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Dave Hill revealed a lot of info last weekend ...

  • Thread starter Thread starter LongTimer
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LongTimer

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Hill showed up at an event last weekend with a couple C6s. The following is second hand, but from several guys:

-The frame is definitely steel. Unless, of course, GM has found a form of aluminium that kitchen magnets stick to.

-The C6 Coupe/Vert is currently getting 7:56 around the Nordschleife at the Nurburgring.

-The C6's maximum load has gone up from the C5's 399 lbs. to 423 lbs.

-The front and rear brakes have cooling ducts under the car that also reduce aerodynamic lift.

-The C6 has a smaller frontal area than the C5.

-The C6 Coupe does not yet officially have a Coefficient of Drag of .28. They are working on it, but it still rounds off to .29. A few tweaks should bring it down enough to round off to .28

-When the high-beam halogens are on, the low-beam HIDs stay on.

-The HID low-beams have a color temperature of approximately 5500 kelvin.

-The Euro Export models have panels in the front bumper for headlamp washers and also have an additional tiny bulb in the lamp assembly to serve as a white DRL (instead of the amber turn signals that U.S. models use as a DRL.)

-The exhaust tips have holes on the inside surfaces which eliminate a high-RPM hissing noise that some people had complained about.

-The DVD Nav has two slots, one for the DVD and one for a music CD.

-Some C6es have a compass built into the rearview mirror (auto dimming mirror).

-The CHMSL surround, the outer door pulls, and the lower panel on the tail are dark black, not grey.

-The C6 is a ULEV I vehicle.

-The holes in the brake rotors for the Z51 are for looks only and give no performance benefit. Performance benefits are derived from the larger, thicker parts, and from a more aggressive lining. GM will also be providing a track-level lining through its performance parts program.

-Tapping the turn signal stalk up or down causes the car to blink the signal only three times (for lane-change purposes.) This way, you don't accidentally leave it on and you only have to actuate it once.

-The HUD is larger than in the C5.

-The seat side bolsters are vinyl, just like on later C5s, thus preventing larger and/or sloppier owners from wearing them out.

-The C6 does not have pup cats. It has regular cats, but in the pup cat position. This means mandatory removal or relocation of the cats for those who want to go to long-tube headers. (As opposed to certain years of the C5 that had cats in the conventional position with no pup cats.)

-Seals similar to those along the sides of the C5's hood have been added to the C6's trunk (both side and rear edges.)

-The manual shifter's movement has be reduced by a total of 26 mm fore and aft. The height has been reduced by 14.5 mm.

-Official 1/4 mile times are now down to 12.5 seconds at 114 MPH.

-The mysterious little button between the #1 seat settings and #2 seat settings buttons is a manual button to set everything to easy entry/exit (i.e. wheel all the way forward and seat all the way aft.)

-The Convertible's latch is operated with one handle in the center.

-The Convertible's rear speakers are directly behind the head of each seat.

-Damn near everything in the car felt great.

-The "silver" center console is painted plastic, not metal. For reference, see the silver steering wheel spokes on the new GTO.

-The most common comment heard about the seats was "Finally, seats as good as the C4's were.
 
Also from one lucky guy:

And, haven driven one (with Dave Hill in the passenger seat) last night, I can tell you that this car is definitely more than looks:
Shifter: Definitely feels more responsive with shorter throws. Felt as though 1st and 2nd were more like a Z06 tranny (and confirmed by Dave when asked).

Torque: Sure, the C6 has 50 more HP, but the real impressive SOTP feel comes from the torque. Driving through the twisties near the museum at 65 in 4th...at one point I slowed down without downshifting, and when I came back on the throttle the response was right there

Seats: Felt so much more solid than my '02. In fact, everthing just felt "tighter" (Doors, seats, steering wheel grip).

HUD and Dash: Much better projection on the HUD, and my guess is that it won't get as "washed out" with extreme sunlight. Really didn't have an opportunity last night to test.

Starter Button: I know it doesn't do anything for performance, but it was just sooooooo cool to push the button and have it rev up!
 
The Nordschleife at the Nurburgring - as we've discussed here before - is a 13 mile track containing 70 curves. The following was provided:

7:52 - Gemballa Porsche 993
7:55 - GSX-R 750 -98
7:55 - Kawasaki ZX-9R
7:56 - C6 Coupe (not Z06)
7:56 - Porsche 996 GT3 (in 2000)
7:56 - Porsche 996 Turbo (in 2000)
7:56 - NSX Type R
8:09 - Lamborghini Diablo SV
8:05 - 2002 Ferrari 575 Maranello
8:09 - Porsche 993 GT2
8:07 - Ferrari 550 Maranello
8:13 - Ferrari F355
8:19 - CTS - V

Obviously the vette team pursued an engineering refinement direction, rather than a clean sheet start with the C6. Why not? The C5 is a great car. The C6 builds on the C5 technology and did not just fix the niggy naggy things like the gas cap release location, but improve handling to an elite level while improving, or maintaining ride comfort. WOW.

BTW, don't you love the fact that Ferrari doesn't make a showroom car that can touch the C6 at the Ring !!
 
Longtimer,

Do they have current Z06 numbers for that track?
 
I understand that lots of Z06 questions were fired at Hill, but he released no new information - or stats. He confirmed that it will be a fixed roof fast back (no targa coupe) and that they are still trying to attain the "...targeted HP."

My two cents on the latter ... From everything I've heard, that would mean they are determining how much de-tuning is needed to limit the LS7 to 500 HP. Even this I can't help but doubt since the Z06 should be in showrooms early next year. There is a lot of Fed drivetrain testing required for a production engine and I have a very hard time believing that this is not well under way for the Z06.
 
Edmond said:
Longtimer,

Do they have current Z06 numbers for that track?
I saw a magazine article (Road & Track, or Car & Driver) where it was just under 8 minutes. It looks like the standard C6 is in the same league as the C5 Z06.
 
DRTH VTR said:
I saw a magazine article (Road & Track, or Car & Driver) where it was just under 8 minutes. It looks like the standard C6 is in the same league as the C5 Z06.

It would be even nicer if LongTimer would put the price on that chart too and give us a dollar per second amount! :D
 
arent two of the three quicker motorcycles?
 
bossvette said:
arent two of the three quicker motorcycles?
yes I believe so...

I guess the C6 might live up to being a C6 after all:D
 
Edmond said:
Longtimer,

Do they have current Z06 numbers for that track?
DUH ... you said "current". Haven't seen a Ring time that was definately attributed to the C5 Z06. There is one reference to "Chevrolet Corvette 8:40", but does not state year or model, modifcations if any, or driver experiance. Conditions and drivers can vary times significantly at the Ring. Hill's drivers have spent MANY hours in C6 development at the Ring, so we should expect them to be able to get the most from the chassis and you can bet that this (7:56) was the best time they ever recorded.

Hill has repeatedly stated that the C6 coupe track times are very close to those of a C5 Z06. He usually leaves the impression that the C5 Z06 is just a bit quicker. Last year C&D did some indipendant testing by switching tires and wheels on C5s with base, magnetic shocks, Z51, and Z06 cars. On a short course the Z51 with the Z06 tires and wheels was VERY close to the Z06.
 
LongTimer said:
I understand that lots of Z06 questions were fired at Hill, but he released no new information - or stats. He confirmed that it will be a fixed roof fast back (no targa coupe) and that they are still trying to attain the "...targeted HP."

My two cents on the latter ... From everything I've heard, that would mean they are determining how much de-tuning is needed to limit the LS7 to 500 HP. Even this I can't help but doubt since the Z06 should be in showrooms early next year. There is a lot of Fed drivetrain testing required for a production engine and I have a very hard time believing that this is not well under way for the Z06.
WOW! that's huge news...C6 ZO6 "in showrooms early next year".

They are announcing the car in Janaury at the Detroit auto show. That's really big news.

I was under the impression that the C6 ZO6 release for sale was the same as the C6 only a year later.

Very exciting news!!

Bob
 
I have seen nothing that indicates the C6 Z06 will be in showrooms any earlier than any other 06 MY car. I suspect it will be in showrooms in the fall with the rest of the cars, though I expect to see pictures and performance info in advance like we've seen in the C6 coupe and vert.
 
Ok, no one has committed to a delivery date yet on the Z06, but why show the car in Jan and release 9-12 months later. They needed to get the C6 out there because they were losing security on the car anyway and they needed more real world testing. The Z06 is a bit less of a secret than the "C6", so they should be trying to capitalize on the January publicity by getting it into the showrooms as quickly as possible - maybe not Jan or Feb, but by spring - after it kicks lots of magazine comparo bu++.
 
While I appreciate all the information you have provided in regards to the C6, why spread disinformation through speculation?
 
Gorgon said:
While I appreciate all the information you have provided in regards to the C6, why spread disinformation through speculation?
I think you should read more carefully before criticizing or drawing incorrect conclusions. What I said was ...

My two cents on the latter ... From everything I've heard, that would mean they are determining how much de-tuning is needed to limit the LS7 to 500 HP. Even this I can't help but doubt since the Z06 should be in showrooms early next year. There is a lot of Fed drivetrain testing required for a production engine and I have a very hard time believing that this is not well under way for the Z06.
Perhaps you aren't aware that the American slang "My two cents" clearly implies an opinion and not a presentation of fact. Additionally I said "should" be in the showrooms, not "will" be in the showrooms.
 
While I'm aware of what "my two cents" implies, the term "should" refers to a leads one to believe that you had a little more information that you actually did and is not opinion based. Should refers to what is probable or expected, and while you may expect the Z06 to be in showrooms in the spring I believe this is not the case.

And while we're on semantics, is it also your opinion that they have to "detune" to get 500hp in the Z06? That the new engine is putting out so much power that GM will need to detune to get the magic 500hp mark? If I've heard anything it's that they have more work to do to get MORE power out...
 
I feel I clearly differentiated the paragraphs between fact (para 1) and opinion (para 2). You don't like my posts? .. don't read them. ...or if the majority of posters here perfer me not to contribute I will leave. For now, my take is that you don't read carefully enough.

Regarding HP. Hill has implied once or twice that they are "...doing their best to hit the HP target" for the Z06.

... again IT IS MY OPINION (this whole paragraph): ...that the LS7 is easily capable of HP well in excess of the 500 HP target. However, there are other targets that accompany the HP target that impact the tuning of the engine. We here are not privy to these targets (i.e. emissions, gas milage, components cost, torque, etc) and they may be causing production HP target challenges that may result in changes in targets - but my bet is the 500HP will stay. IT carries too much great PR to lose. It is also possible that we are hearing a standard PR line and the Z06 engine may be finished and ready.

Now FACT:
While discussing the ugly front LP mount, one confirmed vette engineer on another forum asked ..."what more do you want, we give you 500HP and an aluminum frame, and you want a good looking LP bracket too?" Take that for what it's worth.
 
I take it that the pictures of the LP bracket are fact not fiction?
 

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