Chevrolet Corvette C6
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The awesome Chevrolet Corvette C6 is the sixth and current generation of Chevrolet Corvettes. It was introduced in 2005, and according to several issues of Motor Trend magazine, will be superseded by the C7 Corvette in the 2012 calendar year.
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[edit] Model details
Compared to the fifth generation, the "C6" gets an overhaul of the suspension geometry, all new bodywork with exposed headlamps (for the first time since 1962), a larger passenger compartment, a larger 6.0 L engine, and a much higher level of refinement. Overall, it is 5.1 inches (13 cm) shorter than the C5, but its wheelbase has increased by 1.2 inches (3 cm). It is also one inch (2.5 cm) narrower, making for a smaller, sportier Corvette. The reduced dimensions were in response to criticism that the fifth-generation Corvette looked too wide—the new body gives the impression of a much sleeker, faster car. Chevrolet hopes the new design will attract buyers of comparable European sports cars like the Porsche 911, but some purists dislike the new styling. The new 6.0 L LS2 V8 produces an incredible 400 hp (298 kW) at 6000 rpm and equally impressive 400 ft·lbf (542 N·m) of torque at 4400 rpm. Its red-line is increased to 6500 rpm like the fifth-generation Z06.
The current Corvette retains its relatively high fuel economy, in part by upshifting to higher gears as soon as possible and in part by its relatively low drag coefficient. Equipped with an automatic transmission, the Corvette achieves 18/26 mpg (city/highway), and the manual transmission is slightly better at 18/28. However, some prospective Corvette buyers are surprised to find that the Corvette's manual transmission is fitted with Computer Aided Gear Shifting (CAGS), obligating the driver to shift from 1st directly to 4th when operating at lower RPMs. While this boosts the EPA's derived fuel economy, thus allowing the buyer to avoid paying the "gas guzzler" tax, it is an open secret that more than a few savy sixth-generation Corvette owners with manual transmissions simply have a $20 aftermarket part (CAGS eliminator) fitted to their vehicle to re-enable a normal 1-2-3-4-5-6 sequence at any RPM.
For 2008, the Corvette receives a mild freshening - the heart of which is the new engine, the LS3. With displacement increased to 6.2 liters, power is increased to 430 hp (321 kW) and 424 lb·ft (575 N·m) of torque, or 436 hp (325 kW) and 428ft·lbf/tq with the optional vacuum actuated valve exhaust.This system works by having 2 valves in the 4 tail pipes which are shut under 3500 rpm under normal conditions, but when aggressive driving ensues open up to let out a raucous roar. The manual transmission also has improved shift linkage along with the replacement of the previous T56 transmission with a new TR6060, while the automatic is set up for quicker shifts giving the C6 Automatic a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds, faster than any other production automatic Corvette. The steering has also been tightened up for much improved feel. The wheels were also updated to a new five-spoke design.[1]
[edit] Z06
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The newest Corvette Z06 arrived as a 2006 model in the third quarter of 2005. It has a 7.0 L (7,008 cc/427.6 in³) version of the Small-Block engine codenamed LS7.the Z06 achieves 16/26 mpg (city/highway), output is 505 hp (376 kW). Dave Hill, the chief engineer for the C6 Corvette, says that it is a much further departure from the standard Corvettes and more like the C6-R that GM is building for the American Le Mans Series. Its performance is similar to the Ford GT and the Dodge Viper SRT-10. Official performance figures indicate that the Z06 can reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in just 3.7 seconds from a standing start in first gear. In the summer of 2005, GM and Corvette Racing driver Jan Magnussen brought the new Z06 to the Nürburgring in Germany. Magnussen drove the Z06 to a time of 7:42.99, very few cars have posted faster times. Car and Driver recorded a 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds in their March 2007 comparison test.[1]
In addition to the larger engine, the Corvette Z06 has a dry sump oiling system, a feature typically found only on race cars and sport bikes. Connecting rods made out of titanium further lighten the reciprocating mass of the engine while making them stronger than the steel rods they replace. Altogether, the Z06 model not only produces more power, it revs faster and higher than any other Chevrolet LS-motor.
In a departure from anything Chevrolet has ever done before, the primary structural element of the sixth-generation Z06 is aluminum instead of steel as on the non-Z06 cars. The hydroformed aluminum frame remains dimensionally identical to its steel brethren but is significantly lighter. The front fenders are made of carbon fiber to reduce weight, while wider rear fenders allow for the wider tires necessary to deal with the engine's increased power. The Z06 officially weighs 3132 lb (1421 kg), giving it a power to weight ratio of 6.2 lb/hp (3.8 kg/kW).
On October 31, 2005, the application of magnesium AE44 alloy in the engine cradle (the world's first magnesium chassis component) was bestowed an Honorable Mention in the Automotive News PACE (Premier Automotive Suppliers' Contributions to Excellence) Awards competition. This is the first award granted to the Corvette Z06. The suppliers receiving the award were Norsk Hydro Magnesium and Meridian Technologies, Inc.
[edit] ZR1
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This section contains information about a scheduled or anticipated future automobile. It may contain preliminary or speculative information, and may not reflect the final version of the vehicle. |
A Corvette variant was first reported by several print and online publications, based on rumor from General Motors was developing a production version of the Corvette above the Z06 level, under the internal code name Blue Devil (named after GM CEO Rick Wagoner's alma mater, Duke University). The car was originally rumored to feature a supercharged LS9 engine producing more than 650 hp (485 kW) with prices reported to exceed $100,000 USD.[2]
The October 12, 2006 issue of AutoWeek published photos by photographer Chris Doane of a C6 with special auto-manufacturer-issued license plates on a Z06 with a hood bulge, widely thought to confirm the presence of a supercharger on the Blue Devil. Other names attached the project included Corvette SS[3] or Corvette Z07.[4] In February 2007, a worker at a Michigan shipping company posted pictures online of a powertrain development mule that was being shipped to Germany, believed to be part of the Blue Devil program. The car had manufacturer's license plates, carbon-ceramic brakes, enlarged fender vents, a hood bulge, and an engine with a positive-displacement supercharger in the valley between the cylinder banks and a water-to-air intercooler atop it. The photographer was fired and may face civil or criminal legal action, pending a GM investigation.[citation needed]
On April 13, 2007, GM confirmed the existence of the Blue Devil project in an interview with Car and Driver. Power levels were confirmed to be between 600 and 700 horsepower (447 to 521 kW), but contrary to prior rumors of a supercharged 6.2 liter engine, the engine was only confirmed to have greater displacement than the 7.0 liter LS7 in the Z06.[5] Motor Trend confirmed the official name for the production Blue Devil, resurrecting the old ZR1 nameplate. The ZR1 had originally been used on developmental cars in 1971, and again as ZR-1 as the top performance model on the C4 Corvette.[6]
On December 19, 2007, General Motors officially revealed the 2009 Corvette ZR1, giving a press release and photographs of the car. GM confirmed a supercharged 6.2 L LS9 V8 producing 620 hp (460 kW). Performance figures were not released, but GM acknowledged that the car was capable of 200 mph (320 km/h), making it the fastest production Corvette ever.
Carbon fibre is used on the roof, hood, fenders, front splitter, and rocker moldings; the hood and fenders are painted over, while the roof and splitter are merely covered in a clear-coat, retaining their black color. A polycarbonate window is placed in the center of the hood, allowing the engine intercooler to be seen from the exterior.
The wheels are the largest ever placed on a production Corvette, with both front and rear wheels increasing in size and diameter over the Corvette Z06. Carbon-ceramic brakes are included, which GM claims will last the life of the car. The brake calipers are painted blue, as are the engine intercooler trim and the ZR1 logo. Magnetic Selective Ride Control is also included on the car, with sensors to automatically adjust stiffness levels based on road conditions and vehicle movement.[7]
[edit] C6.R
The C6.R was a replacement for the C5-R, built by Pratt & Miller, and unveiled for its first competition at the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race of the American Le Mans Series. It came in second and third, just behind the new Aston Martin DBR9 racecar. It was put on display a week later at the New York International Auto Show next to the Z06.
Later, in the 2005 ( 2005 lemans series) made up for Sebring by placing first and second in the GT1 car class after a lengthy duel with the Aston Martin team's DBR9 racers by finishing 5th and 6th overall, a considerably high finish for a GT class car.
Corvette C6.R went on to win every race it entered in the 2005 ALMS season. It defeated the Aston Martins again at Road Atlanta and Laguna Seca. Olivier Beretta and Oliver Gavin took home the drivers championships.
In 2006, the Corvette C6.R won both American Le Mans GT1 Championships: Teams and Manufacturers. On March 17, 2007 it won the GT1 class in the 12 Hours of Sebring.
For Le Mans 2007, four C6.R's were on the entry list, the two Corvette Racing entries joined by single entries from the Luc Alphand Aventures and PSI-Motorsport teams.
The heart of the C6.R, its LS7.R motor, was crowned as Global Motorsport Engine of the Year by a jury of 50 race engine engineers on the Professional Motorsport World Expo 2006 in Cologne, Germany .
[edit] Z06-R
Entered in the FIA-GT series as a GT3 class car, the Z06-R is a modified production Z06. Changes were necessary to make the car endurance race ready. These include a stripped interior, full rollcage for safety, center-locking wheels, carbon fiber doors, rear deck spoiler and front splitter. The engine and drivetrain are stock but the former is mapped for 98 octane race fuel. The result is a 7200 rpm redline, 200 higher than stock and 10 extra horsepower. The car is not road legal.
Eight Z06R were constructed by Callaway Competition [8] GmbH Leingarten Germany for the 2006 season. Notable race drivers were Klaus Ludwig, Germany, John Heinricy, USA and Uli Berberich-Martini, Germany. The French Team Riverside campaigned a three car team. In an effort to achieve parity among the disparate participants of the GT3 Series, three forms of handicapping were applied by the FIA regulators; additional vehicle weight, ride height, and tire compound selection. The Corvettes were raced with all three handicaps employed[citation needed][9], and to their credit were still able to run at or near the front of the field against notable such as Viper, Aston Martin, Porsche and Ferrari. The Z06R won the FIA GT GT3 series in its second year of entry.[10]
[edit] Production notes
| Year | Production | Base Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 37,372 | $44,245 | New C6 body is first with fixed headlights since 1962; no Z06 model and a late convertible introduction |
| 2006 | 34,021 | $43,800 | Z06 debuts; 6-speed automatic with paddle shift available on non-Z06 models |
| 2007 | - | $44,250 | 6-speed automatic paddle shift delays are reduced drastically compared to 2006 |
| 2008 | - | Mild freshening, LS3 introduced, All leather interior added (LT4, LZ3) | |
| Total | - |
[edit] References
- ^ First Drive: 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
- ^ Is Blue Devil Alive? Chevy Performance Might Be Heating Up article from AutoWeek
- ^ Auto Week prototype Blue Devil photos
- ^ Z07 coming in late 2008 article by Motor Trend
- ^ 2009 Corvette Blue Devil confirmed and in final tuning phase - Daily Auto Insider article by Car and Driver
- ^ Corvette Blue Devil (finally) gets a name - ZR1
- ^ "2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 unveiled", Leftlanenews.com, 19 December 2007. Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
- ^ Callaway Cars#C15 .28FIA Corvette GT3.29
- ^ 2006 Oscherleben Race
- ^ Victory in Dubai
[edit] See also
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| Type | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Coupe | C2 | C3 | C5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hatchback | 3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Convertible | C1 | C2 | C3 | C4 | C5 | C6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Performance | FI | L84 | BB | Big block | ZR-1 | 4 | Z06 | Z06 | ZR1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motorsports: Grand Sport • GTP • C5-R • C6.R | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
