C7 article in AutoWeek

[Tuna]

With pictures of a C6 GS Vert body.

The article [ 2014 Corvette Spied! - Autoweek ] says the C7 will have a longer wheelbase and be narrower. The pictures show a C6 body on what AW says is a C7 chassis. The front wheels are definitely forward in the wheelwells and the wheels appear to fit under the body farther..

 

[djsroknrol]

"GM design chief Ed Welburn has told Autoweek that the Stingray concept from the 2009 Detroit auto show will not be the C7. But many reports have suggested that the next Vette could get a split-window option."

I guess it's a good thing, but some elements of the concept car would be nice, especially the split window treatment.

 

[Tuna]

I'm not a fan of the split rear window so I hope it doesn't happen.
Then again, when I do buy a C7, it will probably be a convertible and it will not matter what the coupe has.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Those images have been floating around the Internet for the better part of a month before AW printed them. It's interesting to note that, other than looking a little bit more narrow and a little longer, the C7 chassis seems to fit under the C6 body quite easily.

C6 had a longer wheelbase than C5 to fit the six-speed automatic transmission. It could be that C7 will grow in length again to take an 8-speed auto.

I think AutoWeek's speculation about a twin-turbo V6 makes sense, but they'll offer the 5.5 DI, AFM, VVT V8, too.

 

[Tuna]

If an 8-sp auto is the reason for the longer wheel base, why are the front wheels farther forward in the body? Seems that the longer trans would push the rear wheels back from the driver's seat instead.

Then agan, we can't see inside this "mule" to see if they moved the seats and waterfall around any.

 

[Hib Halverson]

If an 8-sp auto is the reason for the longer wheel base, why are the front wheels farther forward in the body? Seems that the longer trans would push the rear wheels back from the driver's seat instead.

Good point. The extra length in the C6 is, indeed, in the rear.
Silly me.
I withdraw my comments.

 

[Tuna]

Unless the new C7 has the trans behind the engine instead of in the rear!

 

[02VetteCoupe]

I don't think the regular position of the tranny will return. I believe the transaxle is going to stay. If this is a C7 chassis, I think the only reason for the wheels being closer to the front would be a longer, more agressive hood style. Like the C4. However, the redesign of the C5 made 18 extra feet of road visible, so you can't even be sure that they would try the longer hood again, especially when they made viper headlights for European pedestrian laws. It would be nice to see a longer hood again, also make the car lower again, they raised the C6 by 2 inches and made it about 5 inches shorter, I'm afraid they're going to end up getting blockier looking like all cars, especially the Camaro.