Think the Viper will go Diesel?

[Kevin ACR]

Corvette to get Diesel Power in 2009

Corvette to get diesel power for 2009
Chevrolet has announced that they will introduce a diesel-powered Corvette next spring as a 2009 model. The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette TDI will be powered by a specially-designed 5.7 liter V8 diesel with twin turbochargers. Output for the engine, developed in cooperation with Isuzu, is estimated at 350 horsepower and 675 lb-ft of torque.

"We feel that with its high fuel economy and strong low-end torque characteristics, the turbodiesel is the perfect engine for the Corvette," says a General Motors spokesperson. Early tests indicate that the Corvette TDI accelerates from 0 to 60 in just over 4 seconds and achieves real-world fuel economy of 25 to 30 MPG.

Chevrolet has hinted that if the Corvette TDI is a hit with buyers, they may consider phasing out gasoline-powered Corvettes altogether and making the turbodiesel engine the exclusive powerplant for the iconic American sports car. -- Aaron Gold

Photo © General Motors

Sunday April 1, 2007 | comments (2)

 

[dyeguy]

What's so great about diesel? It stinks and costs more than regular gas.

 

[ViperGTS]

A-P-R-I-L-1-S-T-!-d-y-e-g-u-y-!

 

[Camfab]

Is this an April fools joke? If this is true, the horsepower and torque potential is endless. How'd you like to get smoked by a diesel Vette. Boy I could hear the crying on this forum already. Anyway it sounds like B.S.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

You could turbocharge or supercharge it far easier than a gasoline engine. No need to worry about lowering compression or spark timing, diesels will love whatever you give it. And it'll drive like a Viper engine already - more torque than horsepower.

Dcx has one on the drawing board already...

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[C O D Y]

And it will be 2,600 lbs!

 

[Bonkers]

achieves real-world fuel economy of 25 to 30 MPG.

Wow those are some sucky numbers for a diesel. Only 675tq and 30mpg?
Must be 4/1...

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

The funny part is this may have started as a joke, but may very well come true.

Audi are the folks with the R10 diesel that have won every race it has entered, despite increasing handicaps to "level the field." Before that, the R8 was a GDI engine that was hugely successful. Gasoline Direct Injection is a half-diesel; fuel is injected into the combustion chamber rather than upstream.

The expense and weight penalty for pass car use is decreasing. They aren't the stinky, doggy, smoky anchors that GM once tried in the '80s.

http://www.businessweek.com/autos/conten...2Fspan>+cars

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Features/articleId=108977

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Wow, that was suprising to read, thanks for the Post Kevin.

It surely would be an interesting challenge, diesels are popular in Europe, Tom may be able to expose the differences in diesel fuel available here in NA compared to Europe, at least it's what I've heard(?).

A problem in a manual trans setup in an over boosted truck is vibration / noise, it's an on-going dilemma yet to be resolved in the aftermarket world. The weak Luk dual mass flywheel absorbs vibration, and lessens fatigue on the trans components, but those who over boost their Duramax need to get a solid flywheel, otherwise the Luk DMF starts falling apart. Some reprogram the idle up a couple hundred rpm to hide the low rpm pulse rattling resultant noises with a solid flywheel. GM eliminated the manual transmission option for trucks this year, probably due to low manual trans production numbers. So, for this babbling and my problems, it'd be interesting to see what trans / clutch setup they will be using, if this is true.. I've had my DMF flywheel changed twice under warranty, hind sight being 20/20 I should have got the auto Allison.

I saved an article from the DeiselPage site, if you're interested to read about the 6.6L Isuzu / GM Duramax.

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Best regards,
Mike

 

[big-n-italian]

lets face it, the days of gasoline as we know it are numbered. there is a HUGE push right now away from foreign oil dependence and concern over global warming is the highest it has ever been. we are already starting to hear alot more talk about "other options" for the automobile, and it wont be ending any time soon.

it wouldnt suprise me if one day the viper was all electric and our cars spent the night in the garage recharging.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

John - I wouldn't be surprised.. check out the new electric car companies.

USA Today.. Electric cars

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

It's not that bad. Assume diesels get 30% better fuel economy and half the US vehicles turn to diesels (like it is in Europe, so it's not a stretch.) This country would consume 15% less transportation fuel and we only import 20% of our crude oil demand from the middle east now. Given the leverage a small change in crude supply makes, that would be HUUUUUUGGGGEEEEE and kill many foreign economies while helping ours. (Except for the silly ethanol lobby... oh, well.)

The other factor is that making 100% diesel fuel in a refinery isn't efficient either. A refinery makes the most volume product at about the product split in Europe - 60% gas, 40% diesel/kero, I think. It would also mean a refinery can be far, far simpler than they are in the US today. Gasoline should be around for a long, long time.

When we had diesel engines on engine dynos, we had failure problems with driveshafts. We tried including the clutch/flywheel and that didn't cure it. The fix was a tuned, damped driveshaft. You might want to call up a driveshaft builder and see if they won't suggest and design one. It's not that expensive.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Tom - You never cease to surprise me with info, and thanks for suggestion.

Best regards,
Mike

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

The difference in diesel fuel is the allowed amount of sulfur. Sulfur in the fuel is captured on the EPA exhaust emissions test filter paper, so it gets counted as "soot." Passenger car diesel emissions limits wouldn't allow an engine to meet the soot emissions limits as long as the sulfur level was 300 ppm; by the end of this year, the limit is lowered to single digits I believe. Therefore we will see many 2008 model diesel engines be introduced this fall.

Europe has used various crude sources, refining techniques, and tax structures to get the sulfur level low a long time ago. The market has advanced enought that they have also come to require a higher level of cetane; kind of like have all gasoline a premium octane grade.

I hope we are smart enough to realize that all electric cars do is relocate the emissions problem from coming out your tailpipe to coming out a coal power plant smoke stack. Electric power grid transmission is not 100% efficient either, so while it may be a bandaid for city cars, it is not really a fix for emissions or global warming. It might help reduce imported energy.

 

[Bonkers]

it wouldnt suprise me if one day the viper was all electric
and our cars spent the night in the garage recharging.

I have no issues with driving a diesel, hydrogen, or even electric
if I can still get the performance value out of it. Opel has its killer
diesel ECO-Speedster:

You must be registered for see images

http://archive.cardesignnews.com/autoshows/2002/paris/preview/opel-ecospeedster/#

During initial testing the 112 hp concept car reached a
maximum speed of more than 155 mph while fuel
consumption on the combined cycle was an incredible
113 mpg.

If the price was right and it didn't come with TC or ABS I'd drive it.