Chevrolet: Corvette News
08-05-2004 | 03:47 PM
#561
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,426
Likes: 0
From: philly
Originally Posted by cusdaddy
The impressions about the ride quality and transmission by Top Gear are completely against every review of the C6 I have read. I'll agree with their assessment of the interior though
08-05-2004 | 05:04 PM
#562
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 12,038
Likes: 0
From: Everywhere
You know Gav, I was thinking. That they hate the C6, b/c the world loves everything else about America. Look at how the USA is simply the most dominant country in the world, no matter if they like it or not. Look at how the USA culture has spread throughout the world, our music, clothes, food, business, etc etc.
As Stated, Ford ownsz Jag and Aston. Bentley is German owned as is Rolls Royce. TVR was just bought by a 24 year old Russian.
THE MINI COOPER IS GERMAN!
Maybe they hate the fact that yes, some of the engine tech is old but CLEARLY still going strong. No replacement for displacement. Look at how the German engines are just getting bigger and bigger ala American cars. Even Japanese cars are getting big.
The Pathfinder has a 4.0 liter V-6! The Galant a 3.8 liter V-6!
I would love to basially drive a nice Excursion or H2 to Top Gear and run over some of their lil cars they love so much.
As Stated, Ford ownsz Jag and Aston. Bentley is German owned as is Rolls Royce. TVR was just bought by a 24 year old Russian.
THE MINI COOPER IS GERMAN!
Maybe they hate the fact that yes, some of the engine tech is old but CLEARLY still going strong. No replacement for displacement. Look at how the German engines are just getting bigger and bigger ala American cars. Even Japanese cars are getting big.
The Pathfinder has a 4.0 liter V-6! The Galant a 3.8 liter V-6!
I would love to basially drive a nice Excursion or H2 to Top Gear and run over some of their lil cars they love so much.
08-05-2004 | 08:15 PM
#563
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Originally Posted by heyitsme
I could see if someone here drove the car, but having a favorable review as the truth and an unfavorable review as lies doesn't make any sense. Wouldn't be the first time that I got in a car and had a totally different opinion than what a mag had said whether it was good or bad.
I see what you're saying but I have driven a C5. The way that C6 was reviews sounded like they drove the C4. Sorry.
08-06-2004 | 06:26 PM
#564
gav,
i know you are going to hate me. But i thought that vid was good. I mean they did poke fun at the thing but at the end they did say that despite it being "archaic" it is an athlete. I think that it is a pretty fair assesment. The rest of it was sarcasm. They love sarcasm. But, i don't think they didn't like it. It is the same kind of thing (like they said about the Monaro) and Jeremy loved that car.
my
i know you are going to hate me. But i thought that vid was good. I mean they did poke fun at the thing but at the end they did say that despite it being "archaic" it is an athlete. I think that it is a pretty fair assesment. The rest of it was sarcasm. They love sarcasm. But, i don't think they didn't like it. It is the same kind of thing (like they said about the Monaro) and Jeremy loved that car.
my
08-06-2004 | 10:49 PM
#566
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Originally Posted by Loseit
gav,
i know you are going to hate me. But i thought that vid was good. I mean they did poke fun at the thing but at the end they did say that despite it being "archaic" it is an athlete. I think that it is a pretty fair assesment. The rest of it was sarcasm. They love sarcasm. But, i don't think they didn't like it. It is the same kind of thing (like they said about the Monaro) and Jeremy loved that car.
my
i know you are going to hate me. But i thought that vid was good. I mean they did poke fun at the thing but at the end they did say that despite it being "archaic" it is an athlete. I think that it is a pretty fair assesment. The rest of it was sarcasm. They love sarcasm. But, i don't think they didn't like it. It is the same kind of thing (like they said about the Monaro) and Jeremy loved that car.
my
There is nothing sarcastic about a C6 losing to an NSX and even that loser TVR which has nothing to do with what the C6 represents. Do you see anything sarcastic about it?
08-09-2004 | 01:19 PM
#567
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Leaner and Meaner: The sixth-generation Corvette really delivers - - WES RAYNAL - - Source: Autoweek
2005 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
ON SALE: Fall
BASE PRICE: $44,245
POWERTRAIN: 6.0-liter, 400-hp, 400 lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3179 pounds
0 TO 60 MPH: 4.2 seconds (mfr.)
Virginia International Raceway is a hidden gem. Located in Alton, Virginia, it opened for business in 1957. Over the years the legends ran there—Penske, Donohue, Foyt and Shelby. The track fell into disrepair in the early ’70s and was turned over to farmland. In 1998 real estate developer and vintage racer Harvey Siegel revived the track and it reopened for business in 2000. Today it is a beautiful and challenging 17-corner, 3.27-mile road course that keeps busy 52 weeks a year hosting vintage events, SCCA races, Grand-Am and motorcycle races. Virginia International Raceway is also the place—in addition to Germany’s Nürburgring and the autobahn—where GM engineers toiled day after day developing Chevrolet’s latest sports car, the 2005 C6 Corvette, and where GM chose to let us drive it for the first time.
Chief engineer Dave Hill, who calls replacing the C5 a "daunting task," likes to remind us that by weight, 85 percent of the car is brand-new. He says the goal in developing the C6 was to take the C5’s customer complaints (he calls them "dissatisfiers"), some 100 in all, and address them one by one. Refinement was key: Hill and his crew expect the C6 to be world-class competitive against the Porsche 911s and Dodge Vipers of the world. After finally driving it, we think the car has more than a shot at it.
Hill’s refinement mantra really came into play both on the Southern Virginia rural two-lanes around VIR and at the track. The C6 proves easy to drive hard and fast. The 6.0-liter LS2 V8 develops a stout 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to propel the car to 60 mph in a claimed 4.2 seconds, on up to its top speed of 186 mph, a speed that makes it the fastest production Corvette in history. The engine feels like a big-block, which was the intention. Acceleration is right-now, and the engine pulls and howls beautifully up to the 6500-rpm redline. And there is just gobs of torque—you could probably get away with a two-speed manual instead of the six-speed: one gear to get off the line, another to take you to 186 mph.
That six-speed is a Tremec transaxle, again mounted in the rear. The gear lever has been shortened an inch and the throw travel has been reduced. There is also an optional four-speed automatic. GM anticipates a 50-50 manual-to-automatic sales mix. The shorter-throw shifter is a welcome improvement and works much better than the C5’s. The shifts come easier and more quickly compared to the more bulky feel of the C5, which sometimes could remind you of a ’67 Chevelle bracket racer. Clutch takeup in the C6 is also quite a bit smoother, and with a lot less pedal effort.
Besides more speed and a smoother gearbox, more improvements in the way the car drives can be credited to Corvette suspension engineer Mike Neal. Neal revised the C5’s four-corner independent suspension with a new cradle and control arms. Thirteen millimeters of suspension travel has been added to the front, 20 millimeters to the rear. There are three suspension choices: the base, called FE1; magnetic ride control; and the Z51 package, which includes not only stiffer springs and dampers, but a quicker steering box, more aggressive rubber and bigger brakes, plus its own set of gear ratios for faster acceleration off the line.
In addition to being one of the lead suspension engineers, Neal is an ex-road racer and did a big chunk of the C6 development driving. So that’s why when we arrived at VIR having never even seen the track, let alone driven on it, we turned to Neal to take us around on some familiarity laps.
"We [the Corvette group] do a lot of track testing," Neal said. "Tracks are good for setting shock valving, antiroll-bar work and brake work. We tested here, and at Grattan [a road course in western Michigan], and the Nürburgring.
"If you want to play with the best, you have to track-test. And if you want to sell cars to enthusiasts in Europe [C6 goes on sale in Europe in October]," he continued, "you have to run the ’Ring. The other automakers, such as Porsche and Mercedes, as well as the European general public sit up and take notice when they see you running there. We go a couple times a year. They take us seriously now."
As well they should—this is as serious a track car as it is a road car, and the suspension choices offer something for everyone.
First we tried the base-suspension version, since Hill says it is the one most customers order. Driving on the road hinted that the C6 is a far more agile, more tossable car than the C5, and the track really drove the point home. If you’re planning on racing and/or autocrossing your C6, the base suspension probably shouldn’t be your first choice. It is the most pleasant on the road, but on the track you will want to go with either the magnetic ride control or Z51 package.
The magnetic ride control has tour and sport modes, and on both road and track the car body stayed remarkably level, while the magneto-rheological dampers soaked up the road’s bumps and lumps and the track’s curbs as we tried to clip the apexes tighter and tighter. In tour mode the magnetic ride control-equipped car feels like the base car with better body control. Flicking over to sport mode tightens things up considerably.
The Z51 package, though, is the ticket for the track. Hill says the C6 with the Z51 package will get you "three-fourths of the way to Z06 performance levels." Indeed, of the three suspension choices, it offers the quickest turn-in, most grip and best brakes. The ride is harsher, but in no way is it unbearable. The C6’s run-flat tires are new, developed to cut road noise and improve the car’s ride. Neal also took part in the taping of our television show, AutoWeek on Speed, at GM’s Milford road course and on rural Michigan roads. Frost heaves and other road imperfections are more frequent here than in Virginia, yet the Z51-equipped car is perfectly acceptable on these roads as well.
On both the road and at the track the C6’s ride is noticeably softer, more relaxing than a C5 Z06, thanks to the longer wheelbase, stiffer structure, longer suspension travel and new tires. The LS2 has been moved forward a couple of inches in the chassis, but is 15 pounds lighter than the LS1, so the 51-49 weight distribution stays about the same as the C5. GM engineers say wind and road noise have been cut dramatically—overall, the car feels a lot faster, but also more comfortable, less fatiguing.
Road noise is still an issue in the C6s we drove, or maybe we should say the rest of the vehicle’s noise has been cut to the point where tire noise is still dominant. The C6 still has no real sound-deadening wall between the cargo bay and the cabin, so there is quite a bit of pass-through noise from the rear. When you want to hear the exhaust, that’s pretty cool. When you want to hear a soft-spoken Corvette engineer riding shotgun, not so good.
Any disappointments? Well, yeah: steering feel. It’s not world-class quite yet, which is disappointing only because the rest of the car is up to that standard. The steering feels okay—precise, nicely weighted. But there is a lack of feedback. Especially on the track, we didn’t really sense anything worthwhile through the fingertips in terms of road texture or how the tires grip. The more laps we did, the more the driving became like a video game: understeer until we got the visual cue of running wide, rather than letting the steering wheel or the seat of your pants do the talking. The steering on the C6 is like the shifter on the C5, though to a lesser degree in that it’s the one thing you can point to and say "Detroit iron" rather than "best in class." GM could fix it by simply dumping Magnasteer and going to work on it the way engineers did the shifter.
That’s about it though.
The C6, first shown to the masses at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (AW, Jan. 5), has a composite body that was honed in 400-plus hours in the wind tunnel. Designers drew their inspiration from the 1963 Sting Ray as well as lessons learned on the Le Mans-winning C5-R racer. The most obvious changes are the exposed headlights, the sharper fender edges and the grille opening beneath the headlights that makes the car look like it is grinning at you. The overall length is five inches shorter, and the new car is an inch narrower than the C5, making it the same size as a 911. The C6 looks a lot tidier as a result—like a 911 is tidy. The drag coefficient has been cut from the C5’s 0.29 to 0.28. The C6 looks evolutionary next to the C5 Corvette, but in reality the C6’s leaner, tighter profile is a pretty big advance.
The C5’s balsa-wood sandwich floorboard and hydroformed frame rails are back underneath the C6 because Hill’s crew couldn’t find a better way to keep the chassis ultra stiff and the road noise minimal. To stiffen the chassis even further, the windshield frame has been reinforced and a crossbar added under
the dash.
The interior is new and looks better—the C5’s interior contained plenty of Hill’s dissatisfiers. The new car is bright- er inside and the materials and plastics are richer and softer compared to both the C5 and the early C6 prototypes we looked at last fall. The switches and components are better organized inside as well. Even with the shorter overall length, the interior stays the same size as the C5, and feels airier thanks to the slightly more upright windshield.
The C5, the car that put Corvette back in the game, came out in late 1996 as a ’97 model, and some say eight years is too long between Corvettes, some say it’s exactly long enough. Whatever your thoughts on the timing, know that the C6 is a big step forward. It addresses the C5’s major issues (too big, clunky shifter), and it has been updated as needed to keep pace with what has happened industry-wide in those eight years: When Chevy was developing the C5, there was the Mazda RX-7 and Nissan ZX Turbo to worry about, the Acura NSX to wonder about, the Porsche Boxster chasing. Today the Boxster is the only alternative on price point, and the big-block-like 400-lb-ft, 400-hp performance of the new car means the little Porsche is not really a direct threat anymore. Viper? Maybe. But GM will go after it with the Z06, which will be launched at January’s Detroit show (along with the C6-R race car). Besides, the Dodge is already more money for less refinement—not to mention it would take a hell of a driver to use all the Viper’s power edge to stay ahead of a moderately talented wheelman in a Corvette over a real-world twisty road.
Base price for the new C6 Corvette coupe is $44,245; the convertible starts at $52,245. We say the C6 is worth the wait. Now bring on the Z06.
Kevin A. Wilson contributed to this report
2005 CHEVROLET CORVETTE
ON SALE: Fall
BASE PRICE: $44,245
POWERTRAIN: 6.0-liter, 400-hp, 400 lb-ft V8; rwd, six-speed manual
CURB WEIGHT: 3179 pounds
0 TO 60 MPH: 4.2 seconds (mfr.)
Virginia International Raceway is a hidden gem. Located in Alton, Virginia, it opened for business in 1957. Over the years the legends ran there—Penske, Donohue, Foyt and Shelby. The track fell into disrepair in the early ’70s and was turned over to farmland. In 1998 real estate developer and vintage racer Harvey Siegel revived the track and it reopened for business in 2000. Today it is a beautiful and challenging 17-corner, 3.27-mile road course that keeps busy 52 weeks a year hosting vintage events, SCCA races, Grand-Am and motorcycle races. Virginia International Raceway is also the place—in addition to Germany’s Nürburgring and the autobahn—where GM engineers toiled day after day developing Chevrolet’s latest sports car, the 2005 C6 Corvette, and where GM chose to let us drive it for the first time.
Chief engineer Dave Hill, who calls replacing the C5 a "daunting task," likes to remind us that by weight, 85 percent of the car is brand-new. He says the goal in developing the C6 was to take the C5’s customer complaints (he calls them "dissatisfiers"), some 100 in all, and address them one by one. Refinement was key: Hill and his crew expect the C6 to be world-class competitive against the Porsche 911s and Dodge Vipers of the world. After finally driving it, we think the car has more than a shot at it.
Hill’s refinement mantra really came into play both on the Southern Virginia rural two-lanes around VIR and at the track. The C6 proves easy to drive hard and fast. The 6.0-liter LS2 V8 develops a stout 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to propel the car to 60 mph in a claimed 4.2 seconds, on up to its top speed of 186 mph, a speed that makes it the fastest production Corvette in history. The engine feels like a big-block, which was the intention. Acceleration is right-now, and the engine pulls and howls beautifully up to the 6500-rpm redline. And there is just gobs of torque—you could probably get away with a two-speed manual instead of the six-speed: one gear to get off the line, another to take you to 186 mph.
That six-speed is a Tremec transaxle, again mounted in the rear. The gear lever has been shortened an inch and the throw travel has been reduced. There is also an optional four-speed automatic. GM anticipates a 50-50 manual-to-automatic sales mix. The shorter-throw shifter is a welcome improvement and works much better than the C5’s. The shifts come easier and more quickly compared to the more bulky feel of the C5, which sometimes could remind you of a ’67 Chevelle bracket racer. Clutch takeup in the C6 is also quite a bit smoother, and with a lot less pedal effort.
Besides more speed and a smoother gearbox, more improvements in the way the car drives can be credited to Corvette suspension engineer Mike Neal. Neal revised the C5’s four-corner independent suspension with a new cradle and control arms. Thirteen millimeters of suspension travel has been added to the front, 20 millimeters to the rear. There are three suspension choices: the base, called FE1; magnetic ride control; and the Z51 package, which includes not only stiffer springs and dampers, but a quicker steering box, more aggressive rubber and bigger brakes, plus its own set of gear ratios for faster acceleration off the line.
In addition to being one of the lead suspension engineers, Neal is an ex-road racer and did a big chunk of the C6 development driving. So that’s why when we arrived at VIR having never even seen the track, let alone driven on it, we turned to Neal to take us around on some familiarity laps.
"We [the Corvette group] do a lot of track testing," Neal said. "Tracks are good for setting shock valving, antiroll-bar work and brake work. We tested here, and at Grattan [a road course in western Michigan], and the Nürburgring.
"If you want to play with the best, you have to track-test. And if you want to sell cars to enthusiasts in Europe [C6 goes on sale in Europe in October]," he continued, "you have to run the ’Ring. The other automakers, such as Porsche and Mercedes, as well as the European general public sit up and take notice when they see you running there. We go a couple times a year. They take us seriously now."
As well they should—this is as serious a track car as it is a road car, and the suspension choices offer something for everyone.
First we tried the base-suspension version, since Hill says it is the one most customers order. Driving on the road hinted that the C6 is a far more agile, more tossable car than the C5, and the track really drove the point home. If you’re planning on racing and/or autocrossing your C6, the base suspension probably shouldn’t be your first choice. It is the most pleasant on the road, but on the track you will want to go with either the magnetic ride control or Z51 package.
The magnetic ride control has tour and sport modes, and on both road and track the car body stayed remarkably level, while the magneto-rheological dampers soaked up the road’s bumps and lumps and the track’s curbs as we tried to clip the apexes tighter and tighter. In tour mode the magnetic ride control-equipped car feels like the base car with better body control. Flicking over to sport mode tightens things up considerably.
The Z51 package, though, is the ticket for the track. Hill says the C6 with the Z51 package will get you "three-fourths of the way to Z06 performance levels." Indeed, of the three suspension choices, it offers the quickest turn-in, most grip and best brakes. The ride is harsher, but in no way is it unbearable. The C6’s run-flat tires are new, developed to cut road noise and improve the car’s ride. Neal also took part in the taping of our television show, AutoWeek on Speed, at GM’s Milford road course and on rural Michigan roads. Frost heaves and other road imperfections are more frequent here than in Virginia, yet the Z51-equipped car is perfectly acceptable on these roads as well.
On both the road and at the track the C6’s ride is noticeably softer, more relaxing than a C5 Z06, thanks to the longer wheelbase, stiffer structure, longer suspension travel and new tires. The LS2 has been moved forward a couple of inches in the chassis, but is 15 pounds lighter than the LS1, so the 51-49 weight distribution stays about the same as the C5. GM engineers say wind and road noise have been cut dramatically—overall, the car feels a lot faster, but also more comfortable, less fatiguing.
Road noise is still an issue in the C6s we drove, or maybe we should say the rest of the vehicle’s noise has been cut to the point where tire noise is still dominant. The C6 still has no real sound-deadening wall between the cargo bay and the cabin, so there is quite a bit of pass-through noise from the rear. When you want to hear the exhaust, that’s pretty cool. When you want to hear a soft-spoken Corvette engineer riding shotgun, not so good.
Any disappointments? Well, yeah: steering feel. It’s not world-class quite yet, which is disappointing only because the rest of the car is up to that standard. The steering feels okay—precise, nicely weighted. But there is a lack of feedback. Especially on the track, we didn’t really sense anything worthwhile through the fingertips in terms of road texture or how the tires grip. The more laps we did, the more the driving became like a video game: understeer until we got the visual cue of running wide, rather than letting the steering wheel or the seat of your pants do the talking. The steering on the C6 is like the shifter on the C5, though to a lesser degree in that it’s the one thing you can point to and say "Detroit iron" rather than "best in class." GM could fix it by simply dumping Magnasteer and going to work on it the way engineers did the shifter.
That’s about it though.
The C6, first shown to the masses at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit (AW, Jan. 5), has a composite body that was honed in 400-plus hours in the wind tunnel. Designers drew their inspiration from the 1963 Sting Ray as well as lessons learned on the Le Mans-winning C5-R racer. The most obvious changes are the exposed headlights, the sharper fender edges and the grille opening beneath the headlights that makes the car look like it is grinning at you. The overall length is five inches shorter, and the new car is an inch narrower than the C5, making it the same size as a 911. The C6 looks a lot tidier as a result—like a 911 is tidy. The drag coefficient has been cut from the C5’s 0.29 to 0.28. The C6 looks evolutionary next to the C5 Corvette, but in reality the C6’s leaner, tighter profile is a pretty big advance.
The C5’s balsa-wood sandwich floorboard and hydroformed frame rails are back underneath the C6 because Hill’s crew couldn’t find a better way to keep the chassis ultra stiff and the road noise minimal. To stiffen the chassis even further, the windshield frame has been reinforced and a crossbar added under
the dash.
The interior is new and looks better—the C5’s interior contained plenty of Hill’s dissatisfiers. The new car is bright- er inside and the materials and plastics are richer and softer compared to both the C5 and the early C6 prototypes we looked at last fall. The switches and components are better organized inside as well. Even with the shorter overall length, the interior stays the same size as the C5, and feels airier thanks to the slightly more upright windshield.
The C5, the car that put Corvette back in the game, came out in late 1996 as a ’97 model, and some say eight years is too long between Corvettes, some say it’s exactly long enough. Whatever your thoughts on the timing, know that the C6 is a big step forward. It addresses the C5’s major issues (too big, clunky shifter), and it has been updated as needed to keep pace with what has happened industry-wide in those eight years: When Chevy was developing the C5, there was the Mazda RX-7 and Nissan ZX Turbo to worry about, the Acura NSX to wonder about, the Porsche Boxster chasing. Today the Boxster is the only alternative on price point, and the big-block-like 400-lb-ft, 400-hp performance of the new car means the little Porsche is not really a direct threat anymore. Viper? Maybe. But GM will go after it with the Z06, which will be launched at January’s Detroit show (along with the C6-R race car). Besides, the Dodge is already more money for less refinement—not to mention it would take a hell of a driver to use all the Viper’s power edge to stay ahead of a moderately talented wheelman in a Corvette over a real-world twisty road.
Base price for the new C6 Corvette coupe is $44,245; the convertible starts at $52,245. We say the C6 is worth the wait. Now bring on the Z06.
Kevin A. Wilson contributed to this report
08-10-2004 | 11:45 AM
#568
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Chevrolet Corvette Z51 - - In a world of disappointment, nothin’ but grins - - BY LARRY WEBSTER - - Source: Car and Driver September 2004
C/D TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION: Seconds
Zero to 30 mph: 1.8
40 mph: 2.5
50 mph: 3.3
60 mph: 4.3
70 mph: 5.4
80 mph: 6.8
90 mph: 8.2
100 mph: 9.9
110 mph: 12.0
120 mph: 14.0
130 mph: 16.9
140 mph: 20.1
150 mph: 26.3
Street start, 5-60 mph: 5.2
Top-gear acceleration, 30-50 mph: 9.8
50-70 mph: 9.0
Standing 1/4-mile: 12.7 sec @ 113 mph
Top speed (drag limited, mfr's claim): 186 mph
BRAKING
70-0 mph @ impending lockup: 166 ft
HANDLING
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.98 g
Understeer: minimal moderate excessive
PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (MFR'S EST)
EPA city driving: 19 mpg
EPA highway driving: 28 mpg
C/D-observed: 15 mpg
INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle: 55 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration: 87 dBA
70-mph cruising: 74 dBA
CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z51
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door targa
Estimated price as tested: $47,000
Estimated base price: $43,500
Options on test car: Z51 Performance package (includes stiffer suspension, transmission cooler, and larger brakes), head-up display, sport seats, side airbags, heated seats, power passenger seat, power telescoping steering wheel, OnStar
Major standard accessories: power windows, driver seat, and locks; remote locking; A/C; cruise control; tilting steering wheel; rear defroster
Sound system: Delco/Bose AM-FM radio/CD changer, 6 speakers
ENGINE
Type: V-8, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke: 4.00 x 3.62 in, 101.6 x 92.0 mm
Displacement: 364 cu in, 5967cc
Compression ratio: 10.9:1
Fuel-delivery system: port injection
Valve gear: pushrods, 2 valves per cylinder, hydraulic lifters
Power (SAE net): 400 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 400 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Redline: 6500 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Final-drive ratio: 3.42:1, limited slip
Gear, Ratio, Mph/1000 rpm, Max speed in gears
I, 2.97, 7.6, 49 mph (6500 rpm)
II, 2.07, 10.9, 71 mph (6500 rpm)
III, 1.43, 15.8, 102 mph (6500 rpm)
IV, 1.00, 22.5, 147 mph (6500 rpm)
V, 0.71, 31.8, 186 mph (5900 rpm)
VI, 0.57, 39.6, 165 mph (4200 rpm)
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.7 in
Track, front/rear: 62.1/60.7 in
Length/width/height: 174.6/72.6/49.1 in
Ground clearance: 3.5 in
Drag area, Cd (0.28) x frontal area (21.9 sq ft, est): 6.1 sq ft
Curb weight: 3224 lb
Weight distribution, F/R: 53.7/46.3%
Curb weight per horsepower: 8.1 lb
Fuel capacity: 18.0 gal
CHASSIS/BODY
Type: full-length frame integral with the body
Body material: fiberglass-reinforced plastic
INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat: 52 cu ft
luggage: 22 cu ft
Front-seat adjustments: fore-and-aft, seatback angle,
front height, rear height, lumbar support,
lower side bolsters
Restraint systems, front: manual 3-point belts, driver
and passenger front and side airbags
SUSPENSION
Front: ind, unequal-length control arms, transverse
plastic leaf spring, anti-roll bar
Rear: ind, unequal-length control arms with a toe-control
link, transverse plastic leaf spring, anti-roll bar
STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion with variable power assist
Steering ratio: 16.1:1
Turns lock-to-lock: 2.9
Turning circle curb-to-curb: 39.0 ft
BRAKES
Type: hydraulic with vacuum power assist and
anti-lock control
Front: 13.4 x 1.3-in vented disc
Rear: 13.0 x 1.0-in vented disc
WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size: F: 8.5 x 18 in, R: 10.0 x 19 in
Wheel type: cast aluminum
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar run-flat;
F: P245/40ZR-18 88Y, R: P285/35ZR-19 90Y
Test inflation pressures, F/R: 30/30 psi
Spare: none
C/D TEST RESULTS
ACCELERATION: Seconds
Zero to 30 mph: 1.8
40 mph: 2.5
50 mph: 3.3
60 mph: 4.3
70 mph: 5.4
80 mph: 6.8
90 mph: 8.2
100 mph: 9.9
110 mph: 12.0
120 mph: 14.0
130 mph: 16.9
140 mph: 20.1
150 mph: 26.3
Street start, 5-60 mph: 5.2
Top-gear acceleration, 30-50 mph: 9.8
50-70 mph: 9.0
Standing 1/4-mile: 12.7 sec @ 113 mph
Top speed (drag limited, mfr's claim): 186 mph
BRAKING
70-0 mph @ impending lockup: 166 ft
HANDLING
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad: 0.98 g
Understeer: minimal moderate excessive
PROJECTED FUEL ECONOMY (MFR'S EST)
EPA city driving: 19 mpg
EPA highway driving: 28 mpg
C/D-observed: 15 mpg
INTERIOR SOUND LEVEL
Idle: 55 dBA
Full-throttle acceleration: 87 dBA
70-mph cruising: 74 dBA
CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z51
Vehicle type: front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 2-door targa
Estimated price as tested: $47,000
Estimated base price: $43,500
Options on test car: Z51 Performance package (includes stiffer suspension, transmission cooler, and larger brakes), head-up display, sport seats, side airbags, heated seats, power passenger seat, power telescoping steering wheel, OnStar
Major standard accessories: power windows, driver seat, and locks; remote locking; A/C; cruise control; tilting steering wheel; rear defroster
Sound system: Delco/Bose AM-FM radio/CD changer, 6 speakers
ENGINE
Type: V-8, aluminum block and heads
Bore x stroke: 4.00 x 3.62 in, 101.6 x 92.0 mm
Displacement: 364 cu in, 5967cc
Compression ratio: 10.9:1
Fuel-delivery system: port injection
Valve gear: pushrods, 2 valves per cylinder, hydraulic lifters
Power (SAE net): 400 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 400 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm
Redline: 6500 rpm
DRIVETRAIN
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Final-drive ratio: 3.42:1, limited slip
Gear, Ratio, Mph/1000 rpm, Max speed in gears
I, 2.97, 7.6, 49 mph (6500 rpm)
II, 2.07, 10.9, 71 mph (6500 rpm)
III, 1.43, 15.8, 102 mph (6500 rpm)
IV, 1.00, 22.5, 147 mph (6500 rpm)
V, 0.71, 31.8, 186 mph (5900 rpm)
VI, 0.57, 39.6, 165 mph (4200 rpm)
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 105.7 in
Track, front/rear: 62.1/60.7 in
Length/width/height: 174.6/72.6/49.1 in
Ground clearance: 3.5 in
Drag area, Cd (0.28) x frontal area (21.9 sq ft, est): 6.1 sq ft
Curb weight: 3224 lb
Weight distribution, F/R: 53.7/46.3%
Curb weight per horsepower: 8.1 lb
Fuel capacity: 18.0 gal
CHASSIS/BODY
Type: full-length frame integral with the body
Body material: fiberglass-reinforced plastic
INTERIOR
SAE volume, front seat: 52 cu ft
luggage: 22 cu ft
Front-seat adjustments: fore-and-aft, seatback angle,
front height, rear height, lumbar support,
lower side bolsters
Restraint systems, front: manual 3-point belts, driver
and passenger front and side airbags
SUSPENSION
Front: ind, unequal-length control arms, transverse
plastic leaf spring, anti-roll bar
Rear: ind, unequal-length control arms with a toe-control
link, transverse plastic leaf spring, anti-roll bar
STEERING
Type: rack-and-pinion with variable power assist
Steering ratio: 16.1:1
Turns lock-to-lock: 2.9
Turning circle curb-to-curb: 39.0 ft
BRAKES
Type: hydraulic with vacuum power assist and
anti-lock control
Front: 13.4 x 1.3-in vented disc
Rear: 13.0 x 1.0-in vented disc
WHEELS AND TIRES
Wheel size: F: 8.5 x 18 in, R: 10.0 x 19 in
Wheel type: cast aluminum
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar run-flat;
F: P245/40ZR-18 88Y, R: P285/35ZR-19 90Y
Test inflation pressures, F/R: 30/30 psi
Spare: none
08-30-2004 | 01:49 PM
#572
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
10-12-2004 | 10:41 AM
#580
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Supercar Spy Shootout! Our snappers catch Chevy C6 Z06, Toyota Supra and Ferrari F430 - - - Source: Autoweek
...
Though spy shots of the Z06 version of the C6 Corvette don’t appear to reveal much, we can discern that engineer David Hill’s latest high-performance creation may come with a first-ever-for-Z06 removable hardtop. Reports of a possible air scoop at the leading edge of the hood, however, appear unfounded. The car also sports typical Z06 features, such as wider tires tucked behind flared front and rear fenders, and lighter-weight, two-piece 10-spoke wheels. We also note red Brembo brake calipers tucked behind the wheels. The 2006 model Z06 reportedly packs a 7.0-liter 500-hp V8, and debuts at the Detroit auto show in January.
...
...
Though spy shots of the Z06 version of the C6 Corvette don’t appear to reveal much, we can discern that engineer David Hill’s latest high-performance creation may come with a first-ever-for-Z06 removable hardtop. Reports of a possible air scoop at the leading edge of the hood, however, appear unfounded. The car also sports typical Z06 features, such as wider tires tucked behind flared front and rear fenders, and lighter-weight, two-piece 10-spoke wheels. We also note red Brembo brake calipers tucked behind the wheels. The 2006 model Z06 reportedly packs a 7.0-liter 500-hp V8, and debuts at the Detroit auto show in January.
...
I hope they slap a 427 badge in it.
10-12-2004 | 07:28 PM
#585
Senior Moderator
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 59,071
Likes: 11,069
From: Chicago
Originally Posted by gavriil
Isnt the C5R's engine 7 liters large? I think it is...
http://corvetteactioncenter.com/specs/c5r/2003c5r.html
10-17-2004 | 10:51 PM
#590
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
There are some unconfimed rumors that the block of the 7 liter V8 for this new Z06 is all aluminum, it has nothing to do with the engine in the C6 (LS2) and it has been built/designed by McLaren. Also there will be about 1000 Z06 cars built per year. Again, these are loose rumors.
I am willing to bet that they are talking about this McLaren
I am willing to bet that they are talking about this McLaren
10-18-2004 | 12:44 AM
#592
101 years of heartache...
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 0
From: Chicago's North Side/Champaign, IL
there is an actual concept in production called the "blue devil". It has the 7L V8, and has 700+ HP. GM would like to get this thing going (not as extreme probably), so they dubbed it "Blue Devil" in a political effort to sway the opinion of some decision maker (I forgot) who went to Duke. 500+ HP is more than enough in that car. It's amazing an American company can get such a good handling car on the showroom.
10-18-2004 | 11:45 AM
#593
Thread Starter
Moderator Alumnus
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 16,399
Likes: 8
From: Washington DC (NOVA)
Originally Posted by gocubsgo55
there is an actual concept in production called the "blue devil". It has the 7L V8, and has 700+ HP. GM would like to get this thing going (not as extreme probably), so they dubbed it "Blue Devil" in a political effort to sway the opinion of some decision maker (I forgot) who went to Duke. 500+ HP is more than enough in that car. It's amazing an American company can get such a good handling car on the showroom.
We have a separate thread about the Blue Devil. Search for it.
10-21-2004 | 01:30 PM
#600
Senior Moderator
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 59,071
Likes: 11,069
From: Chicago
copied from another forum:
_____________________________________
More current speculation:
This is compiled from various sources, many of which include D. Hill (the chief Vette designer) as a reference:
The engine - currently designated as a "LS7", is a 427 (7.0L) . The original motor being knocked around was a 6.4L variation of the new C6 LS2. Given the history of the 427 from racing to older production cars, this makes by far the most sense. No DoD or 3V tricks, just straight up displacement - though several sources have said they're still having some troubles meeting the 500HP goal if you factor in ULEV status (which DH is a must) and NHV requirements. These motors will be HAND-built at a new GM plant.
There was some talk of Aluminum hydroformed rails for the chassis - several sources have indicated this very likely won't happen (weight savings vs. cost). The current weight being kicked around is _over_ 3000# and in fact they're saying it will likely wind up very close to the previous generation Z06 (of course with much more power). Though that's still very light given those cars weigh in at about 3100 lbs (factory claimed 3115). Also the use of other "exotics", like carbon fiber for body panels/hood/etc., sounds like it's not a go.
A drivetrain engineer reported that the rear wheels for the new Z06 are 19" x 12/13, and the planned rubber setup will be a 345/30 rear - the assumption is a staggered offset, likely with a 18" front running a 275/35. This same individual said the front brakes they saw on the suspension prototypes were roughly 14" discs, and the cals looked to be fixed, large 6 piston setups (again, just a prototype).
The Z06 variant is supposed to have dedicated fender panels to correctly fit the new wheel/tire setup. Also specific to the Z06 is suspension, hood (or possibly just front fascia, apparently there's a scoop of some sort planned), drivetrain, seating and other small cosmetic touches.
GM will either try to make the car "affordable" in which case I see just the new LS7, fender flairs with the different wheel/tire package, and suspension upgrades, but all other components shared with the base C6 - or they may try to take the car really upmarket, in which case we might see some additional weight saving measures, dedicated brakes, additional body work (a special rear was seen circulating at GM).
Motor/wheel upgrade over the C6? I'm thinking low, low 60's - if the car evolves into something that only shares like 20% of the C6 body work, and has several specific interior items (like seats0 and upgraded brakes, coolers, etc.? I'm thinking easy low-to-mid 70's. (Which would still be a heck of a bargin).
However, since it's still going to be derived from a platform that GM will churn out at 25K a year, it doesn't interest me (which is why I'm shopping 996/TT's, also considering a SRT Viper). Plus I'm not a fan of the new C6 styling, though the Z06 version may correct some of my issues. Dave Hill was quoted as saying "even your grandma will be able to tell the difference [between the C6 and C6/Z06]"
_____________________________________
More current speculation:
This is compiled from various sources, many of which include D. Hill (the chief Vette designer) as a reference:
The engine - currently designated as a "LS7", is a 427 (7.0L) . The original motor being knocked around was a 6.4L variation of the new C6 LS2. Given the history of the 427 from racing to older production cars, this makes by far the most sense. No DoD or 3V tricks, just straight up displacement - though several sources have said they're still having some troubles meeting the 500HP goal if you factor in ULEV status (which DH is a must) and NHV requirements. These motors will be HAND-built at a new GM plant.
There was some talk of Aluminum hydroformed rails for the chassis - several sources have indicated this very likely won't happen (weight savings vs. cost). The current weight being kicked around is _over_ 3000# and in fact they're saying it will likely wind up very close to the previous generation Z06 (of course with much more power). Though that's still very light given those cars weigh in at about 3100 lbs (factory claimed 3115). Also the use of other "exotics", like carbon fiber for body panels/hood/etc., sounds like it's not a go.
A drivetrain engineer reported that the rear wheels for the new Z06 are 19" x 12/13, and the planned rubber setup will be a 345/30 rear - the assumption is a staggered offset, likely with a 18" front running a 275/35. This same individual said the front brakes they saw on the suspension prototypes were roughly 14" discs, and the cals looked to be fixed, large 6 piston setups (again, just a prototype).
The Z06 variant is supposed to have dedicated fender panels to correctly fit the new wheel/tire setup. Also specific to the Z06 is suspension, hood (or possibly just front fascia, apparently there's a scoop of some sort planned), drivetrain, seating and other small cosmetic touches.
GM will either try to make the car "affordable" in which case I see just the new LS7, fender flairs with the different wheel/tire package, and suspension upgrades, but all other components shared with the base C6 - or they may try to take the car really upmarket, in which case we might see some additional weight saving measures, dedicated brakes, additional body work (a special rear was seen circulating at GM).
Motor/wheel upgrade over the C6? I'm thinking low, low 60's - if the car evolves into something that only shares like 20% of the C6 body work, and has several specific interior items (like seats0 and upgraded brakes, coolers, etc.? I'm thinking easy low-to-mid 70's. (Which would still be a heck of a bargin).
However, since it's still going to be derived from a platform that GM will churn out at 25K a year, it doesn't interest me (which is why I'm shopping 996/TT's, also considering a SRT Viper). Plus I'm not a fan of the new C6 styling, though the Z06 version may correct some of my issues. Dave Hill was quoted as saying "even your grandma will be able to tell the difference [between the C6 and C6/Z06]"