Why?

 

Perhaps the possible Corvette SUV will be based on the C9 EV Vette! Both can be used to meet the new 49 mpg EPA mpg number that was set Quietly by a Pen in April 2022! Few appear to understand or want to understand the implications. Easier for car buffs to play Ostrich!

SIDEBAR
Understand I may have been one of the few gear heads who read the 1174-page 2012 government report re required significant mpg improvement that was to become law in 2017 to cut CO2 emissions with final high mpg in 2025 (that was stopped by a Pen January 2017.)

But this Press Release that summarized that report and short to read: Included the Title: Administration Finalizes Historic 54.5 MPG Fuel Efficiency Standards
https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov...iency-standard

The report mentions the Goals the auto manufactures had to achieve by "Model Family." The Corvette was shown in a report table to require~39 mpg. That would be the same for all 2 seat sports cars. It was technically well defined as why each "Car Family" Goal was set. It stated many would probably use hybrids and showed what could be achieved with the then current technology. Many car manufactures agreed was a "reasonable way" to reduce CO2 emissions. Note in the table below that hp was considered. Just below the Corvette is a 500 hp Mustang. It ONLY required 31 mpg BECAUSE it could carry 4 people. So transportation efficiency was considered. Porsche stated publicly their plan was to use 50% EV's to meet the average.

That could have been GM's plan for an SUV. Use EV's, hybrids with ICEs to achieve the average goal. Ferrari said in press releases they were going to use hybrids. Just like the E-Ray they would do all the "hard development work" and introduce as "Performance Hybrids" initially. Then let a "government" dictate by law what sports cars folks didn't want, i.e. FORCED Stop/Start and not have the ICE start until the hybrid power reached ~45 mph in normal cruising! It was ONLY the EPA Test that had to achieve the high mpg number. That doesn't require more than ~75 hp and very little throttle for a Vette. Both the ICE and electric power could be used when driving aggressively. On average not the way most folks drive.

SO I JUST LAUGH AT FOLKS WHO DON'T LIKE V4! They really won't like forced Stop/Start the next shoe to drop. The 1174-page report outlined they were not going to let rich Corvette Owners just pay a gas guzzler tax while every other owners sacrificed! It was ONLY a fine of the manufacturer.

BUT THEY NOW MOVED THE GOAL POSTS AND ONLY ZERO CO2 EMMINSIONS WILL DO by 2035. But before that, in April 2022 the average mpg was reinstated with another PEN. It's now 49 mpg in 2026 (not the 54 mpg in 2025.) No details yet as how measured but expect we'll see those January 2025!

 

Really it changes to V4 mode while your driving? I never noticed and don't care... the throttle works as expected when I press it.

JT

 

OP

Thanks for advising me of what I should have purchased. That really inspires me.

 

You do realize that AFM was on the C7 right?

And who's really going to complain that their Corvette, which can do 180-190mph, 0-60 in 2.9 seconds, makes 495hp and can still get 25-30mpg on a highway cruise? Can't say that about many other sports cars and super cars.

Its literally the best of all worlds here, and its what allows GM to make a whole bunch of Stingrays, and then go and make the Z06 with 670hp. Why do you think the eRay exists also? CAFE and to allow the Z06 and ZR1 to happen. Gotta offset the bread and butter models to let the halos happen.

 

Hmm for ~$20 and a few minutes work could have defeated skip shift! Installed on my C6 and two C7's. BTW my two C7's NEVER saw V4 (where it was noticeable) as I never drove in ECO. Only had standard shifts for DD's since my 1st car in 1959! NEVER owned a "slushbox" DD so no need for Automatic Trans defeat.

Don't think some understand what GM has to do to maintain the mpg average in the EPA tests. Tadge said in a post, IF the EPA thinks ENOUGH folks are defeating their devices installed to achieve their EPA mpg they can make them:

• Conduct a statistically sound survey to see how many were using defeat devices.
• If it's enough to change their overall achieved EPA mpg in City and Highway tests they have to block that ability.
• Recall on my early 2014 C7 Z51 the initial Skit Shift Defeat device was no working. It was thought like the Viper that also used that 7 speed Tremec, they prevented "tricking" Skip Shift. All we were doing is making the computer chip that controlled it THINK it did it's job by putting a resistor in the circuit when it was commanded to shift. Love that I was fooling the chip and why the Skip Shift ICON on the dash was still lite! BTW turned out it just had the wrong resister value!

I often drive aggressively and am in Z-Mode Power set to Track. NO V4 and seldom past 5th gear as I dive the C8 in my rural area, no Interstate driving. BUT when in traffic I switch to MY Mode set to Sport and it uses all 8 gears and V4. Can't tell when it switches either way unless I look at the dash ICON. Heck I could not hear it as some say they can (and who cares if you do) as I have my sound system playing 98% of the time to drown out tire and road noise. Yep the C8 Coupe is much quieter than my two C7s but still loud enough to hear tire and road noise. Rather hear one of my >1500 songs playing in shuffle mode! Janis Joplin singing Cry Baby far better tires!

 

No dog in this fight. Would I prefer it not to have it? Sure. One less thing to go wrong.

However, after 1300 miles, I can for sure say that I never notice it, have never felt it, and doesn't present any issues.

 

Newdude has sent the best reply. I had the optics of the consumer and not the business stand point. I also never complained about the C8. My dislike was ONLY about the AFM FEATURE.

Next purchase will more than likely be Z06.

 

super helpful post... you should probably sell the car.

 

Drive in Manual mode, problem solved. Move on with your life.

 

Jagamov

”One less thing to go wrong”

That’s why my dad (born in 1899) wouldn’t buy power windows.

 

I've voiced my opinions on this before I'm pretty sure. I don't like it. It provides such little better fuel economy that to me it's pointless. I hear it, I feel it. Just adds more levels of complexity that may have issues and provides little actual value.

 

We will look back at these hair brain GM ideas like they did in the 70's. Remember they got down to 165 horsepower and people bought them. Heck there was a California only car with a 305 ci slug.

 

LOL...Touche

 

If you don't want complexity, you should probably buy a C3. But watch out for the hidden headlights. The plastic gears in them like to break.

 

It does if you set the trans setting to max as it should be

 

I've rebuilt two pairs of C3 headlight assemblies, restoring them to as new condition. They are vacuum actuated. There are no plastic gears in them. I'm thinking you meant to reference the C4's or newer cars.

Interesting mechanism that looks simplistic, but functions rather sophisticatedly. I'm referring to the way vacuum pulls them up into a lock position so that vacuum is no longer required to hold them, vacuum on the other side of the vacuum unlocks and folds them. Adjusting them to rise and fall to the correct down position is a tricky, until you learn how to adjust them and then its easy.

 

it’s because of these incremental fuel savings including engine stop/start that enable car companies to meet federal CAFE standards and still give us 500 hp 2 seat cars.

For that I’m thankful.

Just Sayin

 

Works fine. Rarely notice it.

 

How much do you want for it considering it has such a bad deficiency.