Blue Devil lives?

[skicrush]

I think I just wet my pants.
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102690

 

[super cirrus]

Groovy.

 

[Duke]

Eyewitnesses said the car sounds supercharged, confirming reports the engine is likely a blown version of the Z06’s 7.0-liter V8, producing upward of 600 hp.

How long until we hear the first Japanamaniac complain that it takes a US car company 7 litres and a blower to make a measley 600 hp?

 

[///M-Spec]

Not long

600 sounds like a deeply underrated number anyways. I's say 650 or closer to 675 at ~5 psi. Swap a pulley for 750+

Sounds hot.


M

 

[amp88]

How long until we hear the first Japanamaniac complain that it takes a US car company 7 litres and a blower to make a measley 600 hp?

It's still a valid point...

 

[Garrett]

but no Japanese car is gonna come stock with 600 hp and not cost more than 100k

edit: btw the car is sexy no matter what

 

[skicrush]

How long until we hear the first Japanamaniac complain that it takes a US car company 7 litres and a blower to make a measley 600 hp?

Pretty quick I'd guess. Mostly because they don't even know what a SOHC engine is. They'd just think I mis-typed DOHC. And only lawnmowers have 2 valves per cylinder.

It's only underrated if you don't consider that they'll have to drop the compression, and that they still will warranty it (for track use, too!), so they can't tune it ALL the way up. LPE or Callaway will still probably get more juice out of it.

Besides, this is a FACTORY car. 600+ hp. Under 2900 lbs. UNDER $100k.

 

[Joey D]

Damn they finally got it out huh? Wow I thought that would never happen since they started building the damn thing years ago. As a side note it started out kind of as a joke, but Lutz liked it and they started building it. I don't know much about it though, it was extremly hush hush around mock up. Last summer though I got to see and touch the front valance for the car. The engineers laughed when I said "The Blue Devil...oh the super Vette." The wondered how some punk kid knew about it.

 

[iceburns288]

It's still a valid point...

Yes, it's a very valid point.

Challenge Stradale = 118hp/l
F430 = 116hp/l
Blue Devil (let's go all the way up to 700hp) = 100hp/l
C6 Z06 = 76hp/l

 

[Joey D]

Actually that points sort of isn't all that great. I would love to see a 4 banger get up to 700hp and still be around 100 grand, and able to drive down the road with out problems and will start up every time. Also I don't want to see insane boost either, streetable boost.

 

[skicrush]

What does hp/litre have to do with anything? It just shows what has force inducted and what hasn't. If anything, it should be hp/liter of gas used!

 

[iceburns288]

What does hp/litre have to do with anything? It just shows what has force inducted and what hasn't. If anything, it should be hp/liter of gas used!

Exactly. The Ferraris I listed are naturally aspirated but have a higher hp/l than the supercharged 'Blue Devil' Vette.

 

[skicrush]

What are you smoking? Its WAY higher than the Z06. Who says output has to be proportional to displacement, or that that proportion (specific output) has any kind of significance? Other than as trivia?

 

[amp88]

600bhp is 600bhp, whether you get it from a 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo'd, highly stressed engine or a 7 litre, relatively lowly-stressed supercharged V8. However, the characteristics of the engines are obviously going to be very varied. What about comparing the 360 Stradale to this Boue Devil, as iceburns mentioned above.

The Stradale's got a 3.6 litre naturally aspirated V8, producing 425bhp and 275 ft lbs of torque. This Blue Devil, according to the news story, has got a supercharged V8 producing 600+bhp and probably about double the torque of the Ferrari...

Think about the characteristics of the two engines though. The Ferrari's engine is a lightweight, high-tech, high-revving powerplant, whereas this Blue Devil's is gonna be a heavier, low-tech, low-revving powerplant. The Vette's engine's gonna be lazier, taking longer to come alive (even with that supercharger).

As with so many things associated with cars, it's about personal choice. One person wants the Ferrari, the other wants the Corvette.

There is some basis to the argument of American cars having low specific outputs though. Construction being equal, a 7 litre supercharged V8's gonna be heavier than a 5 litre naturally aspirated V8. Presumably Corvette could make a 5 litre V8 with 600bhp, but if they stick with old-tech solutions then it might not be as reliable as they (or their customers) would like. Some people say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and others say "If you're not moving forward you're falling behind", I'm inclined to agree with the latter camp on this one.

 

[Event]

Holy crap! A car that can whoop the Ford GT for $50K cheaper! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it!I want it! I want it!

 

[Joey D]

Holy crap! A car that can whoop the Ford GT for $50K cheaper! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it! I want it!I want it! I want it!

Hell it will whip a lot of cars at twice the price. I want to know what they did with the suspension, but I'm going to bring this up at work tomarrow and see if I can get any info.

 

[inferno]

Dood 600 h0r$3 p0w3r fr0m a 7 l1t3r 3ng1n3 1$ teh $uck...d00d.

Sorry I just had to. but really, considering the Z06's 7 liter engine makes 76 hp per liter, that same engine with forced induction, even a whimpy 5 psi, roots type blower, let alone a centrifugal type, (which I hate) should easily make 100 hp per liter. And lets face it, a 700 hp Corvett would just be really cool!

 

[skicrush]

600bhp is 600bhp, whether you get it from a 2 litre 4 cylinder turbo'd, highly stressed engine or a 7 litre, relatively lowly-stressed supercharged V8. However, the characteristics of the engines are obviously going to be very varied. What about comparing the 360 Stradale to this Boue Devil, as iceburns mentioned above.

The Stradale's got a 3.6 litre naturally aspirated V8, producing 425bhp and 275 ft lbs of torque. This Blue Devil, according to the news story, has got a supercharged V8 producing 600+bhp and probably about double the torque of the Ferrari...

Think about the characteristics of the two engines though. The Ferrari's engine is a lightweight, high-tech, high-revving powerplant, whereas this Blue Devil's is gonna be a heavier, low-tech, low-revving powerplant. The Vette's engine's gonna be lazier, taking longer to come alive (even with that supercharger).

As with so many things associated with cars, it's about personal choice. One person wants the Ferrari, the other wants the Corvette.

There is some basis to the argument of American cars having low specific outputs though. Construction being equal, a 7 litre supercharged V8's gonna be heavier than a 5 litre naturally aspirated V8. Presumably Corvette could make a 5 litre V8 with 600bhp, but if they stick with old-tech solutions then it might not be as reliable as they (or their customers) would like. Some people say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and others say "If you're not moving forward you're falling behind", I'm inclined to agree with the latter camp on this one.

I think the Z06 will be more than enough competition for the F430. The Blue Devil's sights are considerably higher. And even though 7 liters is a lot of displacement, you have to remember, there's nothing but air there. All the DOHC hardware on the Ferrari really adds up, and a DOHC or even just a turboed engine weighs more than the vette's V8. And is bigger, too, which means a heavier car, with a higher center of gravity. And with titanium parts, it's redline is at 7200 rpm. It is supposed to be able to get up to 8k without any problems, but they keep it low to keep it relatively unstressed. And I dont' think it will be slow to come to life, either, but we'll have to wait and see. You're also avoiding all the maintenance and tempermantality of such a high-stress, complicated engine. The only thing lower tech about it is that it doesn't have to be serviced every 5000 miles.

You'r right--100hp/liter = 700!! But, they're also going to warranty it like any other GM car, so they don't want to push it too hard. Plus, like the Z06, tha warranty shoudl be good, even if you track it!

 

[inferno]

...

But really, think about it. I think most people come in here seeing a number like 700 hp and automaticaly think of a stressed, high strung motor. But it wouldn't be, at all. The LS7 has some big cylinders. 875 cubic centimeters a piece, to be exact. And to feed all those cubes, is but one (abeit, a very large) valve. This engine is starved for air to begin with. Adding a bit of presure to the intake (were only talking 5 psi) would do it some good, and probably not require a drop in mechanical displacement. if you know anything about how engines work you can see how 700 hp with forced induction is not a big number for an engine this size. If you really wanted to crank up the boost and swap the blower for a set of turbos pushing say 20 psi, an engine like this could make upwards of 1000 hp. In fact they have done that, and it did. It was a one-off, but it was street legal if I remember correctly. I'm not saying they would produce such an engine, I doubt they would. My point is, 700 hp is cake for the LS7.

 

[Joey D]

Gm wouldn't let a 1000hp on the road, it would be unsafe to sell to the average Joe. Sure the block can handle a lot more horsepower but its not safe nor really all that effiecent. If the buyer wants more power they will add it as they see fit. Just remember about the tranny though, I don't care what you do, a 1000hp is a ton of stress on a tranny.

 

[inferno]

I never said they would. Ok let me go back and clarify.

 

[Joey D]

You said the engine is able to make that kind of power with more boost, I'm just telling you for GM to do that they would have so many lawsuits from idiots it would be funny in a sick way.

 

[Dave A]

I'm thnking Speed 12 here, so powerful Wheeler decided to pull the plug and in the process he created a legend. The car was quite capable of handling the power, but was the driver? Only one road car was built and sold before the car was canned. The moral of the storey, if a business man decides to cut a chance of profit and drop a potential record breaker becasue it's too powerful we should all take a hint and realise just how dangerous that is on the roads, bcause for business men, business is usually business regardless of safety, if theres a legal profit to be made they'll take it, and there were plenty of orders for the Speed 12 with it's 960+Bhp, 250+Mph top speed and 0-60 in under 3 ses before the rebuild, so respect power, and respect a car company if they ever say, thats too damn much we won't go there like GM, TVR and maybe others.

 

[Driftster]

I would just like to know what they did to the Ls7 to get that power, considering it's a relatively stressed engine at the power it makes... at 600 i'd imagine it's quite a big handful of new internals and what not....Either way...nice car, but it's still just a "fast vette"

 

[ShobThaBob]

I would just like to know what they did to the Ls7 to get that power, considering it's a relatively stressed engine at the power it makes... at 600 i'd imagine it's quite a big handful of new internals and what not....Either way...nice car, but it's still just a "fast vette"

There arent too many supercars that are fast enough to beat "just a fast vette."

 

[Joey D]

This isn't a Neon SRT-4 we are talking about here (taking econ and making it meh fast), but a 200hp upgrade over and already insanely fast car. If GM gets the formula right we will have a real slayer on our hands. God I love the horsepower wars. Terriable timing with gas prices, but still the consumer benefits from it all.

 

[JCE]

All this complaining about "omg too much displacement" or "just another vette" just needs to stop. Why can't someone appreciate it for what it is, fast, fun, decent gas mileage when compaired to its competitors and it's a highly tuned factory car. I respect Japanese cars, American cars, Euro cars, and Aussie cars all equally--that makes me a real car enthusiast. If Nissan threw in the 5.6 V6 from the Titan in the '06 350Z and supercharged it I would get just as much of a chubby as a supercharged 7L Vette. Everyone that "claims" to be a car enthusiast really needs check themselves and quit being so damn close minded.

I for one like the idea of this Vette hypercar to compete with the Enzo...etc.

 

[Driftster]

JCE thank you....for calling it a hypercar...Not a Supercar...Best thing i've read so far.

 

[Duke]

It's still a valid point...

Because Americans would expect to be able to drive that Vette at 140 mph across Death Valley in summertime, not to have to treat it like a street legal hand grenade.

Think about the characteristics of the two engines though. The Ferrari's engine is a lightweight, high-tech, high-revving powerplant, whereas this Blue Devil's is gonna be a heavier, low-tech, low-revving powerplant. The Vette's engine's gonna be lazier, taking longer to come alive (even with that supercharger).

Are you kidding me? That thing's going to have enough torque to pull stumps out of your yard. It's not going to hyperjump from idle to redline in 2/10ths of a second, correct, like a roadracing V8 would. But from about 50 rpm over idle all the way up to 6,000 or so the power curve is going to be wider than Ahhnold's deltoids. Lazy is not a word I can imagine applying to this engine.

 

[Sage]

But Duke, Americans by definition are lazy – duh? Don't you ever learn anything from foreign media?! 👎