Time for this month's installment of Corvette Blue Devil speculation
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Chevrolet general manager Ed Pepers spoke up at the Chicago Auto Show and mentioned that the brand is looking at adding a model with "more horsepower" than the current Z06-- noting the current über-Vette's popularity, and subsequent difficulty of keeping them in stock (presumably, GM would like more problems of this sort).
This could be taken as an acknowledgement that there's more to be had from the current Z06, but there's enough paperwork floating around sites like DigitalCorvette.com about an "LS9" that it's almost impossible at this point to deny that the Blue Devil (or whatever you want to call it) program exists at some level. The latest rumor is that the LS9 might be a DOHC design. Of course, that might just be a typo on a data transfer request (other documents seem to clearly indicate that the LS9 will be supercharged).
Regardless of how this new engine breathes, GM has clearly not been sitting on its ass with regards to the last two generations of Corvette, and as such, we fully expect something faster to come along in a few more years. Until that happen... we'll continue to enjoy the speculation.
[A tip o' the hat goes out to Keith at CorvetteBlogger.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Name Withheld 10:37AM (2/15/2006)
This car does exist. I play tennis with a NVH engineer from GM's Milford proving ground. He has driven the car to work out some bugs. His words, "This car is very special".
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Noah 10:59AM (2/15/2006)
You know a engine can be both DOHC -AND- supercharged.
I'd like to see a V10 with two or four overhead cams and continuously variable valve timing, but that might just be a little too high-tech for the general.
Something in the around 7.5L or 8L would be good, perhaps a little smaller than the current 6L if it were supercharged. Silky smooth and yet brutal.
Oh sorry this is starting to sound a little too modern, ok how about they just drop in a supercharged 8.1L V8.
But, that said I imagine they already have something on the road being worked on.
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Proud Japanese 11:13AM (2/15/2006)
It's still a POS corvette. See what the japanese think of your precious vette
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/32541728-1038-47E5-BBB7-24BE91DF3FE5.htm
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uh huh.. right.. 11:30AM (2/15/2006)
Yet, we have yet to see a Japanese sportscar (that's not suped up by some ricer punk) with the same ammount of performance for half the price of it's competitors.
When they can develop one and sell it, then I'll take you seriously. Right now.. you're all talk.
Z06 rules and so will the Blue Devil.
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james 11:38AM (2/15/2006)
Im sorry but that movie doesnt prove anything. That someone thinks the s2000 is the ultimate car and the corvette is not even comparable? Dont get me wrong I think the S2000 is a heck of a car but please offer up anything more concrete than that video.I need numbers, facts, expert opinions, dyno charts, et cetera. Please please if youre going to add something make it worthwile.
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Thomas Revin 11:52AM (2/15/2006)
The car looks great ... maybe it will stand a chance agains japanese cars
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dejal 12:24PM (2/15/2006)
#3. RX-7?
What model is the Vette, C4, C5 or C6? AND, did the monkey in the video actually test drive them or spent all his time making a nice pink tipped pyramid?
I can play the same game as him. I put a Lambo Diablo at the top of the list, the rest are just crap.
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rrudorf 12:25PM (2/15/2006)
personally I could not care any less what the japanese think regrarding any issue, topic or concern.
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Dreamer 12:27PM (2/15/2006)
The new style Vette is still mising something. I am in the 30something age group. We like precision, and new- improved design (German cars). Give us something that looks like the Vette but has German engineering in it and we will look at it. But all I think about when I hear Corvette is "middle age, balding going 0 to 60 after getting an ice-cream cone, and saying "WOW, now that was great hunny!".
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Lee Gibson 12:32PM (2/15/2006)
Name a stock Japanese car that can get around a racetrack as fast as a stock Z06.
There may well be a factory-tuned NSX or Skyline that's pretty darn close, or maybe even a bit faster (although I'd be surprised), but those cars are going to cost twice as much.
Seriously...there are some great Japanese cars, but very few great Japanese sports cars, and the Vette blows the doors off of any of them.
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Proud Japanese 12:38PM (2/15/2006)
#4, #6, #7 - The show is called Best MOTORing. They have current and retired JGTC racing drivers test out different cars. If you don't call their opinions expert, then you must have some high standards. He called the vette "dangerous" because of it's rubbish handling and suspension.
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Proud Japanese 12:44PM (2/15/2006)
#6 - It was a C6. He opened the hood to reveal the LS2 engine.
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Paul 12:53PM (2/15/2006)
7. The new style Vette is still mising something. I am in the 30something age group. We like precision, and new- improved design (German cars). Give us something that looks like the Vette but has German engineering in it and we will look at it. But all I think about when I hear Corvette is "middle age, balding going 0 to 60 after getting an ice-cream cone, and saying "WOW, now that was great hunny!".
Dreamer,
Sounds like you speak for the entire generation.
What makes the german cars so great is that they break down routinely and yet people like you still love them. Advertising is a beautiful thing.
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Paul 12:59PM (2/15/2006)
9. #4, #6, #7 - The show is called Best MOTORing. They have current and retired JGTC racing drivers test out different cars. If you don't call their opinions expert, then you must have some high standards. He called the vette "dangerous" because of it's rubbish handling and suspension.
Proud Japanese,
What are you talking about. Rubbish handling? Who are these stupid JGTC drivers anyway. Say what you will about the corvette but you would have to be a moron to say it doesnt handle. The Japanese hate american products anyway so their opinions are always biased.
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Please, no German engineering... 1:21PM (2/15/2006)
I've had enough German engineering to last me a while. I'll take a reliable car instead. I'm not saying the Vette couldn't be a bit more refined, but I'd like to hear a price tag on it first, it's entirely possible it's just not something I'm willing to pay for.
I'm going to have to take exception with this JGTC driver. Besides, dangerous handling didn't stop Lotus from selling a lot of 1st gen Elises or TVR a fair number of .
Now, to jump in the insult war, JGTC drivers stink. It's more a series for aggresive club racers with connections to money than anything else. It's like British Touring Car versus DTM or even SCCA (Speed) Touring Car/GT.
Back to the original topic of the car, I don't get why everyone is calling for an overhead cam engine. If you can't get that overhead cam engine up to about 8,500 or more rpms, you'll never make enough power to make up for the extra size and weight. And as far as I know, no one makes a 9,000rpm V8 or bigger for the street, right? The Enzo redlines at 8,200rpm.
A blower on a pushrod (2-valve, probably) V8 engine, maybe with the cam phasing seems like enough for me. Why make it more complex than it needs to be, that just adds weight and more breakdowns.
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Team ZR-1 1:41PM (2/15/2006)
. It's still a POS corvette. See what the japanese think of your precious vette
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Hey japboy you have less then a clue what a real sports car should feel like much less drives like. Hell in your country going 35 MPH is super fast.
Not one time when you all thought you could race us with those riceballs against our Corvettes you went home with the raising sun shoved up your Ass
Real funny your country ships a NSX with a turbo to the USA, a whole crew, parts, even your own TV personal to a Open Road Race in Nevada, 100 miles of public road to haul ass.
One year you hot shots left the starting line, got about 6 miles and engine broke. You all cried and whined for a 2nd run ( which no one ever gets) and we gave it to you.
Then you run the 2nd time and this time get 10 miles and run fricking out of gas.
That was in 1998 and to this day not one of your hot so called sports cars has ever one one of these ORRs.
Not even in the touring class which is only 110 MPH speed average where us with Corvettes run 140 to 220 MPH.
Bring on that hot riceball, I'll be glad to bury it on any type of real racing ( drifting is not racing :-)
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G 1:49PM (2/15/2006)
A new hotter Z06? Not be be a party pooper, but who f-in' cares? How bout GM starts cranking out enough Z06's to even come close to meeting demand? Maybe then cut down on the $20,000 "dealer market adjustment" fees so people can actually obtain a a Z06 for the promised price in a timely manner. Or maybe building cars that everyone will drool over but no one can buy is just another part of GM's brilliant business scheme.
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Proud Japanese 1:50PM (2/15/2006)
#13 - The person in the video is "Keiichi Tsuchiya", here's some info on him
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiichi_Tsuchiya
The important bit - "He would continue to take part in the Japanese Formula 3, Japanese Touring Car championship, the latter whilst driving a Nissan Skyline GT-R in the Group A championship and later a Honda Civic in the Supertouring car championship. He went on to score a class win and a top 10 place at the 1995 24 hours of Le Mans in a Honda NSX."
I wouldn't exactly call him a stupid JGTC driver or a moron.
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Team ZR-1 1:51PM (2/15/2006)
Back to the original topic of the car, I don't get why everyone is calling for an overhead cam engine. If you can't get that overhead cam engine up to about 8,500 or more rpms, you'll never make enough power to make up for the extra size and weight. And as far as I know, no one makes a 9,000rpm V8 or bigger for the street, right? The Enzo redlines at 8,200rpm.
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Not sure where your getting a engine is not good unless it redlines above 8,500 RPM,s try and find a pushrod V8 engine that does that in stock form.
The LT-5 in the ZR-1 I've run at 8,000 rev limiter just fine. GM won a ton of racing with the olds DOHC and the Northstar in the Caddie has a supercharger and even at only 4.4 liter put out over 460 HP.
Several ZR-1s run in the 8's at the drag strip so DOHC Corvettes do make power.
A blower on a pushrod engine of today's design, stock, means El BOOMO, you will fry pistons, blow head gaskets and even crack aluminum blocks, see it all the time with LSx engines.
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mw 2:33PM (2/15/2006)
Proud Japanese, you need to get your facts straight. The corvette continually proves in racing AROUND THE WORLD that it is FAR superior to any other sports car remotely in its price range. Proof? How about 4 victories in the last 5 years at Le Mans with the C6-R, beating Audi and Aston Martin entries, among others. When was the last time a Japanese entry was that dominant? I'll give you a clue....never! The silly thing is, the C6-R had to be built with some inferior components (steel chassis compared to aluminum, etc)compared to a $65,800 Z06, to conform to rules and regulations. And your JGTC drivers? When were they even going fast enough in their POS cars to even test out the handling? LOL
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