The future for America’s sports car sees the Corvette becoming lighter, slicker and moderately more compact, powered by an equally powerful but smaller V-8. This has been determined by the need to improve efficiency according to government mandate, yet responding to consumers’ desires for even greater performance. A list of priorities from the average Corvette owner puts performance at the top, with fuel efficiency somewhere just above the desire for rear seats and a better tow rating.
Had GM not filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the next Corvette, the C7, was going to be a mid-engine design. That plan, however, has been put on hold, perhaps until the C8. In the meantime, the new C7 will retain a front-engine design, but the car will lose weight while its engine will become more effective at extracting energy from fuel. That doesn’t mean Chevy’s small-block is going to get overhead cams, but it will become slightly more sophisticated, likely with the addition of direct injection. That technology, along with a bump in compression, is good for additional power. Most likely the C7 will sport a 5.5-liter V-8 with the same power output as the current 6.2-liter LS3 (a hint at this displacement comes from the GT2 race car).
The new Vette’s performance will be aided further by a diet of composites, aluminum and magnesium, dropping the car’s curb weight to about 3000 lb. The 2011 Z06 Carbon Edition should give a good indication of what Chevy is capable of with the Corvette. Improved aerodynamics will also help the Vette punch a smaller hole through the air, aiding acceleration, top speed and mpg. Speaking of the Z06, there’s a good chance the next generation will be supercharged like the current ZR1. And the Performance Traction Management system soon will no longer be exclusive to the ZR1.
Most likely, the front-engine C7 will sport a 5.5-liter V-8 with the same power output as the Corvette’s current engine.
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