Kevin_NYC

Will there be another ZR1 or will it be like Ford GT...once in a generation supercar?

OnPoint

We may see a vette that equals or even betters the performance of the current ZR1. But IMO the days of big inch, high horsepower vettes will end when the C6 bows out.

Any performance gains over today will come via lighter weight, traction improvements, driveline changes, and possibly electric motor assist.

The 2016 CAFE limits and forthcoming tailpipe CO2 limits will force a reduction in the size of these engines. Again, future vettes may have equal or better performance, but they will have a far different "soul" than the current ZR.

mikelj

I think you will see nothing but Toyota-type tuners and 6 and 4 bangers, and maybe even a hybrid baby Vette. Little tinnie hi-rev engnes that sound like a sewing machine, sad but that is where the Obamacars are going due to excessive, and unnecessary CAFE regs.

Gary '09 C6

this is very likely the future for all high performance vehicles.

The C6-based ZR1 (and Z06) may indeed be the "swan-song" of their generation...

Kevin_NYC

Sounds right....

Hold on to your ZR1s.

The Ford GT had a drop from its MSRP after 2005-2006 to as low $120K, then it steadily rose back up to above MSRP $149K for USED examples; and mint low miles ones are >$175K

I realize over 4,038 ZR1s will be produced....but still view it as a future classic just like Viper ACR and Ford GT.

Katech_Zach

If I was a betting man I would put money on a 700hp C7 ZR1 or equivalent in 2015-2016. I'm just speculating though.

QUIKAG

If the C6 ZR1 made Chevrolet money, there will be a faster C7 ZR1. And I think the ZR1 has been profitable for Chevrolet/GM.

It will not be a 6.2 supercharged V8, but I could easily see a 3100lb, 680hp supercharged direct injected 5.5L V8 that revs out to 7000-7500rpm with a dual-clutch transmission (and a six-speed manual option). Yum.

jvp

The only reason the ZR1 is making money for GM is because after a certain number of model years of the C6, everything after it was pure gravy. All Corvettes. And the reason for that is that C6 sold in relatively good volume for the first several years of its existence which made up for all the R&D expenses.

Before GM will be able to put future R&D into hyper-fast Corvettes, they're going to have to be able to guarantee big sales numbers of the base car, since it is less expensive and can therefore sell in greater numbers. The current economical outlook isn't all that pleasant, but hopefully things will improve.

I'd be very surprised to see a C7 ZR1. I expect to see a base car that'll nip at the heels of the existing C6 Z06, and a faster version with a supercharged engine that GM sets up for track AND GT duty.

jas

Steve Snake Driver

If past trends are any indications, and as mentioned by JVP above, I would not expect any sort of 'special' C7 for the initial year. If the C7 is a 2013 year model, I'd guess no higher performance model until 2014 at the earliest. I'd also venture that the next election may well have a large effect on what we do or do not see in the realm of performance cars overall.

OregonC6

By the standards of prior generations of Corvettes the standard LS3 is the most powerful ever built. That makes the Z06 and ZR1 ULTRA performance when compared to prior generations.

So, even if performance dropped back a bit from the ZR1 what difference would it make in practical terms? If you're stuck in stop and go traffic 430hp or 638hp either way you can't use the power.

I have a hunch the Corvette is going toward a low volume halo car in the future. This would be along the lines of the Viper with NO standard entry level models at prices the average guy just might manage. The entire C6 line is selling something like 40% the units sold annually over the past 25+ years.

People talk about 3100 lbs as a "light car".....it is but only in a relative sense when looking at the brick on four wheels ( new Camaro ) or cars like the Challenger or CTS-V that are 4000 lbs or more.

Some guys are probably looking for even wider tires on the C7....wider? Heavier wheels? Make em two feet wide whatever.

One comment here mentioned that the era of "big inch"engines is over or soon to be. News flash, for those of us old enough the era of big inch engines ended about 1973...we called em "big blocks". The Z06 poses mightily as a "big block 427" but we all know it's a small block.

The ZR1 has a small block engine. So the V8 gets smaller...so it's 5.5l....so what? That's a small block too. Back in the day we had fast small blocks in all sizes, 283, 302, 327, 350.....some of you don't even recognize all these numbers. We also had 396, 427 and the hog 454...those were "big V-8s".

Basically I'd say what difference does it make what the hp of the C7 is or the displacement? Does that matter? What matters is acceleration, handling, and stopping.

The C6 is firmly a "small block V8" generations. No more big blocks. But....LOTS more hp than the much larger V8s of the past. Lots of reasons for this most of you know em well.

Personally I think the C7 should be lighter, shorter, narrower, and have tires that are not so wide. A place to put the front plate could be nice too.

zeshawn

thats already there, but youd have to drill the bracket in the center of the front fascia.

I dont understand why people correlate displacement with horsepower, yes its easier to produce more horsepower from a big displacement motor, but its not mandatory. Very efficient motors can produce equal or more power and both consume much less fuel and be "greener" at the same time no need for the compromise. Technologies such as direct injection, being one.

Dual clutch transmissions not will not only shift perfectly everytime at 50ms without slipping the life out if the clutch, the non-existent lag in acceleration during normal driving + the ability to pack in up to 8 gears make it ideal for performance, fuel economy and emissions.

While a supercharged small displacement engine would theoretically consume less fuel than an equal powered naturally aspirated engine (all else equal), turbos win the challenge, and especially with DCT cars turbo lag during shifts is non existent anymore.

A zonda R for example, which is an extreme example, makes MUCH more power-to-weight than the 1200HP veyron. There are other things than horsepower, weight, traction, gearing. I certainly dont want to see a new vette with a first gear ratio that goes up to a 70mph just to get less than decent traction.

ivanjo11

I think that if is called ZR1 or whatever is its name, Corvette Team is going to continue to produce an Ultra high performance supercar that can compete with the big boys for more that half its price.

A car that can go neck to neck with a Porsche GT2 RS, the next Enzo, Gallardo replacement, the new Mclaren MP4 and the upcoming Viper just to mention somes.

But to go over 638 hp they need to improve the rear traction either by weight distribution, better tires or better suspension.

vant

I pretty much agree with what OregonC6 said.

Also, I do believe that the C6 ZR1 will be the highest-horsepower Corvette to ever be built by GM, but that does not necessarily mean that it will always be the fastest, or best performing. A sub-3,000 lb Corvette would be downright amazing. I have no idea how they would accomplish that, but I'm sure they could pull it off somehow.

I might be wrong, but I think he means an attractive place to put the plate. A white license plate on the front of a C6 reminds me of Mater from the movie "Cars".

Onerareviper

While I agree with most of your points, it doesn't always relate in the real world. On paper is much different than behind the wheel. For example, drive a 570 HP Gallardo. Then drive a 600 HP Viper. They basically have the same power to weight ratio, but feel TOTALLY different when you hit the pedal (or even drive casually). One 'feels' like it's going to break your neck when you slam the peddle, the other not so much. This 'feel' has a lot to do with displacement, and that 'feel' is something many of us enjoy. Even just cruising around in a big displacement engine, you feel like Thor is under your foot. A small displacement engine will never give you this. IMHO, there is still no replacement for displacement. But I will agree much progress has been made.

Russell ZR1

I don't think u will see anything close to what we have now for at least 10 years, there is just too many issues going on with upcoming government regulations, state of the auto industries, the green movement, economy.
They might piece something together, but won't be anything close, the current ZR1 was hatched from a time when excess and gluttony was mainstream. It's not like that anymore, and for that time to come around again, it won't be for another 10-15 years...glad I got mine when I had the chance...

Kingsize

Yawn

GOLD72

If there eventually is a C7 ZR1, it won't be a repeat of the C6 ZR1. Performance is destined to be redefined in terms of weight to power ratios with decreasing engine displacements to develop high power and ingenuous weight reductions for the overall cars. Not a bad thing for our future world we now find ourselves in.

GOLD72

I remember. First car was a 67 Camaro 327. My dad had a 396 67 Caprice. I helped my brother's friend put spark plugs into his 69 427 triple duce corvette coupe.

BluegrassMotorsport

I honestly think the CAFE rules will not be much of an issue for the Corvette. The coupe already gets better than 30mpg on the highway. Plus, the CAFE is an average of a manufacturer's entire lineup. The Cruze gets great mileage, with an even more fuel efficient diesel model arriving next year. The Equinox SUV gets 32mpg. They continue to get better all the time. I think a new Vette lineup similar to the one we have now, with direct injection implemented, would be just fine.

Gary '09 C6

I, too, remember them all, and not just the Chevy offerings... Buick/Pontiac/Oldsmobile; Ford; all Mopar...

what a great performance era to have lived-through and grown-up in...

of course, the cars today are much more highly refined, better tires, brakes & suspension,
better (but complicated) electronics...

but those raw-power V8s from the '60s & '70s set the "adventure" bar quite high...

and all were obtainable to anyone willing to work for it...none were so exotically priced to make the same just a fantasy.