Hurry Hurry Look Here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Corvette-Pilot]

Gotta love those new rims

 

[Duntov7]

At least there are no BSMs!! Their camouflage is working well, too.

 

[csbacchus]

The big Buzz around the plant was people were saying Who says the Camaro is dead!!! ??

That's just plain sad.

I'll be waiting for the C7, unless performance gets drastically improved.

 

[nelson500]

Are those drilled rotors on the vert? I can't tell.

The little antennae will go away right?

 

[Erik S. Klein]

I kind of like it, based on what I can see.

T-tops would be great if they re-introduced them. I like the targa, but Ts are easier to handle and store and you don't lose too much in open-air ability with them.

The longer wheelbase and lighter weight should help make the more powerful engine(s) even more potent on the street.

I was saving for a C6 but now the missus is pregnant and we're going to buy a bigger house instead. . .

I guess I'll just have to wait.

So what shade of yellow do you think they'll offer?

 

[jimxo]

Look's like Corvette is moving up.

 

[BBB454]

The C5 front looks like a Firebird, now this looks like a Camaro!
Sure hope the "real" one looks more Vette-like...

Barb

 

[Lil' Red]

Spy Photos

With it being so close to the C5 I would have to see the interior and see what the power is before I let my C5 go. It looks ok so far but IMO revolutionary would have been more exciting than evolutionary. The wheels are nice and in chrome they will be off the hook!

 

[Black Ice]

Yes indeed, drilled rotors. I also have to guess these cars were chasing down the spy photographer not the other way around. These cars look like they were driven around for this sole reason. They are to uncovered and I find it funny that the cpe and vert are there side by side like that. Jujubee sure must have gotten an awful big from the general for posting the pic of the yellow car a few months ago. So now you know that Troy Roberts and GM are Hand in Hand when they called him to pull the Jujubee photos (yellow car) and they said NOTHING about them in here. Sorry Rob guess you dont count!

 

[LongTimer]

Are those drilled rotors on the vert? I can't tell.

When you enlarge to the limit of focus, the "rotors" look like a silver plate with big black magic marker squiggles between the wheel spokes. Must be cammo. No pads or caliper could leave irregular marks like that. Why cammo behind wheels? ...gotta be cross drilled rotors lurking behind!!

 

[LongTimer]

Now....on the other hand, it's also possible that because of hydroformed rail technology, structural integrity isn't really an issue and what appears in the C6 prototype photos above, is a more pronounced double bubble roof effect with a one piece roof panel. Who knows.....we'll just have to wait till GM officially unveils it. [/B]

Everything you said about T-top rigidity is true, but I think the T-top would be perceived by a less sophisticated public as a technological step backwards.

I think we are seeing cammo on the top to look like a sqarish bubble or t-top. If you look closely at Beta 4, that is deffinately cammo on the side behind the right door glass. I think the leading edge of the hatch glass will butt up to the top and side windows. There will be no body color above the door line. All this glass also adds weight and explains why the weight reductions yielded "only" a 3100 lbs. result.

Also, look at the size of the hooks needed to hold the rear cover on. There is massive "padding" there to make it look like a C5. Might be slim and trim underneath, but prospective '04 buyers won't see much difference.

 

[Black Ice]

Its a hatch roof Boys no T-Top

 

[Chris Kennedy]

P.U. !! Well, I hope this is HEAVILY disguised!! When I saw the front, my first thought was that they were re-introducing the last Camaro. The three-quarters view is o.k., but the BUTT is back--this almost looks worse! If anyone subscribes to the new magazine "Corvette", the latest issue has several more older Corvette show/design mock-up cars. Even the worst of those are gorgeous next to this. I think of Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell, Blaine (?) etc and want to cry. You know, I've about had it with GM---who designs this stuff? I subscribe to Autoweek, and will forward any reader comments. In the meantime, it looks like my hot rod C3 project is a GO! I am sorry, and hope I haven't offended anyone, but how can any of us honestly feel excitement over this poor piece of work.

--Chris Kennedy

 

[csbacchus]

Thanks for the info Black Ice. I'm glad to hear it.

The closed tunnel backbone in conjunction with the hydroform frame rails should more than make up for any structural loss of a center beam found in a t-top design. "The C5 has the stiffest open-roof production sports car frame in the world." (source http://www.automuseum.com/C5.html). According to this site, the structural rigidity of the C5 is 4.5 times more than that of the C4. Therefore, IMHO a t-top would be a step back in terms of technology. Since the center beam is no longer necessary, it would only be a cosmetic change at this point.

 

[LongTimer]

P.U. !! Well, I hope this is HEAVILY disguised!! When I saw the front, my first thought was that they were re-introducing the last Camaro. The three-quarters view is o.k., but the BUTT is back--this almost looks worse! If anyone subscribes to the new magazine "Corvette", the latest issue has several more older Corvette show/design mock-up cars. Even the worst of those are gorgeous next to this. I think of Harley Earl, Bill Mitchell, Blaine (?) etc and want to cry. You know, I've about had it with GM---who designs this stuff? I subscribe to Autoweek, and will forward any reader comments. In the meantime, it looks like my hot rod C3 project is a GO! I am sorry, and hope I haven't offended anyone, but how can any of us honestly feel excitement over this poor piece of work.

--Chris Kennedy

You are LEAPING to conclusions based on a heavily cammoed beta car. My money is on the finished product being a real knockout.

 

[LongTimer]

Therefore, IMHO a t-top would be a step back in terms of technology. Since the center beam is no longer necessary, it would only be a cosmetic change at this point.

I agree, but I'll bet the new Z06(7?) version will feature a non-removable roof to save weight and lower the center of gravity. Maybe they will modify the hatch / glass to reduce weight too - C5 it?

 

[Chris Kennedy]

RE my "P.U.", the point that I might be leaping to conclusions is very well taken. Let's hope the camoflaging flies off this test "mule" and a sleek race horse emerges, but I bet that when work gets back to GM about the reactions to this they will have some explaining to do.

--Chris Kennedy

 

[LongTimer]

It's great to have these shots to analyze and build from. But the areas that concerned me before remain unanswered. The front and the rear are still question marks. Autoweek has certainly missed the mark with their photoshop. The nose is way too long to be a C6. Also, they probably have no more insight as to the shape of the headlights than we do - maybe less, we have input from Black Ice.

So these shots have been great fodder and will, no doubt, continue to fuel more and more discussion and speculation. This is GREAT! I can't wait to see which guesses are most accurate.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

You know, in the new magazine "Corvette" there is a company (I think it's called "RK Sport", or something like that), which advertises a kit for re-doing the tail of the C5. What they have done is essentially lowered the tail lights a bit, and made a larger "cut out" area around the tail pipes. Even though the tail is no smaller, it looks MUCH smaller and tighter----the overall effect reminds me of a can-am racer, or even the Ferrari Testarossa, which also had a huge rear that was visually trimmed down in this manner. Anyway, the reason I mention this is that I am hoping this is what GM will do to the C6 if, indeed, it is to have another large rear.

--Chris Kennedy

 

[jimxo]

I think GM may be playing a little game with us.

I just cannot see them showing there hand to the competition and the 2004's not even at the dealers yet?