine view when you don't need the storage.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.
