First let me put out a few disclaimers. I know we got NA and that's not gonna change, I know it sounds a little better and it's supposedly a little easier to drive on the track although with modern electronics that's probably debatable. This post isn't intended to troll or start arguments, I'm just genuinely trying to understand the fascination or draw to an NA motor.

If you're a track guy, okay, fair enough. Problem with that is a fraction of Corvette owners track their cars so that negates the need for NA for the track as it won't cater to the larger Z06 audience.

If it's the driving experience a huge amount of Corvette owners will be lucky to put a thousand miles a year on their car as well as probably never see 8600 rpm, which is fine. They can do what they want with their car, no business of mine but it does make me wonder why people care about the so called visceral driving experience when they barely drive their cars. Again that's fine, I just personally wouldn't be so picky about the engine of a car that I was gonna barely drive, could just be me though.

The sound, okay I concede. Na sounds better but FI doesn't sound bad imo. I'd gladly take the performance over sound.

Is it different because it's an NA FPC vs CPC and because I've never driven an NA FPC I just don't understand? Closest I've driven would be a coyote (far cry I know) but owning many normal V8's has done nothing for me to make me passionate about NA.

I guess it boils down to this, if you're not gonna track your car why do you care if it's NA or not? Why are you excited about NA?

Again I know this is a touchy subject and I mean no disrespect to anyone, just generally trying to understand the desire for NA is all as I truly don't understand being that passionate about NA. The only reason I care about FI is it's basically the only way to get power, if it wasn't for that I could genuinely care less.

I know I'm outnumbered so I hope you guys won't flame me too bad

 

 

I've had NA, S/C, and turbo cars and I just enjoy NA more. There is a feeling, responsiveness and control that comes from a good NA motor coupled with a properly geared drivetrain. This motor has so many lightweight components and such short gearing, it should rev quickly and Its fun to see that tach sweep high into the rpms, I also enjoy the sound more than S/C whine or turbo whistle.

Mine will be a street car and will see way more than 1k miles per year and will buzz past 8000 rpm on a regular basis. I run my stingray up to redline frequently. With its 6600 redline, I can do it in 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. On the Z06 I'll be mostly limited to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd redline shifts. It will still be glorious.

670 HP will be enough for me, but a FI Z06 would have provided a better platform for those wanting significantly more HP.

 

NA engines have slightly faster throttle response compared to turbocharged variants. 8,600 rpm allows higher hp with a smaller displacement engine.

 

It's really not, just thought it would be interesting to hear why people are so passionate about NA especially if they're not gonna track it.

Guess I didn't put out enough disclaimers

 

That's a good point about light weight components and being quick revving. Hopefully the turbo version will be similar in that regard.

I hear you, I put a little over 20k miles on my 17 GS in a year.

Yep, that is the crux of my argument towards FI.

 

Same.

Growing up turbo technology was basically non existent. The only turbo car i had, well i had 2. Was my 1993 mazda rx7 and my 1993 nissan 300zx. While good cars that were very fast for it's time, it couldn't compare to what a proper NA car gives you. The 350Z of the day. The S2000 of the day.

It's the reason why the s2000 is still popular. It's the reason why some people prefer the GT350 over the GT500. It's the reason why the GT3 is very popular over the insanely powerful 911 turbo s.

It's the reason why the C6Z is very popular, even to this day.

People like NA engines. They're just better in most cases. They feel better. And they sound better.

And GM knew this. That's why they gave us the LT6.

 

The amount of Air/Fuel mixture in a Normally Aspirated (N/A) engine is limited by atmospheric pressure... to produce more power, they must either increase displacement (more power per stroke), or increase RPM (more power stokes per minute)... this means, at a given displacement, N/A engines must rev higher to produce more power...

The net result is a power-band that increases with RPM, and as a byproduct, produces sound that is emotionally stimulating.

A Forced Induction engine (Turbo/Supercharger) engine, by contrast, can artificially increase intake pressure, and force more AF mixture into the cylinder... with modern ECU technology, this can be engineered to produce almost any power curve desired.... the only limit is how much software you want to invest in, and how strong the engine components are...

In the 80's, 1.4 liter turbo F1 Engines could produce in excess of 1,000Hp, with high boost, and fuel ("Witches Brew") so combustive, it cost about $150/litre, and would take your skin off... so, an FI engine exists on a continuum somewhere between your mom's Subaru, and an artillery shell...

In the real world, FI engines produce gobs of low/midrange torque, and as such offer great day to day drivability... they can also be tuned to the moon if you can tolerate blowing up your engine every 200 hours... but they are considered somewhat "soulless", and often have muted, "blatting" exhaust notes...

Purists consider a tuned N/A engine to be more satisfying... it's purely emotional.

Its like comparing a Single Malt to a commercial blended Scotch... they will both get you drunk, but the Single Malt is considered to have better taste...

Basically, its emotional... FI is more efficient from an engineering standpoint... N/A more "purest" from an enthusiast standpoint.

 

FI is not the only way to get power .... the C8Z is NA with lots of power 😃

 

I've had NA and turbo cars. I really don't have a strong preference either way as they both have their ups and downs. My biggest gripes with the turbo cars was the lag (not a huge amount, but you definitely notice it) and how much the performance varied in some ambient conditions.. like hot and humid days the car was noticeably sluggish.. more than I remember my older cars being.

My only experience with something similar to the C8 Z06 was doing a few laps in a Huracan and Ferrari 458. I just loved the experience that those engines provided. The power delivery was just smooth and linear. The way it built power with the high RPM just felt like it was never going to stop pulling. They were also very responsive. No lag or waiting, they just immediately wanted to GO. It was just a very different experience and I enjoyed it. Glad to be getting a Corvette that should capture that experience.

I wouldn't have been disappointed if the Z06 came with a twin turbo engine. I really don't think either NA or turbo is better for my use of the car, just different. The 670hp NA engine should be fine.

 

A number of reasons:

Sound is fantastic. Revs much faster which is "racy". For a car that is easy to drive but fast you raise HP and keep torque reasonable so you: A. It is harder to brake the wheels loose at the cornering limit. B. You don't have reverse-torque i.e. engine braking off throttle that wants to do the same thing at the limit.

Lighter

Less heat

Lower complexity.

In a practical sense thought because of the higher RPM, they can put a shorter gear ratio final drive in it so you get more torque multiplication.

Honestly, if what you want it way more that 670HP, you are probably doing a power adder, engine swap, or electric at this point.

The NA FPC is for the artistry. The ZR1 with TT and Electric for torque fill will be for the numbers.

 

Audible bliss, is why I want an NA screamer.. I will use mine 4-6 track days a summer with a ton of mountain runs/drives in temps upwards of 104*... #noheatsoak

 

If we're talking back then I agree.

People have preferences, sure but I'd be willing to bet if money was the same for each car most would take the GT500 and as far as Porsche goes it would be more fair in my opinion to compare the GT3RS and the GT2RS and in my opinion most would take the GT2RS if it was the same price as the GT3RS.

I could be wrong but I think the C6Z is still popular because of my reasoning, because it's an affordable easily modifiable platform, not because it's NA. I'm sure some people like the NA aspect too but I bet it's bang for the buck with the C6Z.

We'll have to agree to disagree on this one. You make it sound like the ZR1 is going to be a flop because it will most likely be FI.

 

Had a 991.2 porsche GT3 and currently own a hurucan Performante. Both are NA and the best cars I have driven. Incredible fun on the street or track. I’ll never go back to turbo or supercharging. I’m looking forward to driving my Z07 this summer

 

Sorry, I had to laugh!

didn’t you see the debate on the thread that’s titled:

are you happy with FPC?

Anyways if you really wanna know what people think about NA, go read that thread.

 

Or this thread does-it-make-sense-for-the-z06-to-have-a-naturally-aspirated-engine.html​

 

The GT350 has risen in price, and people are still buying them. My friend is looking for one now. I told him the GT500 is faster and he wants an NA screamer. He doesn't even like manuals.



lol hardly. Every poll that was ever conducted on this forum (and that's just THIS FORUM), that said if they wanted NA or TT and the NA poll shattered the TT numbers by miles. Those threads got locked, posts got deleted but i remember all of that vividly. People want NA more than you think. GM gave us the LT6 for that reason. They knew what we wanted.

The C8Z is the modern day C6Z. Everything the C6Z was, but better, with new age technology, refinement, looks and power. There is no wrong in the C8Z scenario. We got the NA C8. The FI crowd will have to wait for something else.




Never said that. But the posts here agree with me how much NA sounds better than an FI engine.

 

Its similar to the reason many prefer old carbureted motors to fuel injected. Take Ferrari 308's for example. There are more layers of symphonic music generated by the carbureted engine that the same fuel injected engine does not have. Same with NA vs same engine but (muted) boosted engine.

 

I think turbo engines generally get a bad rap because its an easy way for MFG to add power to a cheap engine... to get equivalent power from an N/A engine it has to be expensively engineered and produced... alot of the earlier turbos were just turds with chocolate sauce poured on them, and they tended to be under-engineered, and blow up a-lot

Over the years, "turbos" have gotten a reputation as a shortcut or "kludge"... "cheating" if you will... also, early turbo engines did suffer from throttle lag... this has been almost completely eliminated, but the myth of "turbo lag" remains...

This is a marketing perception... no reason that a well engineered turbo is any less elegant than an N/A engine of the same power... It's very subjective, and to some extent, prejudicial.

However, I still like the visceral thrill of a finely tuned NA engine revving... its exhilarating, and sounds like a "real" performance car.... but I believe this is a generational thing... I'm sure in 1910, when the model T came around, alot of people mourned that "Ole Nelly" had to be sent to the knackers yard...

Nobody misses horses these days.

 

Packaging, cost, complexity, warranty and maintenance costs just being a few that come to mind.
Personally I like F/I cars as you can turn them up
easily my 2.0 Liter Caddy makes 430 horsepower