Corvette C7
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.(1360kg).
