New Corvette will Have a 3 liter 10,000 RPM Turbo

v10enomous

Enthusiast
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Posts
5,248
Reaction score
0
Location
NW Jersey
http://autos.yahoo.com/news/next-corvette-will-be-powered-by-small--high-revving-turbo-v-8.html

Next Corvette Will Be Powered by Small, High-Revving Turbo V-8
“We have to target a very different sort of buyer.”
The Detroit BureauBy Paul Eisenstein | The Detroit Bureau – Wed, Jun 1, 2011 2:59 PM EDT



Anxious to attract the sort of high-performance buyers increasingly drawn to European sports cars from the likes of Porsche, Ferrari and Lamborghini, General Motors is planning some major changes for the next-generation Chevrolet Corvette – starting with a high-revving, small-displacement powertrain, that will substitute for the big V-8s traditionally found under the hood of the Chevy two-seater.

MORE AT THEDETROITBUREAU.COM

» Chrysler Badge Vanishes from Europe
» First Look: Audi A1 Clubsport Quattro
» Arizona Cops Get Ram Plug-In Pickups
» Toyota Recalling 100,000 Prius Hybrids



GM has approved the use of a very European-style V-8 that will be only slightly larger than 3 liters in displacement. The engine will be an overhead-cam, rather than traditional overhead-valve design, using a dry sump oil system that’s particularly well suited to high-performance road courses rather than straight-line acceleration. The engine is expected to feature a narrow 80.5 mm bore and a long stroke, more like a Ferrari or Lamborghini powertrain than the approach used for traditional Motor City metal.

A very senior GM executive also confirmed that the new engine will be turbocharged, which will help yield a broad torque curve and maximum performance under a variety of driving conditions. The engine is expected to deliver in excess of 400 horsepower, which means a specific output in the range of 125 horsepower per liter. That’s the sort of number that would help the next-generation Vette stack up well against the likes of a Porsche 911 or Lamborghini Gallardo.

The engine is likely to be extremely high-revving, perhaps climbing to a near-Formula One-class 10,000 RPMs, suggested one source involved in the project.

The revelation tracks in line with a recent comment by General Motors’ North American President Mark Reuss, who recently promised that the so-called C7 Corvette, due to market in less than two years, will be “completely different” from the very American sports cars that have come before it. Since its launch in 1953, Corvette has been governed by the philosophy, “there’s no replacement for displacement.”

While Reuss and other senior executives have declined to discuss plans for the next Corvette publicly, several well-placed sources have given TheDetroitBureau.com a good sense of what’s to come. The small V-8 underscores what one of those insiders says is the desire to “target a very different sort of buyer for the next Corvette. Let’s face it, the current customer is getting old.” But without making significant changes, that source acknowledged, younger sports car fans will continue to be “conquested” by more modern, high-tech imports.

Significantly, Corvette won’t abandon its more classic powertrain roots entirely. There will be several different types of engines offered for the C7, including a more classic, big-block OHV V-8 designed to appeal to traditionalists.

In fact, some of the design cues of the new car will be borrowed from early generations. There have even been rumors of the C7 going with the split window of the very collectible 1963 Corvette, though TheDetroitBureau.com has not been able to confirm that that particular detail has been given the go.

Meanwhile, expect the interior to be much more modern than the current car’s, which GM’s global design chief Ed Welburn admits “is a disappointment.” The styling boss, a long-time Corvette fan himself, says he is personally overseeing the development of the C7 interior and promises it will be “absolutely world-class.”

Adopting a mid-engine layout, rather than the long-running front-engine design, is considered a strong possibility, though it would be a significant engineering shift for GM. Nonetheless, sources say that wouldn’t be entirely out of line, as the Corvette has often served as the technological test bed for the maker.

GM adopted the then-radical approach of using a fiberglass body when the original 1953 Corvette was launched. The sports car has introduced plenty of other features over the years, including the MagneRide suspension, which uses a magnetically controlled fluid to continuously vary suspension settings to match road conditions and driving behavior.

When migrating from the fifth-generation Corvette to today’s C6 model, GM trimmed weight and brought the sports car’s overall size down to something closer to that of a current Porsche 911. Anticipate further cuts in mass for the upcoming remake of Chevy’s halo car.

GM is investing $131 million in the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant that produces the Corvette to prepare for the C7 launch.

The use of the new small-displacement V-8 is likely to have some knock-on effects at GM, said one source. As with current Corvette powertrain technology, the high-tech engine will find its way into the Cadillac line-up, it appears, where it would help that brand’s V-Series evolve into a more sophisticated offering, rather than the brute-force line-up it is today.

The switch to a smaller, turbocharged V-8 isn’t exclusive to GM, incidentally. Ford made the move with its big F-Series pickup for 2011, offering a downsized EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6 — which delivers the same sort of towing power as the F-150′s biggest V-8, while yielding significant fuel economy improvements.
 

DeceptioN

Viper Owner
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Posts
338
Reaction score
1
Location
Spring Hill, FL
Oh noes, excess of 400 horse power.. pretty sad considering it is turbo charged. When I finally get around to turboing my Viper I will have double that, to the wheels.
 

Stealth

Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 3, 2008
Posts
536
Reaction score
0
Location
SoCal
No way. 3L Turbo V8 will be received like a lead balloon by the Corvette faithful (unless it pushes 700hp). The article just does not seem accurate.
 

C.Hermsen

Enthusiast
Joined
May 25, 2009
Posts
780
Reaction score
0
Location
Appleton, WI
I am highly doubtful that there is any fact to that article. Like stealth said, there is no way the corvette faithful will accept that. That would be like Dodge dropping a TT V6 into the next viper.
 

anaconda666

Enthusiast
Joined
Jan 5, 2008
Posts
417
Reaction score
2
Location
Toronto, Canada
Significantly, Corvette won’t abandon its more classic powertrain roots entirely. There will be several different types of engines offered for the C7, including a more classic, big-block OHV V-8 designed to appeal to traditionalists.

Don't just look at the pretty pictures, try reading the whole article!
 

-FROG-

Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 18, 2004
Posts
869
Reaction score
1
Location
Austin, Texas
Turbo V8 option would be nice! But if it already comes from the factory boosted... Can't expect to see too much for aftermarket / higher boost numbers I would assume? However, the inline 6 2JZ Supra motor came boosted from the factory and with aftermarket upgrades / tune, the motor puts out well over 1,000HP. So... I wonder if they will leave any "headroom" in the motor?
 

Martin

Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 15, 1997
Posts
1,810
Reaction score
0
Location
Silicon Valley, CA and Portland, OR
There's definitely a move toward smaller, more highly stressed engines afoot. Nowadays, it's not too hard to get 200 HP per liter, and it wouldn't surprise me if small V8 engines that pump out 600+ HP are soon available. Personally, I don't like feeling like I'm driving something that's just waiting to grenade on me. I much prefer big displacement, lightly stressed (80 HP/L or less) engines. That said, if the trend pushes everyone to up the RPM limits and durability of their engines, it will be great for everyone. Just think what a naturally aspirated 8.5L V10 with direct injection, overhead cams, variable valve timing, and an 8000 RPM redline would do for the Viper... That would be a screamer.
 

jmasin

Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 20, 2011
Posts
207
Reaction score
0
Location
DFW
I'm mixed on this. Long term Corvette owner...

They have definitely been slowly trying to make a transition to a more Euro-like sports car, while trying to retain the American muscle car roots... They may have reached a point where they can no longer straddle the fence.

For the base Corvette, I don't think GM really has any interest in competing with the Viper, stock or otherwise. They want to compete with Porsche, that is clear, and compete with some of the other higher-tech performance vehicles in the low 400s hp range, M3's etc. I would guess some weight would be lost going to a 3.x L engine (thought hard to say since they'll be adding another cam and such, the LS2 is already pretty light) so despite no huge increase in base HP performance will likely improve.

I suspect, as the article states, they'll retain a V8 option or have the Z06/ZR1 or whatever they call it at 500hp or above regardless of how they get there. It would be insanity for them to drop a 500hp+ option. Going after a new generation of buyers is one thing, but alienating current buyers is another.

While it is fun to watch the Viper and Vette (Z06/ZR1) HP and performance war evolve, calling the Viper and Vette competitors is oversimplification. The base Vette is a great car IMHO, but it is a production vehicle, 30,000+ per year and is targeted toward a totally different audience than the Viper. Only a handful of the Vettes are intended to compete with the Viper (ZR1/Z06). The other 30,000 per year aren't. 400hp and 30mpg are pretty impressive numbers, but they aren't intended to lure away Viper owners.

This is a huge departure for GM if true, and I credit them for being this bold. The market is evolving and if they stay static they'll be in trouble.
 

Viperless

Enthusiast
Joined
Oct 28, 2006
Posts
1,367
Reaction score
2
Location
MN
The engine is likely to be extremely high-revving, perhaps climbing to a near-Formula One-class 10,000 RPMs, suggested one source involved in the project.

Uh, sorry, 10,000 rpms is no where near the 18,000 rpms that F1 engines spin to. :rolaugh:
 

agentf1

Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 27, 2001
Posts
2,608
Reaction score
0
Location
Phila Suburbs
I'll believe it when I see it.

I really could care less what they do, I already have my 600+ hp supercharged 427 Vette.
 

PhoenixGTS

Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 9, 2004
Posts
2,685
Reaction score
1
Location
Phoenix Arizona
Not going to happen. WAY too expensive. A Z06 crate engine is what - $13,500? The engine described would cost three times that.
 

Tusc

Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Posts
1,564
Reaction score
0
Location
The (UN)Constitution State
I have a few words on this.

Reliability. 10,000 rpm. Power. General Motors. Customer satisfaction. Recall. NHTSA. Warranty terms.

That is all.
 

V10lover

Viper Owner
Joined
Apr 28, 2011
Posts
285
Reaction score
0
Location
Somewhere Back in Time
10.000 rpm 3L v8... hahaha... That would need extensive R&D with Indy and nascar and would also require the use of the best metals in order to make that engine happen. That of course if they want something reliable and the motor to last 80.000 miles at least.

Besides, this engine would be so darn expensive to build that would put the vette price up big time.. That would be a no sense for GM, an very unsure project from a company that just borrowed a ton of cash from the government. Vette fans would not like it either.

What they should be doing instead IMO, is something simple and efective like "the return of the 350ci smal block" in a great DOHC design and high compression. That would be lighter, get better gas mileage and make more power than the C6 6.2L. Could spin to a safe 7500rpm stock.

God, they are so lost that it is sad to read something like that.
 
Top