458it

The story of the 2014 Corvette Stingray has only started to unravel with the world premieres of the Coupe at the Detroit Motor Show in January and the Convertible at the Geneva Auto Salon just last week, as in the coming months and years, the C7 family will grow to welcome an array of new models, engines and editions.
Naturally, the most anticipated model is the successor to the C6 ZR-1 with its supercharged LS9 V-8 engine.

Why are we saying all this? Because a member of the Corvette7 forums had some personal time in and out (but no driving, we're told) in a pre-production Corvette Stingray and he took some photos, including one of the C7's part-digital instrument panel where he spotted something very interesting.
On the left and right side of the tachometer in the Stingray's programmable thin-film transistor (TFT) display are two boost gauges. The current ZR1 features the same gauges, but in analogue form.

Besides the CorvetteC7 forum, U.S. publication Car&Driver also spotted the digital boost gauges on a 2014 Stingray Convertible (before it was revealed in Geneva) on a separate occasion.

Now, we know that the base versions of the C7 are fitted with GM's new naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 LT1 small block with direct-injection and an output of 450-horses, so what gives with the supercharger boost gauges on the two models?

Is there a possibility that these pre-production models are hiding a supercharged V8 under their hood or did GM simply include the booster gauge in the programmable TFT display and didn't turn it off because these are test cars? What do you think?




http://www.carscoops.com/2013/03/201...roduction.html
GM Responds to 2014 Corvette Stingray Dual-Boost Gauge Pictures
Just like you, we too were intrigued with the pictures showing a pair of digital boost gauges on the new Corvette Stingray Coupe and Convertible's TFT display, but instead of leaving the matter with a question mark, we asked Chevrolet about it, and here's what a company spokesman told Carscoops in an email:
"The simple is answer is the one you have already suggested: 'did GM simply include the booster gauge in the programmable TFT display and didn't turn it off because these are test cars?'"

"The coding for the programmable TFT display will be used for many vehicles in the portfolio. Because Corvette is the first to use the system, the initial prototypes have multiple screens that are not meant to be for the Stingray. Obviously, they will be "turned off" before the cars arrive at dealerships."

So there you have it; the boost gauges on the two cars were not there because GM was trialing a supercharged V8 (which, however, will be offered on the more powerful iterations later on in the life of the C7), but because the Detroit carmaker hadn't calibrated the screens for the specific models.
http://www.carscoops.com/2013/03/gm-...-stingray.html

Gadfly

I have no doubt that an SC motor will be coming soon. The only question is will it be in the Z06, or only one the ZR1?

I personally think there will be @550hp super charged version of the LT1 (LT4?) in the Z06, or possibly in a grand sport.

janky

I imagine the Z06 motor will still be NA, it fits much better with the track intentions. I also think any positive displacement supercharged version of this engine will require a hood bulge to fit it, given the space the DI now takes up in the valley. Makes more sense this is a software display and not indicative of the hardware underhood.

petermj

Single blower for Z06, two for ZR1?

ttboost1

The rear end shown looks much better because the car is black too. Now to get them to make the bottom portion body color on the rest...

458it

tail_lights

I know that's not what this thread is about but.....

BeaZt

So they get to take the mules home?

Z_Rocks

I bet she'll be TT.

05dsom

^^seriously??
those are the same twin screw boost gauges as the ZR1!

Tommy D

There is also the possibility that mule has the supercharged engine that will be placed in the new ZR1

btw I also agree that the back looks much better all black too

c54u

I would have opened the hood and looked and taken a picture.....you never know!!!!

C7envy

Twin screw?? The zr1 has a TVS supercharger not a twin screw last I checked.

Davidl81

It would be cool if you were able to add an aftermarket blower and have it work with those gauges.

BlueOx

So who is the 'spokesman'? It could be this is true and that the screen also works for the upcoming ATS-V.

OnPoint

Yeah. It's a twin rotor/screw supercharger, which is what the ZR1's guage denotes, as well as the C7 guage.

05dsom

last "I checked" I walked into my garage to see my roots twin screws......

05dsom

...anyhow, my post was not to prove the type of SC the ZR1 has, it was to show those boost gauges are SC's not turbines.

texel

The pic's were taken with an iPhone 4S and precise GPS pic data was not erased ( opps ). Appears to have been taken in a housing development close to the Bowling Green plant. Google Earth / Maps have a pretty good view of the house. Must be an early test item from the plant.

Cheers