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

[Mabolzich]

No!

NO! What's the point? If you drive a Vette, you don't think about millage, you think about how fast it goes. There is no substitute for cubes and cylinders. Give be a break! Next you'll be putting white lace doilies on the seats. Bad idea!ad

 

[XtremeVette]

Get with the times? More fuel efficient?

First off would love to know where the editor picked up his information that the new corvette gets less efficient mpg then the V6's out there. 28-30 mpg beats out or matches a lot of V6's being offered today. As far as horsepower and torque goes...yeh the supercharged V6's may make some impressive numbers but at what sacrifice? You have to be turning 5000-7000 rpm to get it and then guess what...ya you're not getting good gas mileage then. I love the Vette's V8 motor for the simple fact that I can be in overdrive or 6th gear and get 30 mpg while turning only 2000 rpm. This while doing 80mph.I believe the next version of GM's V8 will be just as powerful if not more powerful and also get even higher mpg by utilizing all the new technology available (direct ignition, electronic valve shutoff's, etc). The current model LS7 & LS9 motors prove what GM can do. V6 motors have no right even being mentioned with the name "Corvette". If you want a supercharged or turbo V6 go out and get a Kia.

 

[njlouc]

Unfortunately the realities of life are such that a car design has to fall into the political arena.
The next president could easily set the tone for it all!!!

The way things are now a big hulking V8 is not politically correct and could possibly be illegal to produce/own.
They outlawed some lightbulbs because they were not efficient enough (and were made in the US).
AND GM is govt owned!!!!ad

The EPA is on a tear!! a corvette (and all sports cars) are on govt/epa life support and could disappear as we know them. Eventually the trend is toward the "tuner" style. Tiny car, tiny engine spinning at 10,000rpm to develop 200HP.

Yes it is true that BMW will be extending the use of the 4cyl in the US market replacing some of their I6s.
To achieve a decent replacement, they are using a direct injection/ turbo. they had them in europe for years.
For many years they had the "Efficient Dynamics" concept. They achieved a few extra MPG, but at the price of a world of grief! at the end of the day, those extra MPG are damn expensive. I dont think that any of you would enjoy spending $500 for a battery with registration at the dealer. And that's just a part of it. look it up!!

It sounds great and you may think that you want the good words, but IMHO, it also sounds like a lot of stress on a smalll block engine. The US market is indeed different. Translation: $$$$$$.

It's true that cylinder count is not very important. The old racing Offenhauser 4cyl put out amazing HP in the 50/60's, but for daily use they would be a pain.

let's face it, a big V8 is barely stressed and is far cheaper to own and is more reliable than a stressed turbo 4cyl.

 

[Tuna]

Even in the gas crisis in the 70's Corvettes had V8's. We don't have a gas crisis now or even a global warming problem.

I love the sound of a V8. They sound awesome when they drive by.

No one says,"Listen to the sound of that sweet V6!"

I love the sound of a V8 also but if GM were to turbo a V8, the deep rumble we love now would be gone - turbos are pretty good mufflers. Turbo V8 or turbo V6 - it would be hard to tell the different by the sound.

 

[vetmaniac]

Total 2011 Corvette Production: 13,394
2012 Corvettes Produced to Date: 4,300

Sign of the times?

 

[tmpugel]

V6 for next generation vettes

I'm in favor of going to a V6 engine. I have an '03 Malibu with the small V6 and was so impressed with how it ran that I was tempted to take it to a track just to see what it would do in a quater mile. I regret not doing that. It's too old and slow now.
Tom

 

[gedupont]

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

It may be true that GM built 500,000 less V8's in 2011 than in 2006 - BUT how many less vehicles did they build in 2011? Far more than 500,000! Don't forget that they also closed down Pontiac and the Tonawanda engine plant in that timeframe. And in closing Tonawanda they discontinued all Big Block motors and are now out of the medium and heavy duty truck segments. Lot of reasons for less V8's being built other than people don't want them.

Sounds like marketing hype to me to justify going with smaller engines.

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!

 

[Dad]

Slap that ol V6 in there and name it "Rumble Blunder" and sell if for 5 years like they did for the Solstice. Sales were a thing to behold, 50,000 plus and it had "Cute" going for it. Maybe whip up a Crossfire (83,000/5 yr) or a Prowler (11,702/5 yr) and see if it would make more than the Saturn Sky (Solstice afterbirth).


Not really an issue for me, if it's not a V8 it's not a Corvette and will not be owned by me. The real problem is that the decision will be made by those meaning well while ignoring the customer base they have worked 60 years to obtain.


The run away HP race in the Camaro is not being done with a V6 and as long as we have pickups and heavy haul trucks we will have V8s. As long as that is happening they can slip them into the Corvette.

 

[4 the ride]

Look to your market GM!

Who's going to be buying Corvettes in the future? Where's the money? If they can predict this and apply the new market realities then they can build the product to fill the demand. Near term, I think a lighter smaller Corvette with a pressurized direct injected engine, dual clutch manumatic and AWD option would be a world beater.

 

[DCShark]

No way.

What's next a hybrid vette. I think not.

V8 all the way

 

[Strodder]

I voted NO V-6! What's so bad about the mileage on the newer Vettes? It gets better than some imports. I had a 06 Subaru Turbo 4 cyl. with 250 HP and 250 LB torque. It was fast, but a slug off the line, and got bad gas milage. My 01 C-5 gets a lot better mileage. I say keep the V-8, but make the vehicle more efficient, as being lighter, a little smaller, more areodimatic, and give it another gear. Maybe that will get it closer to 40mpg.

I remember back in the 60's, a 61 Chevy Biscaine in line 6 got worse mileage than a V-8.

 

[jcdouglass]

vet engine

blown 427 bigblock, 4barrell, side pipes on headers. When I look under the hood, I like to see the engine.

 

[JFCalvano]

Start w NASCAR

I've thought for years that NASCAR could do a lot to help influence future buyers and designers to adopt V6 engines. Hot rodders and fans would eventually fall in line. Now, as far as the Vette is concerned, I feel the V8 should remain the only option albeit with options there (supercharges, turbos, etc.). I'm just glad the decision wasn't made prior to my '06.
Could you imagine: 2006-C6-V6-Z06 :L

 

[dcsteg]

Corvette is not a high volumne seller for GM.

Ecomony and the price of gas I would think would be a low consideration for the potential buyer. So why even think to go smaller.

Leave it a V8. There is a lot that can still be done to the LSX.

I would bump the LS3 to 480 H.P. ZO6 to 600 and the ZR1 to 675 and design some decent tires to get this car to hook up.

I would take a 600 H.P. Zo6 anyday over the ZR1 675. No substitute for cubic inches.

Just one mans opinion...don't make a big deal out of it.

 

[Dad]

Amazing how many first timers this thread is drawing in. Much like our voters at election time, just skip it unless it affects them.

 

[Strodder]

What ever happened to the economy Z-06 with very little options that never happen? It they must, put a V-6 in a basic Corvette entry level model. Then see how that takes off. But keep what they have now.

 

[Red69]

Advanced engine building technology parlayed with computer technology has never made a more powerful and fuel efficient product. Think what the V8 can be in another 10 years. If it doesn't have a V8, it isn't a Corvette! If I want a V6, I will buy a base model Camaro or some other lesser vehicle. The Corvette has never been better, why ruin it?

 

[dcsteg]

Amazing how many first timers this thread is drawing in. Much like our voters at election time, just skip it unless it affects them.

Never missed my opportunity to vote since I was old enough.

I am new on the forum and I will participate.

 

[RC135_Tx]

Why?

Some seem to think the Corvette needs a V6 because it needs a V6. Exactly why? What would a V6 do for my favorite fun machine that I would really, really like?

Fuel mileage? Check the mileage figures here Gas Mileage of 2012 Vehicles by BMW - nothing there that gets me excited.

Power? Get a grip.

Lovely sounds from the exhaust? You should hear the cr@p that comes out of my DI V6 CTS. Ugh.

So. Really? Why bother? Just to be with the current in crowd? What?!? I don't get it.

 

[RC135_Tx]

What ever happened to the economy Z-06 with very little options that never happen? It they must, put a V-6 in a basic Corvette entry level model. Then see how that takes off. But keep what they have now.

As has been posted earlier, they sorta did the entry-level thing with the Sky/Solstice. Didn't work.

Now, if they did it with the Corvette body and made sure to install really big f@rt can exhaust tips, then just maybe it might?