GM's V8 Production Down by Half - Should Next Gen Corvette Adopt a V6 to Keep Up with the Times?

[warren s]

No for the V6.

I would rather see a standard 2 valve per cylinder cam in block V8.

Corvettes always represented a value advantage over competitors, having a more complex and most likely more expensive engine would erode that margin.

A larger displacement V6 with a big turbo could work, like in the 1987 Buicks, and the after market would ramp up quickly to support the modifications that many Corvette owners would want to do to their cars, BUT....GM needs to sell cars, not take gambles. I think the majority of new Corvette buyers would be put off by the V6 and look elsewhere. Also, GM and the Chevy Corvette isn't exactly the poster child for quality control. A newly designed drive train with added complexity isn't the move to make in a shaky economy with lagging sales.

 

[vettebrate]

What? Are we running out of things to talk about? Some say that there is no such thing as a dumb question. This ("Should The Next Gen Corvette Keep Up With The Times And Adopt A V6?"), my friends, is a dumb question. IMHO, only an idiot would bother to ask this question. Perhaps GM Management are idiots, I don't know, but to change these gears would be a really stupid thing to do. If they want to create a new model based on that philosophy, that's fine, but leave the Vette alone!

 

[UK-Sub]

We don't need no stinking V6's.......put a blower on a 5.3 if you have to, but certain things don't need messed with.......8 is great! :cool

Very eloquently put! and completely right Huskerman!

 

[xfirefighterx]

V8 vs V6 Different kind of horsepower.

The thing that is forgotten is that yes V6's are achieving a lot of
horsepower out of 6 cylinders but they are different kind of horsepower. The
Corvette v8 delivers 400+ ft. lbs of torque. This is what gives Corvette it's
hard packing punch when you push down on the accelerator. Why is it the
$200,000+ cars that can outperform us on the open road all have V10s or V12s?
Torque + Horsepower = A winner. Supercharging is the future. Thanks for reading
my opinion. (Corvette owner since 1977)

A source at General Motors has told Edmunds Inside Line that GM's engine production data indicate that GM produced 500,000 fewer V8 engines in 2011 than it did five years earlier in 2006.

Source: GM's V8 Production Down by a Half-Million in Past Five Years

With the success of V6 engines such as BMW's inline-6, as well as other notable V6 engines from other automakers, should the C7 Corvette get with the times and adopt a V6 engine, or should it stick with the heavier, less fuel efficient V8?

Cast your vote above and tell us what you think!

 

[Rob]

Another response via email:

Guys....BMWs I-6 is NOT a V6 and never has been. Mercedes and other luxury

brands have introduced successful smooth V6 engines in recent years. Read

what you wrote and you will see the error in the first sentence of the

second paragraph.

HD2KC162

 

[DRIVEJUNK]

Don't think so...

I had a first generation Taurus SHO, Ford ruined them with a slower, less reliable V8. Then a 96 Impala SS, another icon ruined with FWD. V6 Corvette? Anybody remember what a huge success the 4 cylinder Camaros were?

Don't mess with success. Economy? My Z06 gets 24MPG on the road. 100% rock solid dependable. Many "cute utes" can't do that.

V6 in a Corvette? Why not propellers on a Lear?

 

[Rob]

In response to another email....sigh....yes....we know there is a difference between a V6 and an Inline-6. However, how many cylinders do both V6 and Inline-6 engine have? SIX

So yes, we read the email we sent out, and the question stands as valid. Sorry if we were not specific enough and stated "6-cylinder engine". :eyerole

 

[USA1Z06]

I voted N0, But!

I voted no to a V6 but I was assuming all V6 and no V8's at all. If V8's were still available, if V8 is wanted then I have no problem if V6's were the base engine. I still want my V8. In other words if I can have my V8 you can have your V6.

 

[SolidLifters]

Not no, HELL NO.

Chevrolet has made some truly bone headed decisions with the Corvette over the years and as a result sales numbers have fluctated all over the place. One that comes to mine was making the '91 ZR1 Corvette so externally similar to the standard car which cost half, thus killing the ZR. The guy who was going to plunk down 60K plus for a Corvette in the early 90's wanted it to be distinguished from the base model by more than the subtle difference of slightly wider rear quarters, tag opening and an emblem, not noticeable by most people. The Ferrari someone listed is a prime example. Although they did in fact make a 6 cyl Dino in the '70s they never gained popularity until just recently. The enthusiasts/spectators never seemed to really grasp the 6 cyl Corvette GTP race car. Even going back to John Delorean, his car could have been a commercial success with an appropriate powerplant, but the 6 cyl Pugeot engine was embarrasing when the hood was raised.

What Chevrolet needs to do to continue to market the Corvette successfully is to continue with a base V8 and then have serious upgrades similar to the current ZR1 but with very significant and noticeable cosmetic differences. Again, they could stand to pay attention to Ferrari, whose styling over the years has changed drastically when climbing the ladder in given years from entry level to top of the line. Ford has made much better decisions with the Mustang as far as differentiating between the base car and the Shelby 500. Meet a Mustang on the road and there's no problem seeing the difference. One day this month a friend with multiple Corvettes and I were going to lunch and saw a Corvette with a dealer drive out tag on the back. He commented that it "might have been" a ZR1 (we didn't get a glimpse of the hood) which as far as I know nobody in town owns yet. I couldn't tell either at a glance. I think that presently there are way too many bean counters and non enthusiast college boys at GM and too few car guys. I'm sure there are a dedicated team of powertrain engineers looking to the future, but for every one of them there seems to be 1000 others trying to figure out how to replace something metal with platic to save a nickel a car.

REAL CAR GUYS will never embrace a V6 powered Corvette. Some of the yuppie/lawyer/accountant types may buy one but there aren't enough of them who would be potential buyers to make up for what they'd lose otherwise. I wouldn't buy a 6 cyl Corvette if it had 750 horsepower. Overall it would be a brand killer. I hope we NEVER see it, even as a base engine with V8 options also available.

As a side note, the new Chevelle concept car that looks like a Toyota Celica is downright insulting to the Chevelle marque. I hope the GM marketeers pull their heads out of their posterior and shoot that project between the eyes, or at least degrading the Chevelle heritage by so badging that econobox.

 

[JimB]

Adopting a V6

A few years ago I would have said absolutely not. Now I'm not quite so sure. The technology has advanced a great deal in just the last few years and performance is now something that wouldn't have been believed not so long ago. My wife has a Volkswagen Jetta with a puny little 1.8 Liter turbo and I'm not sure that it wouldn't spank my 76 with a L48 350 V8. I'm impressed to say the least. Also, I think it would give Corvette an opportunity to come back into the hands of the people who originally loved it, the working man. They are so expensive now that only a very few can afford one. That includes me and I would love to own a new Vet.

 

[enviroaw]

Stay with the 8

It is true that other cars from around the world have done great things with small engines... Pound for pound the Corvette is the most reliable and cheapest world class sport car to own. You got love the growl and power without blowers. A Corvette with a V6 is like a belly ring on a big woman.... "It just don't belong"

 

[vetmaniac]

Not no, HELL NO.

REAL CAR GUYS will never embrace a V6 powered Corvette.

REAL CAR GUYS can spot the difference between a ZR1 and any other C6 in a millisecond. And REAL CAR GUYS know that GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is a performance car's biggest enemy.

 

[bcherry85]

Not

We all here bought our vette's for 1. the look .. 2. well its a power house . Poor fuel economy -well I didn't buy a corvette for the fuel mileage . You want MPG go buy a V6 camaro wussy boy .

 

[ridste]

Add DFI and make twin turbos an option, there are ways to make the 6.2 more fuel efficient.

 

[Rob]

More responses via email:

Thank you for the article, it's pretty clear
reading the posts from the diehard Corvette fan base that they consider ditching
the V8 as a fate worse than death. They need to wake up and stop being stick in
the mud traditionalists.
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
Although I love the Corvette, and more still
the genius of the current LS engine range, GM must consider a new drive train
for Corvette to compete and beat it's younger rivals.[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
GM have the technology to produce a powerful twin turbo, direct injection V6 that
can top the likes of Nissan, that is lighter, more fuel efficient, with much
better response than the current V8's and V8 supercharged engines.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
INDY Cars use turbo V6 engines, so why all
the fear surrounding Corvette engines?[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
GM
. . .Just do it ![/FONT]

Corvette should maintain it's inegrity and heritige! Keep the V8 and the 427
V8. Please, don't follow the Euro's!!/quote]

[SIZE=+0][FONT=georgia,serif]I ain't buying
no V6 vette!!! But, I know they can make big number [/FONT][/SIZE]with the proper turbos etc. Just wouldn't seem right in a vette to me.

It would be like that Harley powered yellow roadster in Hot Rod this month. Just ain't right! lol

 

[mikep3]

No, make smaller V8 LS engine

Smaller LS V8 might attract some buyers. The current C6 is a large car compared to its offshore cars. Gets better MPG and less cost, why do we need a $12K 400HP V6?

 

[vetmaniac]

The Germans were dumb enough to start two World Wars. ad How much dumber can you get?

Their leaders weren't dumb, they were evil. However, their weaponry was much more advanced than anything the allies had to offer. You are aware that the U.S. "stole" one of nazi Germany's best rocket scientists after WWII, Wernher von Braun, to work at NASA to develop our missle program, right?

 

[evariste]

From the other side of the pond : NO, NO and NO !

My opinion (from France) is NO. ad

Why ?
I was born 2 years after the Corvette and I always have been thinking that a true Corvette should have a V8 and nothing else, because the sound of the engine is a great part of the DNA of the car.

I do not see any interest in a 6 cylinder engine. I've had a 3l V6 in my daily cruiser for years.
Yes, the sound is not so bad, especially during high rev (0,00001% of the time), but does not have the caracteristic hammering strength of a small block.

If GM guys really want to improve mpg ratings, they can use technologies they already have on the shelf :
- Enable displacement on demand when cruising,
- Slightly reduce displacement and add a turbocharger.

(I apologize for my poor english)

 

[Hib Halverson]

This pole/thread is interesting but, perhaps, irrelevant.

C7 will come to market late next year with a 5.5L Gen 5 V8. It will have DGI, VVT and perhaps AFM. My guess is 400-425-hp with a higher rpm range.

While, at one time, I thought there was a good chance of a 3.6L twin-turbo V6 being considered, I no longer believe that's in the program...at least not for the first several years of the new platform. I think turbocharged V6 is on GM Powertrain's radar but, at the time being, not for Corvette.

I'm also going to guess that some version of a supercharged 6.2L engine will eventually return to the Corvette in very limited numbers in a future Z06 or ZR1...maybe in '15 or '16.

I think that, sadly, the LS7, 7.0L engine we all know and love will have it's swan song in the 2013 "427 Convertible". If you're thinking about getting one, order early. '13 will be a short model year.

 

[jd4u2]

jd4u2

GM is in a faze of FORGET the details. Durring this period of time they stoped selling marine engines to boat mfg.
They also started to sell more diesel trucks. Thay also sublet the building and sales of high preformance engines.
The UAW, that is GM will do anything to get rid of anything they deem uncommon to the average.
The USSR did not produce a sports car!