Rumors & Innuendo Archives - Page 27 of 28

October 28, 2013

[PIC] Corvette Racingâ€™s C7.R Livery Revealed?

[PIC] Corvette Racing's C7.R Livery Revealed?

Now that the 2013 ALMS race season is in the history books (along with the ALMS series itself), attention is turning to the combined United Sports Car Racing Series which will kick off in January at the Rolex Daytona 24 hour race. Corvette Racing will be featuring the racing debut of the C7.R and thanks to our friends over at MotorAuthority.com, we may have a first look at the new racing livery the 7th generation race cars will be wearing.

The two Corvette C7.Rs are shown in their familiar Yellow and Black paint schemes, but there is a twist as the Corvettes are mirroring the designs much like they did back with the 2007 Bad Boy Jake Livery at Monterey’s Laguna Seca which featured a Yellow #3 and Black #4.

The livery features the jagged lines and points that we saw on the rear quarterpanels and backs of the recent C6.Rs which divides the yellow and black, but this time they appear all over the car. The familiar Compuware logo is on the waterfall hood along with the Mobil 1 logo. A GM logo is on the roof and each back corner has a Jake logo.

Click here to see a larger version of the Corvette Racing C7.R Livery.

We checked in with Ryan Smith, Corvette Racing’s communications guru who would neither confirm nor deny that this is the real deal. “We won’t have any confirmation until the official announcement is made between now and Daytona.” Smith said to us an email.

The C7.R made its first public appearance during the 2013 Pebble Beach Historics in Monterey with Tommy Milner surprising many in attendance with a couple of laps around Laguna Seca Raceway. At that event, the Corvette C7.R was outfitted in black and white checkerboard camouflage with an all-black wing.

Since we don’t have official confirmation, would you be happy if this is the new livery for the 2014 Corvette C7.R? Let us know in the comments.

Source:
MotorAuthority.com

October 9, 2013

Is This the C7 Corvette Z07â€²s Supercharged LT4 V8 Engine?

Is this is the C7 Corvette Z07's Supercharged LT4 V8 Engine?

Our friends over at CorvetteOnline.com revealed a picture yesterday of what is most likely to be the engine that will be going into the successor of the C6 Z06, the C7 Corvette Z07.

There is a lot of debating going on as to what exactly the next the Corvette model will be, as well as how it will be powered. Like they did with the C6 models, we believe Chevrolet will release the Corvette Z07 in 2015, a year following the initial rollout of the base C7 model, the Corvette Stingray.

After we saw this photo which definitely shows a supercharged variation of the LT1, we went back and read some of the posts on the Corvette Forum about the subject from a poster named Keeks2915, who was mostly correct with his information about the Corvette Stingray and who was behind the leak of this CAD photo in the fall of 2012.

If you compare the engine in the picture to that CAD photo, you’ll see that it’s nearly spot on. The red supercharger cover has 4 center bolts on the top and the curved areas at the back are exactly the same. The other item that makes us think this will be the LT4 are the raised white stripes running down the middle. Those same stripes were on the C4′s 1996 Grand Sport and Collector Edition LT4s as well:

According to the Corvette Forum’s Keeks, the C7 Z06 model (which we are calling Z07) will be a supercharged 6.2L V8 called the LT4 and its expected to make 586 hp. Keeks did fall short when he said the LT1s initial horsepower would be 430 hp as it came in at 455/460 hp depending on the exhaust system. Assuming the same increase in the LT4s horsepower, that puts it right around 600-620hp which is in line with some of the other rumors we’ve read.

Keeks also claimed that this engine would be shared with the sixth generation 2015 Camaro ZL1. That car already has 580 hp from the supercharged GEN 4 6.2L LSA engine, so equipping the Camaro ZL1 with the superchared GEN 5 LT variant makes a lot of sense. The ZL1 may see a rise slight rise horsepower, but it will definitely benefit from the fuel savings that the direct injection engine provides.

So is this the LT4? We probably won’t know until we get closer to the Detroit Auto Show in January, but it does seem to be another part of the puzzle coming together as the C7 Corvette’s future performance models start to reveal themselves.

Source:
CorvetteOnline.com
CorvetteForum.com

October 1, 2013

Report: Demand for the Corvette Stingray May Create a Massive Waitlist

Would you wait six months to take delivery of your 2014 Corvette Stingray?

Well, you may not have a choice.

CarBuzz.com is reporting that demand for the incredibly popular C7 is apparently going to be so high that General Motors is now warning customers that they may have to wait up to half a year to get behind the wheel of their dream cars.

It should really come as no surprise that demand is so high. After all, the Corvette is priced so reasonably that itâ€™s tens of thousands less than the car that GM engineers targeted, the Porsche 911, and we havenâ€™t seen anything but positive, glowing reviews in the media.

Some customers reportedly are willing to pay $5,000 to $20,000 to reach the top spot on the delivery list at some Chevy dealerships, though we would invite potential Stingray buyers to contact the dealers on our blog who promise they will sell the cars at MSRP.

The wait could grow even longer, though, as an unidentified Chevrolet marketing manager in the report warns that overseas demand from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East appears to be just as strong as it is in the U.S.

Source:
CarBuzz.com

September 23, 2013

New Spy Photos of the 2015 Corvette Z07 Reveal More Details

New spy photos published today by Autoweek appears to reveal many new details regarding the highly anticipated 2015 Corvette Z07. The Corvette in the photos are well covered in camouflaged fabric, but we were still able to catch a glimpse of the how the new front end might look as well as the rear brake cooling ducts. Plus, this Corvette has some really big brakes!

The front end is covered, but you can definitely make out how the front grill is a different size and shape than the current C7 Corvette Stingray. There are cutouts on each side of the large center opening which either serve as additional air vents or fog lights. If this is the front end, you will be easily be able to identify it as the Z07 much like you used to be able to ID a Z06 coming down the road before the Grand Sports arrived in 2010.

The rear brake cooling vents are also visible for the first time. Like the C6′s vent, it’s not very large, but appears to be roughly the same height. There’s a feature line under it and we have to think that those rear fenders are a little wider than the base Stingray to cover the additional rubber seen mounted on the rear wheels of the prototype.

The Corvette Stingray is using Brembo brakes as standard fare, but the rotors shown here are not from the base Stingray. These remind us of the Brembo’s found on the 2011 Corvette Z06 Carbons. Those big, cross drilled rotors that look a lot like carbon ceramic helped give the Corvette Z06 Carbon the best stopping power of any car in its class. The rotors were different than those spotted on Corvette Z07 Convertible Prototype Spiedearlier spy photos.

The photographer Chris Doane tells Autoweek that the rocker panels are more aggressive. We had a hard time getting a look at those as it was one of the features Chevy was able to cover well.

Check out Autoweek for all the spy pics as well as their speculation on the return of the LT4, a 6.2L V8 with 600-650 horsepower at the ready. Like us, they’re hoping the new model in the C7 lineup makes its debut at the 2014 North American International Auto Show.

Source:
Autoweek

September 21, 2013

[PIC] Hey, Is That a GoPro Camera Mounted on the Corvette Stingray Testing at the Nurburgring?

Chevrolet Europe posted a tweet on Friday about the 2014 Corvette Stingray undergoing suspension testing on the wet track at the Nurburgring. We looked at the photo and then enlarged it for a better view. Low and behold, there’s a GoPro HD Camera mounted low and behind the driver’s front tire!

Here’s the tweet from Chevrolet Europe:

Chevrolet #Corvette #Stingray suspension testing on the wet track at the #NÃ¼rburgring #C7Experience pic.twitter.com/ZO3sslX3d0

— Chevrolet Europe (@ChevroletEurope) September 20, 2013

And here’s the picture enlarged which shows the GoPro camera on the drivers side of the car. Click the image to show a larger version:

Check out these previous videos of the Laguna Blue Corvette Stingray Z51 Coupe on the Nurburgring here and here.

That footage will probably show up in future C7 commercials along the lines of “The 2014 Corvette Stingray: Born in Detroit, Built in Kentucky, Tuned on the Nurburgring!”

Source:
Chevrolet Europe on Twitter

September 17, 2013

[PIC] TopSpeed Renders the 2016 Corvette Z07

After yesterday’s spy photos of the 2015/2016 Corvette Z07 from Autoblog, we did some hunting to see if we could turn up any accurate renderings of the next generation high performance Corvette model and it looks like this Arctic White render from TopSpeed might have nailed it.

Although not perfectly aligned with the the spy photo from KGP Photography showing what we think are the rear brake cooling ducts, this render incorporates those ducts in a very pleasing way. We also see the carbon fiber rockers and front splitter that we think will be on the Z07 as well.

Click here to see a larger version of the 2016 Corvette Z07 rendering.

Not shown here, but we are also thinking that the rear spoiler for the Z07 will be different than that of the Z51 spoiler on the Stingray. Most likely it will have a steeper angle or will be taller than the ones found on the current C7 Corvette, much like the C6 ZR1′s spoiler was different than that of the regular C6s spoiler.

There’s some speculating that the front grill will be wider to capture more air and we may even see fog lights return to the front fascia.

Finally, don’t rule out that that the Z07 could be constructed almost entirely of carbon fiber panels. On the current Stingray, the roof and hood are already using the strong but lightweight material and like the C6 Z06, we are betting the fenders of the C7 Z07 will be made from carbon fiber as well. That leaves only the doors and rear hatch which will probably use the standard Stingray’s panels for those critical impact areas.

As far as the engine that will power the C7 Z07, we’re not ready to glam on to the turbo-powered V8 with smaller displacement quite yet. We still think the Corvette Stingray’s 6.2L V8 will be the basis for power and it will most likely be supercharged to around 580-600 horsepower. If Chevy does go this route, look for the engine to be called the LT5 or LTX which were trademaked by the automaker earlier this year.

Source:
Photo Credit: TopSpeed.com

September 17, 2013

Nurburgring Lap Times, Jim Mero and the 2014 Corvette Stingray

Over the last two weeks we’ve seen a couple videos of the 2014 Corvette Stingray working out on the Nurburgring. One of our posts on Facebook wondered aloud if GM vehicle dynamics engineer and Corvette Track Rat Jim Mero was in Germany. Based on these photos from Chevrolet Europe, we believe the answer is yes.

Frequent readers and Corvette fans who follow the Nurburgring know that Mero was the driver behind the C6 Corvette ZR1s impressive ‘ring time of 7:19.63 back in 2011. He was also driving the Corvette Stingray when it set a time of 2:51.78 at VIR. As a refresher, the C6 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 package ran VIR at 2:53.50 in 2011 while Meroâ€™s best time ever at VIR was in 2008 in the C6 Corvette ZR1 with a time of 2:45.63.

As the primary driving engineer responsible for working with the Corvette’s suspension and chassis tuning, Mero is the ideal person to drive the Stingray at Nurburgring.

“NÃ¼rburgring is renowned for its demanding race track and it is perfectly suited for our purpose, which is to fine-tune the ride and handling characteristics of the European Corvette Stingray,” said Jim Mero, vehicle dynamics engineer at General Motors. “We are paying particular attention to the suspension set-up and the steering at NÃ¼rburgring. European roads are quite distinct and different from those in the U.S., and so are driving habits.”

Nurburing Lap Times, Jim Mero and the 2014 Corvette Stingray

Chevrolet Europe Technical Director Patrick Herrmann (left), Jim Mero (center) and an unknown engineer (right)
look at data from the 2014 Corvette Stingray

So far GM has been mum on the C7 Corvette Stingray’s Nurburgring time but we just know that setting a fast lap would be on the table.

Remember that 7:19.63 Corvette ZR1 time that was set by Mero in 2011? While they were in Germany for that test session, the Corvette team also ran the 2011 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 package which earned a lap time of 7:22.68. As the Stingray was faster than the 2011 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 package and Michelin’s Pilot Sport Cup tires at VIR, can we assume that the C7 Corvette Stingray will be faster on the Nordschleife?

Source:
Chevrolet Europe

September 16, 2013

Corvette Z07 Convertible Prototype Spied

Autoblog has a gallery of spy photos from the guys at KGP Photography that appear to show a camouflaged Corvette Z07 Convertible prototype undergoing testing at an unnamed facility. The Corvette is well covered with both the white/black swirls on the body and the blanket-covers that we remember well from the testing of the Corvette Stingray in 2012. However, there are some visual clues that do lead us to believe this is the high performance version of the C7 Corvette.

The biggest news from this picture is it looks like the next generation “high performance” Corvette will come in a topless version instead of just the fixed non-removable roof. Chevy would be able to offer the Z07 as a convertible due to the 60% more stiffness of the new aluminum frame vs the C6′s Z06/ZR1 aluminum frame. It also doesn’t hurt that customers bought 2,500 C6 427s in 2012-13, showing the automaker that was demand for a convertible version of the Z06.

If you look just in front of the rear wheels where the door seam is, you will see the body looks to flare out by an inch or two. What we believe to be covered is the rear brake cooling ducts that have been part of the Z06 model’s design since its debut as a C5 in 2001. Compare this area to the regular Corvette Stingray and you’ll see that from the door gap to the tire well is smooth and doesn’t jut out under the door like it does on this prototype.

The flared area around the tires would also mean that the Michelin rubber that will be on the Z07 will most likely be wider than those on the regular C7 Stingray.

Stopping power will come via the Brembo brakes that are now standard fare on the Corvette Stingray. These rotors look to be similar to the Stingrays roters. Many of the enthusiasts we’ve spoke with are hoping that the brakes are carbon ceramic like the Brembos on the C6 Z06/ZR1.

The design of the wheels are new, but we’ve seen actually seen them before. They were on a leaked CAD drawing that came out just before the Stingray was unveiled in Detroit earlier this year.

Although they are not on this prototype, we are expecting the C7 Corvette Z07 to come with carbon fiber side rocker panels and an aggressive front splitter. Look for those as we get closer to launch.

And speaking of launch, when will the Corvette Z07 become available? Some are saying that this will be a 2015 model year Corvette which will be shown at the 2014 NAIAS in Detroit in January while others are saying we’ll have to wait until 2016. Let’s hope its sooner rather than later.

Click here to view the Autoblog article and the gallery of C7 Corvette Z07 Spy Photos.

Source:
Autoblog

September 10, 2013

[PIC] 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertibles at the Factory

Here’s a welcomed sight through the fence at the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green. Two rows of 2014 Corvette Stingray convertibles in various colors all lined up and looking ready for some sunshine.

Click here to see a larger version of the image.

So what do we see? How about a couple silver vettes and a yellow one with a black top. There’s a couple Arctic White convertibles, one with a brown top (not sure about that color combination) and then there are two Crystal Red Metallics which look like they have the brown tops as well. On the end is most likely a Night Race Blue Corvette with the blue top, but hard to tell looking through the fence.

Chevrolet has stated that the Convertible Corvette Stingrays will start production at the end of the year.

Just a matter of time…

September 6, 2013

[VIDEO] 2014 Corvette Stingray Testing at Nurburgring

The internet’s abuzz tonight after a video has surfaced showing a Laguna Blue 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51 testing on the famous Nurburgring. The Corvette is shown making some fast runs through several turns with a helmeted driver and a co-pilot. Could it be that GM Engineers are doing some testing in Germany?

At Corvettes at Carlisle, Corvette’s Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter said that the C7 Corvette Stingray would be headed to Germany for its high speed test and then most likely it would visit the Nurburgring. We just didn’t realize that it would be happening this soon.

Watch how well the Stingray handles these curves on the track and there’s a straight of track where the Stingray does a high speed fly-by.

Tadge said if they go to Nurburgring, they may “try a high speed run” but I think we know them well enough to know that they wouldn’t be taking the Stingray to Nurburgring without doing one as it validates everything they’ve worked on for the last four years. Whether or not it becomes public depends on how well it goes and if they think they can improve with more testing.

At the 2012 NCM Bash, test driver Jim Mero participated in a one hour seminar about testing the Corvette ZR1 at Nurburgring and all the work and data the “track ratz” collected prior to making the famous 7:19.63 lap in 2011. It’s worth another look know that know the C7 Stingray is there.

Stay tuned as I’m sure there will be more coming out about the 2014 Corvette Stingray’s first foray onto the ‘ring.

Update – Second video added. Also shows Camaro Z/28

Source:
YouTube.com