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Americans getting serious.

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by Wickeddeus, Dec 17, 2003.

  1. Wickeddeus

    Wickeddeus Karting

    Nov 12, 2003
    63
    #1 Wickeddeus, Dec 17, 2003
    From: AutoWeek

    What the Devil's going on? Corvette team said to be working on Ford GT fighter

    By BOB GRITZINGER



    THE 2005 C6 CORVETTE hasn’t even been officially introduced, but the Corvette development team is already hard at work on future, high-performance variants, including a wild 600-plus horsepower Ford GT-fighter known internally as “Blue Devil.”

    While chief engineer Dave Hill has publicly announced the Z06 version of the next-gen Vette due in 2005 will have 500 hp, his engine team wasn’t sure until recently that they could actually achieve that impressive figure. Sources now say that it will be a case of “nothing beats cubic inches” with 95 extra horses (compared to today’s 405-hp Z06) coming as a result of boring and stroking the next-gen Chevy small-block V8 to 427 cubic inches—7.0 liters. Not since the late-1960s has that magic number of cubes been under a Corvette’s composite hood (though there were some 454s along the way).

    More important, Chevy is clearly investigating an ultra-performance Corvette designed to do battle with—and conquer—the mid-engined GT from rival Ford, as well as many supercars from across the pond. Called Blue Devil (no one knows why it has that name—could it be Chevy hopes to bedevil Ford’s blue oval?), unofficial stats make the name seem appropriate. Reportedly producing 625 hp, Blue Devil’s initial power will come from a supercharged 427 engine—and it will use lightweight carbon fiber for key body parts, reducing weight by several hundred pounds to drop the super C6 to about 2900 pounds.

    The price indicated on the internal documents is $100,000 for Blue Devil, if and when it actually makes production in 2006—at the earliest. We wonder whether the Devil’s chances of seeing light are further improved following product czar Bob Lutz’s comments that he’d like to see a Chevy-badged car like the 2002 Cadillac Cien concept.

    General Motors officials aren’t connecting the dots and saying this is a “go,” but the high-performance heart of Blue Devil is the kind of specialized, high-content engine project envisioned for the General’s new Performance Build Center set to open shop next year in Wixom, Michigan. The center is intended to attack projects with “a sort of race team mentality,” says Ed Koerner, vice president of GM Powertrain engineering operations.

    Patterned after low-volume race shops, the center could build up to 10,000 powerplants per year for very specific, high-end, high-performance GM vehicles. Koerner says engines from the shop should appear in showroom vehicles by 2005.
     
  2. Gary(SF)

    Gary(SF) F1 Rookie

    Oct 13, 2003
    3,637
    Los Altos Hills, CA
    Full Name:
    Gary B.
    #2 Gary(SF), Dec 17, 2003
    Wow. Nobody loves ultra-high performance cars more than I do, but this horsepower race is starting to worry me. With all these 500 and 600 hp cars running around, how long will be it be before the Feds decide enough is too much, and cap the horsepower like Japan?

    Gary
     
  3. andrew911

    andrew911 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 8, 2003
    2,863
    Northern NJ
    #3 andrew911, Dec 17, 2003
    It's true- the horsepower wars are going on now- it dwarfs the 1960's horsepower wars. In fact, the only 1960's engine that makes enough NET horsepower (as opposed to the over-inflated gross HP numbers that used to be used) to impress someone today was probably the original HEMI (the real HEMI, not the new dodge HEMI's of today that are nothing more than a strong engine with a catchy marketing name on them)...maybe some of the tri-carb chrysler 440s and GM 427s too.

    Anyway, my guess is the insurance companies will start to use the high HP as an excuse to up the preiums like they did in the 1960's, which will decrease sales somewhat of these ultra-high powered cars. They will probably become lower-volume image cars, but then again I do see a lot of Z-06 corvettes on the road by me.

    And I was so impressed when the 550 came out with 485hp.... :) To tell you the truth, I liked it better when 485hp was impressive- it still is, but not as impressive when these cars have 500, 600+ hp... If I had the money, I would always take a 550 over the others though as Ferraris are not only about absolute HP and acceleration, to me anyway.
     
  4. noony

    noony F1 Veteran

    Nov 25, 2003
    5,903
    Seoul
    Full Name:
    Johnathan
    #4 noony, Dec 17, 2003
    A familiar name, wickeddus on flat-6 though isn't it? ;)
     
  5. Bilal

    Bilal Rookie

    Dec 19, 2003
    10
    #5 Bilal, Dec 19, 2003
    TWO WORDS: NOSE HEAVY...

    Secondly, you cannot sanitise and exploit properly 600+Hp if your car weighs more than 1400kgs...the SLR is another story...
     
  6. racedecknc

    racedecknc Karting

    Nov 24, 2003
    198
    Winston Salem
    Full Name:
    Ed
    #6 racedecknc, Dec 19, 2003
    Actually, the C5 is almost perfect 50-50 weight distribution. The C6 will be even better, I'd bet on it.

    Its a front engine (almost entirely aluminum and plastic) rear transaxle design built on one hell of a frame.

    Its not a Ferrari in the looks/ mystique dept, but it is not a slouch by any means. Don't underestimate one on the track, you will probably regret it.

    Ed
     
  7. carguy

    carguy F1 Rookie

    Oct 30, 2002
    3,307
    Alabama (was Mich.)
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    Jeff
    #7 carguy, Dec 19, 2003
    I was recently invited to a private gathering of auto enthusiasts in a "secret" location......actually a person's "garage" with over 100 cars in it. He has everything from Ferraris to Rolls to Isotta Franchinis...a truly incredible place and I felt very lucky to be invited. Anyways....there was an engineer there who is part of the Ford GT program and he basically confirmed what Wickeddeus has stated. Chevy is working on a super-vette project, kinda like a modern version of the ZR-1. And he said they were working very hard to keep the price to $100k or less. It sounds very promising to say the least.

    And on the subject of horsepower wars....yes it kinda scares me too. I agree you can never have too much power. But a car that truly makes over 500 hp is pretty scary to the average driver. Oh you always hear the talk of big hp, but a car with a true 500+hp is quite a handful. The Enzo with it's 650hp just blows my mind. Who would have thought that we would ever exceed the old muscle car days by such a wide margin? And the top dog being the Bugatti Veyron with it's other-worldly
    987hp....!!! I really can't believe there isn't some kind of regulation about an OEM car maker producing that kind of power for the street. I think it's gonna come crashing down soon.....

    But until it does.....these are the "good ol'e days"
     
  8. TCM

    TCM Formula Junior

    Nov 10, 2003
    552
    Tyngsborough, MA
    #8 TCM, Dec 19, 2003
    carguy:

    I have actually heard the oppisite. A good friend of mine was speaking to one of the head of GM engineering and was told this is very false. The new Z06 will be a monster, but there is no such thing as a "blue devil". Too bad, as I think if General put their knowledge into it, you could have a car that would be better then the McLaren F1.
     
  9. WILLIAM H

    WILLIAM H Three Time F1 World Champ

    Nov 1, 2003
    34,891
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    HUBBSTER
    #9 WILLIAM H, Dec 20, 2003
    Yes there are some great US cars now like the Z06, Viper, S7 & the Mosler. I heard the new Z06 will have 500 hp & a cf body. I'm still considering getting an F40 in 05 but we'll see what else comes around the corner between now & then.

    My race car weighs 2800 # with 475 hp & thats bloody terrifying. I think people should be required to get special training at the minimum before getting the keys to a monster like these.
     

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