Blue Devil will be built?

Its going to take them 3 years to build this?Jeez.

 

Thats pretty cool!
I was waiting for the "retaliation" from GM about the Ford GT. I guess this is it. More power to them, but with 600hp they wont need much more

 

The problem is,in 3 years,600hp will be considered basic.Dodge has already committed to 625 in 05,650 in 06.Others will be there too.The Ford lightning will have 550 shortly.If Chevy really wanted it done,they could have it out in 05,or 06 at the latest.The power plant Im speaking of,not the "new car".At least they are taking the gloves off and fighting.Hopefully the car itself will be unique and exotic.

 

Damn! Then the 600hp CTS rumor could be true!! Sweet!!

 

Damn 650hp and 550 in a truck thats insanity, when will this madness end?
That kind of power should be reserved for supercar exotics.

 

Should be a very cool car.This certainly seems like the era of the supercar.

 

I have been fortunate enough to live and drive in the first horsepower wars of the late 60's.This one is alot better though!!

 

This is certainly most aweasome news! This car is going to be insane.

 

I hope they build it. I want one.

 

Will this be pure straight line performance, or is it going to be a great tack car?
The engine sounds awesome, but what about the handling? suspension? breaks? They've got to make a full package a la Ford GT.

 

I have had some interesting access to "the General" and many TOP executives lately there is definitely something brewing but they keep deflecting away and pointing to "Exciting new Saturn product" (there is a word combination that just doesn't work...)

 

I am hoping it is a total package. The current C5s and Z06s are good on a track. And the C6 chassis should be much better. Here is just a little about the regular C6. And it just seems like common sense to me that if the engine if getting upgraded so would most everything else.

Chassis

Corvette C6 is the result of lessons learned from C5-R’s successes on the track combined with fresh thinking about what a 21st century sports car should be. As the next logical step in the evolution of GM’s Performance Cars Architecture, it takes its robust and real- world-validated backbone structure and enhances it with completely new suspension components.

The key features of the backbone structure – low weight, high strength via hydroformed steel frame rails, cored composite floors, enclosed center tunnel, rear-mounted transmission and aluminum cockpit structure – enable C6’s top speed, world-class handling, quiet ride and fuel efficiency.

Where the structure has been shortened, it has been strengthened to enhance its crashworthiness. Optimization in key areas – front rails, front bumpers, and hood-hinges – resulted in a design that is more robust yet shorter and lighter than its predecessor.

Enhanced structure, all-new suspension

While the foundation has been enhanced, every suspension component that attaches to it has been changed – none of the suspension bits have been carried over from C5. The short-long arm and transverse leaf spring independent suspension design remains, but the control arms, springs, dampers, bushings, stabilizer bars, and steering gear are completely redesigned. The Extended Mobility Tires (EMT) are also new, taking advantage of the latest compound technology for run-flat capabilities, and play a critical role in the tuning of the suspension for maximum handling and a comfortable ride.

Smoother ride, better handling

Improvements in ride and handling include greater lateral acceleration, more body control, a more relaxing ride, less noise transmitted from the road, and better traction and stability in corners. The specific tuning changes in the chassis and suspension include suspension and steering geometry optimized for better handling and ride, advanced compounds in the tires, new directional control arm bushings, and greater suspension travel achieved through more clearance in the hub knuckles and dampers. The progressive rates of the front and rear composite leaf springs have been tuned to take advantage of the greater travel of the suspension.

The result is a Corvette that is more poised at higher limits of handling.

“It’s a much more pleasing ride,” says Mike Neal, ride and handling development engineer for the 2005 Corvette. “It’s less touchy, it’s less tuggy, it’s better isolated, it’s quieter for road noise. It’s all of those things and still a better handling car. Handling is our first priority in the Corvette.”

Suspension choices

Three suspension choices allow drivers to choose the setup that best suits their style of driving. Each of the choices (Corvette Standard, Magnetic Selective Ride Control, and Z51 Performance Package) provides outstanding handling, but each also offers drivers the ability to tailor the car’s handling traits to specific preferences.

The Standard suspension is tuned for a balance of ride comfort and precise handling. The optional F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension adds to the Standard suspension magneto-rheological dampers that are able to detect road surfaces and adjust the damping rates to those surfaces almost instantly for optimal ride and body control.

The optional Z51 Performance Package is a competition-ready system for the true performance enthusiast. It offers more aggressive dampers and springs, larger stabilizer bars, Goodyear Supercar tires with an asymmetrical tread pattern, and larger, cross-drilled brake rotors for outstanding handling performance that is still comfortable for daily driving. Beyond the suspension bits, the Z51 is a total system that takes the “regular” C6 to near-exotic levels of performance. It features gear ratios borrowed from the previous Corvette Z06 for maximum acceleration performance, and includes coolers added for the transmission and power steering systems for aggressive, track-oriented use. The result is a car that very nearly equals the Z06 in track performance – representing a tremendous value.

 

Chevy needs to kick some Ford azz,like in the old days.Im all for it.Well,they do on the Nascar circuit,but who's counting.And they did throughout the 90's with the ZR1 and then the C5.Well,they need to do some more!!

 

The Problem is no one really knows what a ZR1 is now adays.

I own 2 90 ZR1's and of course with a low production vette I have a lot of friends who own them thanks to the internet, Its the best bang for your buck these days!
Im not to crazy about the new C6 but maybe it will grow on me! I just dont see a corvette breaking the $100,000 range even thought the ZR1 was $65,000 in 90 who knows maybe there will be one that high!
theres alot of talk about the new vette im just sitting back and watching it all happen.......

 

I'll beleive this car will be built when I see it.

The fact that rumors of this car are flying arounds show how little excitement the C6 has brought to the vette community. The C5 was a really a great leap forward. The C6 got integrated headlights.....

 

I do agree that the c6 was and is a major letdown,no doubt.

 

Fellow Z owner here!

Gotta love the lt5.

 

It's not entirely the cars fault. Economics plays a factor.

The car went from $40,000 to about 50k now,

Theres a BIG difference between the two. The average guy 25-35 cannot afford one. The boom years of the 90's changed that momentarily for the C5 production run. Those were the golden years of the corvette.

I'm 26. 40k for 400bhp I can spring for but 50 is beyond me and most of my peers reach and I am well above average.

 

I have been a Corvette owner since 68,and still have my original tri-power roadster I bought new.I still have my 90 ZR1,which I paid over msrp for,and 1 of every year ZR1.I feel that the LAST GREAT vette built was the 96 G.S.I have an 03 Z06,and cant even stand to look at it.Chevy has let me down for 8 years,and is continuing with the C6.I only hope things change in the future.

 

What I remember about the C5 was......no ZR1, and for me (despite my liking the C5's looks far better than the C4's), the C5 was a disappointment (until at least the ZO6 reawakened my interest). As for the C6, I like it a lot, but I'm not saying that it suits the desires of the true blue Vette lover - at least yet. Once the performance version hits (whether it's called ZO6, Blue Devil, or Catch Me Copper), I think that will change.

 

Just curious,

How much do you want for the 03 Z?
I'm partial to them myself.

Gran sports sell for more then C5's that tells me someithng. Every time I see one I walk over and check it out.

They'll probably resurect yet another name from the past for the super dooper c6.

It'd be nice if they'd use a NEW name for once.

 

It's nice to see the "ZR-1" name again, I had a quasar blue '91 that I sold 3 years ago....miss it a lot. Very unique car with the awesome LT5 motor. It always amazes me how many vette guys don't know what a ZR-1 is. It would be great if GM would create a modern version of the LT5 in a wider bodied car, and keep the looks unique and not water it down by sharing the look with the "lesser" cars. The ZO6's are great performers, but don't look all that good. My old, heavy, outdated ZR-1 had a few simple bolt ons and made 387 rear wheel horsepower. I raced a ZO6 and beat it in a straight line, but in the twisties the ZO6 sneaked past me. But for a 10 year old car my ZR-1 was amazing, and shocked the ZO6 owner. The King of the Hill still rules in my heart....

 

From what I remember, it was the different look that caused Chevy/GM a lot of trouble (with the non ZR1 Vette crowd). So, it makes me wonder if things have finally changed (that Vette owners are finally ready for the realities of marketing and performance requirements).

 

For you ZR1 guys, according to http://www.zr1.net/ZR1_features.html, early cars were wider then C5s! Can anyone post an image for me? I tried to find one myself, but they all look the same to me .