With all this Green stuff going wild I've been thinking of a high mpg sportscar
The base C6 is a great place to start since it weighs 3208# makes 30mpg Hwy, thats better mpg than the Lotus Elise. Pretty amazing for a big "old tech" 400hp V8
So heres my idea for the next level high mpg green vette
Take the aluminum frame from the C6 Z06 and the carbon fiber front fenders, the cf roof of the ZR1. Then if possible add a cf hood
Then drop in an LS3 with an even more high tech injection system
This car would probably weigh near 3000#, with a full CF body & some Caravaggio style seats maybe 2900 #
I would imagine it could make 35 mpg Hwy pretty easily, maybe closer to 40 mpg w a few more changes
Of course with the same 400hp and 200# less the performance would increase
If GM adds a device that turns the engine off when the car is stopped but can keep the accesories on it can maintain high mpg in town too
Last edited by Mjolitor 68; 10-30-2009 at 10:05 AM.
With all this Green stuff going wild I've been thinking of a high mpg sportscar
The base C6 is a great place to start since it weighs 3208# makes 30mpg Hwy, thats better mpg than the Lotus Elise. Pretty amazing for a big "old tech" 400hp V8
So heres my idea for the next level high mpg green vette
Take the aluminum frame from the C6 Z06 and the carbon fiber front fenders, the cf roof of the ZR1. Then if possible add a cf hood
Then drop in an LS3 with an even more high tech injection system
This car would probably weigh near 3000#, with a full CF body & some Caravaggio style seats maybe 2900 #
I would imagine it could make 35 mpg Hwy pretty easily, maybe closer to 40 mpg w a few more changes
Of course with the same 400hp and 200# less the performance would increase
If GM adds a device that turns the engine off when the car is stopped but can keep the accesories on it can maintain high mpg in town too
I don't think a 200 weight reduction would give much in hwy mileage. How much does it fall with another person in it? Not that much. Things like direct injection would help the mileage 10-15% maybe. The weight reduction and engine shut off might help the city mileage more. Variable valve timing and lift. Low friction coatings in the engine. Ceramic block. Seven speed dual clutch auto manual with a taller 7th.
For an auto, you could do a couple more things, like cylinder deactivation, or a dual mode hybrid like in the trucks. You would loose some of the weight loss from the CF at the front and top of the car, but a sizable increase in city mileage.
Highway mileage is greatly influenced by aero drag and driveline losses. So a shorter or narrower profile would help. Maybe replacing the wing mirrors with cameras. Lighter tire and wheel packages. Smaller wheels would help. Tires with a lower rolling resistance being standard. Wheel disks or rear skirts, gurney flaps everywhere!.... OK so some things may not work from a looks perspective
Polycarbonate rear window. The problem with removing weight from the back is it moves the weight distribution forward. Maybe they could shift the engine back one inch and the seats back 2 inches in the wheelbase to counteract it.
Like racer X said, highway mileage is dictated more by aero and driveline losses than anything else. Once a car gets to steady state cruising speed, the HP required to maintain that speed is very small. Cylinder deactivation, lower rolling resistance tires and a more efficient driveline matter more than weight.
You could always go Mythbuster style and dimple the exterior.
Corvette Magazine test drove the Corvette Hybrid from Neohydro Technologies for their March issue which will be on newsstands and in subscriber hands in January.
Corvette Magazine test-drove the Corvette upfitted with the company’s licensed Green Interactive Hybrid System (GIHS) earlier this month. The Corvette was provided by the company’s technology licensor, Genes Vettes of Lynden, Washington.
Neohydro Technologies President and CEO, Michael R. Kulcheski spoke with Eric Gustafson, the editor of Corvette Magazine and was pleased by his comment that the GIHS Corvette is
“very fast” and “it is a very neat installation. It’s nice to get into an aftermarket modified car without the check engine light on.”
With 775 Horsepower and 691-foot pounds of torque, the GIHS Corvette is the ultimate Corvette enthusiast’s dream car.
Although the high performance sports car enthusiasts market segment is much smaller than the company’s major focus of light duty truck and van fleets, it is still a source of revenue that the company will target. With 775 HP and city fuel economy of 40 MPG, the Corvette enthusiast who normally would see a dramatic drop in fuel economy when they enhance their vehicles with aftermarket add-ons, will have the benefit of actually increasing fuel economy of up to 150% coupled with an increase in horsepower of up to 84%
wouldn't all that carbon fiber and alluminum frame add alot from the price tag. hell iv'e got one of them new direct injected cobalt SS's and I read adding that ended up increasing the price by $1500 just for the direct injection I don't know what it would be on the corvette. not to mention it is giving everybody in the cobalt community massive headaches since they can't figure out how to get enough fuel because you can only spray fuel for 5-6ms. but thats a whole other headache. I just think if they go ultra high tech with this new one it would drive the price up dramatically and move away from alot of its core buyers.
You cant just slap on parts from two different Corvettes that cost up ward (ZR1) of $125K.
GM would never be able to get the price to a competitive price as the
C6 is now.
There is a reason why the Z06 and ZR1 cost double of what a stock C6 goes for. and i'm not trying to start a war so for the facts im talking about MSRP.
There's a C6 hybrid driving around that gets 32/40 MPG with over 770HP. I wouldn't be against seeing this set-up in the C7.
I have seen this corvette it sits at the shop where I am getting my STS system. All it has to make that is the STS Twin Turbos and the meth injection, and a few other things here and there like breaks and wheels.
corvette tech rolls down hill. i would love to see 50 mpg 400 hp vette. and things like aluminum frame and magnesium cradles across the entire model line is how you get there as well as direct injection ect. not $10,ooo carbon brake kits unfortunatly lol
To get high milage out of a Corvette the tires would need to be different with a much lower rolling resistance. Likely narraower, and less sticky, they post high milage in the tests and then maybe a option for sticky tires. Or just buy aftermerket tires and wheels.
Aorodynamically the ires are pigs a well, a lot of frontal area.
5.5L motor is a win/win, get it to spin to 7.5kish safely, and use Speed Density, drop the MAF they are garbage and useless. Use twin turbos that are PROPERLY SIZED and intercooled on lowish boost i.e. 10lb or less, no more midget turbos like so many OEMs do. Turbos = increased VE = better MPG.
Eliminate open loop mode and use closed loop only with a dual redundant o2 sensor system that only drops to open loop while the motor is in limp mode.
Lean out cruise as much as possible, there are many MPG to be found in running in a lean state when the motor is in a no/low load situation, however emissions limit how far it can be leaned out. Fun tricks with EGR can help this and allow for a 18:1 afr... I got 18 more MPG on my 400hp 4 cyclinder than it did stock at 127hp lol on the freeway from this trick.
use S fiberglass panels with foam cores for roof/floorboard to save weight AND money.
Self adjusting variable ride height suspension, lowers the car 2 inches over 40mph and under a low load/cruise state, raise the car up 1 inch if the load state rises.
NO WINGS EVER NO NONONONONO WINGS more downforce comes with less drag from proper undercarriage design.
Direct Injection
4 cylinder deactivation on autos
Use VVT in the motor, install a switch that allows you to switch between 2 sets of timing, 1 for power, 1 for economy.
get the CD down around .25 if possible
get frontal area down more
use the mazda system for insta restarting a motor, auto offs at stops and restarts instantly when u press the gas pedal.
thinner lighter windows use thinner glass with lamination for weight savings
Use an alu frame if cost permits
reduce the options list!! I know people wont like it but less options, incorporate some options as standard, then you only have to order 1 part rather than 2/3/4 and you get the mass quantity purchasing power.
You cant just slap on parts from two different Corvettes that cost up ward (ZR1) of $125K.
GM would never be able to get the price to a competitive price as the
C6 is now.
There is a reason why the Z06 and ZR1 cost double of what a stock C6 goes for. and i'm not trying to start a war so for the facts im talking about MSRP.
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High MPG Vette Concept
