Corvette to Go Smaller, Lighter? All in the Name of Green?

[YSSMAN]

The war for ever-faster, more powerful cars may be drawing to a close. Fuel economy regulations and simple practicality are beginning to make the push for more horsepower unrealistic. Chevrolet’s Corvette is a perfect example - the 2009 ZR-1 revealed at the Detroit auto show makes 650hp and tops out at 200mph - and its designers are already eying ways to keep performance levels the same as the current generation while improving fuel efficiency.

The new ZR-1 is an absolute monster, putting out supercar power for sports car prices. Pushing the envelope even further is beginning to seem a bit ridiculous, especially without similar advances in handling. After all, the power output of the Corvette has grown by almost 50% over the last ten years while handling performance has made only incremental increases. Perhaps shifting focus to efficiency - and hence light weight, which contributes to better handling through quicker transitional ability among other things, is overdue.

Though it’s hard to argue the fact that less power and less weight might make for livelier handling and a similar power-to-weight ratio, it’s a different formula for performance. The executives at Chevrolet are already talking about the redesign due in 2012 - and a serious diet is in store, reports Automotive News. Losing 300-400lbs and 150hp, which is what is currently being considered, would leave a weaker pounds per horsepower ratio. Knocking the Corvette from its current 3200lb, 430hp/505hp (Coupe/Z06) size to a more Cayman-S like 2800-2900lbs and 280-350hp might make for more efficiency, but it’ll also make for less fun. Power for the lighter, less powerful Corvette would come from a more efficient 4.7L V8, although exact fuel consumption figures are not known. The outgoing models get around 16mpg city and 26mpg highway.

Is a lighter, less powerful Corvette still a Corvette? Will it be able to deliver the experience its buyers have sought and loved, especially over the past decade? And will moving it to a smaller, less powerful state move it into competition with even less-expensive sports cars like the Honda S2000 or the Nissan 350Z, which both sport similar power-to-weight ratios to the postulated Corvette Coupe? Only time will tell, but it’s hard to feel excited about the move to ‘greener’ pastures.

This is something that has been rumored on GMI for some time, particularly after GM announced that Kappa production was shifting to Bowling Green. I'm not against it, personally. Cutting the weight, in theory, should add to the performance despite the relative drop in power. You really don't need much more than 300 BHP to be fast (see the 911 and such), but of course, not having the 400-500 BHP V8 just doesn't seem "right" in a Corvette...

We'll see, I'm not opposed to it.

 

[Formula1Driver]

I dont know what to think, the ZR-1 is going to be amazingly powerful, but then again 650BHP is alot of BHP. Just knowing you have that much power is probably a great feeling, and when you get a Corvette or any kind of sports/super car, the first thing people ask you is, "How fast does it go?" Not, "Does it get good mileage?"

 

[Keef]

I think it could work. It's wouldn't be hard, though maybe expensive, to get a smaller Corvette down below 3000 pounds. The key to that is making the car smaller, and then little details could take it even further. But we all know Corvettes are already pretty small overall, and there's not much room to make it smaller. Heck, the C6 is quite a bit smaller than the C5. But I really do think losing a few hundred pounds and having an engine with between 350 and 400 horsepower would be a formula for intense performance that's better than what's offered right now. A 2800 pound car with the equivalent of the LS7 probably wouldn't be very far behind the new ZR1 until the speeds got well into the high 100s. Plus it could have much more agile handling. And probably and awful ride.

 

[JCE]

The Corvette started out in life as a simple sports car with an anemic V6 engine, and it has grown into its own power filled straight-line performance animal. It recieved an evolution with the C5 in the handling department--while still maintaining the brute power moniker. Now even the REMOTE thought of a less powerful and smaller Corvette makes my skin crawl. They could EASILY just keep the current proportions and improve the technology in the drivetrain and suspension to achieve what would make everyone happy. Would I be opposed to a twin turbo 6cyl setup? No. Would I be opposed to a high revving 4.x litre V8? No. Would I be opposed to the Corvette being converted into a "poor man's Porsche"? Yes.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Looks like the Vette will go back its old original design element and purpose. A lazy boulevard cruiser.

Chevrolet Corvette [C1] roadster '53

-> Oh wait! We have that car already!

Saturn Sky Red Line

^ Sorry if I put the Sky instead of the Solstice, I never like the Solstice anyway.

-> Actually, this is my favorite:

Daewoo G2X

^ A Daewoo-branded Sky!

 

[YSSMAN]

I think the problem is that even the folks on Team Corvette don't know what they want to do. One minute they're continuing the current course and updating the Y-Body again, the next they're going mid-engined, then they're considering a Kappa/Alpha downsizing...

I'm not completely opposed to the idea as long as we keep V8s as standard fare, but as always, I'd love to hear solid details before saying that I'm 110% convinced it is the right course.

Like JCE said, the Corvette already achieves pretty spectacular fuel economy ratings as-is, and it wouldn't take much to fiddle with current technology to make it that much better. Quite frankly, I'm shocked that the Corvette hasn't gone DIG with cylinder-deactivation yet... Furthermore, where is the E85 capability? They've got prototypes, why not production?

We're still four years away from anything "solid" on the next Corvette. A lot can change in that rather vast expanse of time...

 

[JCE]

DIG with cylinder-deactivation would completely be even more awsome for the Corvette. I strongly believe with its humungoid (new word) tall 6th gear it could just reach north of 30mpg with the current engine displacement. Now, I am in strong favor of a twin-turbo 3.6L V6 from the CTS for the next gen Vette. I could only imagine the power that thing would have--plus the fuel economy bonus with DIG and cylinder-deactivation.

But as it stands, going smaller doesn't automatically mean better fuel ratings...I hope GM realizes this.

 

[Jim Prower]

The Corvette started out in life as a simple sports car with an anemic V6 engine...

Inline Six. V6s didnt' come out En-Masse 'till the '60s

 

[JohnBM01]

My knock on the C6 is that the car could have been designed more closely to the C6 than designing its looks poorly. I always thought the C6 should have been even more of a smaller C5 in looks. Maybe make the standard headlights (I dislike retractable headlights. Never liked them or wanted them) more like the C5-R race car.

As far as the Corvette being shrunken and lighter, it's still a performance advantage. The Corvette lineup is the ultimate offering from Chevrolet for Chevy lovers. I've always referred to it as the "in-between muscle car." Is it a muscle car for its wicked engine and somewhat heavy weight? Or is it a sports car that can easily take on any high-end sports car from Europe? I still think you're getting a Corvette even if they shrunk it down to the size of a Honda Fit/City/Jazz. If it's all in the sake of being green and being better accepted among the green types, then I'm sure GM can do all they can in R&D and all that to make it better. You know the boys and girls at GM are going to expend as much of their money as possible to make their flagship car into whatever the hell they want it to be. This is even if they make it a hatchback with an Inline-4 with FWD (guess how many sports car types would scoff at GM if they did this). Can GM acheive these sorts of feats to make this deal happen? They can, and probably will. I'm not going to be mad at GM for screwing up the Corvette for absolutely lower standards than what this flagship sports car is.