Weight

[VAmagred01]

Has anyone in "The-Know" heard/mentioned anything about the weight plan for the C6? Just like any manufacturer of performance cars, I'm sure GM tries to knock off excess poundage from generation to generation. In a recent, previous post, there was mention of the base C6 making 405 BHP. That might not sound like a lot being we're used to that power already from the current Z06. But if the weight is around the 3K mark and the gearing is different, we might have a super fast car on our hands (as if the Z06 isn't enough already).....and that's a plus for us guys/ladies who would prefer the LS6-type power in the targa body.

I wouldn't mind seeing 100-200 lbs. knocked off the scale of the Vette. Has anyone heard the target C6-weight?

 

[VAmagred01]

Thank you. I figured this subject might have been discussed earlier.........I guess I was too lazy to do a search. Thanks for the thread/info.

Regards,
Kenny

 

[LongTimer]

I haven't seen any quotes from any GM people that quantify the reduction, but they have said it will be lighter. There was quite a bit of discussion at another site about a 300lb weight reduction, but I have no idea how or who came up with that number. It may have been pure speculation. I would think that magnesium and titanium (maybe some Carbon Fiber) content in the bill of materials would need to increase dramatically to attain this level of weight loss. These materials are not cheap and NOT an even swap with, even, Al. Poly carbonate glass replacement was another possibility, but SEEMS to have been shot down recently.

The LS2 is estimated to weigh roughly 30 - 50 lbs less than the LS1, but again no confirmation of any type. So, it took me two paragraphs to say ... we don't know how much the C6 will weigh.

 

[VAmagred01]

LongTimer:

Thanks for the insight. All words were much appreciated.

I have always thought GM could have taken a little more weight out of the Vette. I believe the standard C5's should have been around the Z06's poundage (i.e. ~3100) and the Z06 around 3K lbs or a little less, even. I guess with just about everything else with the C6, we'll just have to wait until Jan to find out.

If there's one thing I would really like to see different (besides the LS6-type engine avail. in the coupe) would be the change of gears. I feel the gears in the C5 are too tall. Also, shorter throws in the manual would be nice.


Regards,
Kenny

 

[LongTimer]

VAmagred01,

I would guess that your thinking would be fairly consistant with the majority of participants here. However, stand back and look at a C5. Walk arround it, sit in it, open the hatch, put some luggage or the proverbial golf clubs in and really get a feel for the car. Then look at the new FWD Malibu exactly the same ways - weighs.

The vette is hardly in the limited space league of the Boxter or Z4, in fact it has more space than many coupes offered - so it's kinda big for a sports car. Being FWD, a compact car with a trunk that is MUCH more limited than the under hatch space in the vette, it would be reasonable to expect the Malibu to be a much lighter car than the vette. The smaller V6 Malibu actually weighs 3297LBs.

In truth it is remarkable that the vette boys were able to pare the weight of the C5 down to the current levels. The Targa is actually lighter than a little 350Z. And, now we are anticipating further weight reductions, and HP increases as a bonus. Amazing, IMO.

 

[VAmagred01]

LongTimer,

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree with you. Compared to the competition [and some of the cars that aren't even in the Vette's league but are continually compared] the Vette is always the lightest. I am content with the current weight but being a mechanical design engineer for a government defense contractor, I'm always leaning towards weight savings in progressive models of vehicles.......that's my job. Shaving some weight is a great benefit.......less weight=less engine work=engine longevity. The bonus is added performance.

The price of the C6, I'm sure, will be a bit more than we're used to seeing for a Corvette......but we're getting [hopefully] a better car. I'm just hoping for the use of lighter materials in areas that can be. Of course it might cost a little more but hey, the price is going up anyway.

A 20 lb decrease in weight is significant......hopefully we'll see something in that ball park. The 100-200 that I mentioned might be far fetched but if they can shave 100 lbs. off for the Z06, then I have confidence they can pull it off again if needed/wanted.

Also, you are correct about the volume of the storage this sports car has. It's a big car compared to others but the benefit is storage. I guess it's why GM/Chevy markets this as an "Everyday Sports/Super Car. The Corvette is truly a remarkable vehicle in both performance and technology. Hopefully the tradition will continue with the next generation and generations to come.

-Kenny

 

[LongTimer]

I totally agree with you Kenny and I didn't mean to come off as if I was flaming you. Nearly everyone here is passionate about the continued performance improvements for vette. I was only trying to point out that it is human nature to take "yesterday's" great achievements for granted and continually expect dramatic improvements. Though I wouldn't want it any other way, sometimes a reassessment of perspective helps. We should never expect the status quo, but we should all be reasonable in our expectations, lest we be continually disillusioned.

Whoa!! It's way to early in the morning and I am not old enough to be ranting this philosophical. Sorry.

 

[Hib Halverson]

I think a good clue to this "weight" question is the carbon fiber hood on 04 Z06es with Z16. In that application only, 10lbs is saved. IMO that's clearly not worth all the effort and expense to build 2000 of them, even with the $4000+ surcharge for Z16.

But...what if GM wants some "field experience" with large carbon fiber panels in a medium-volume application (the 2000 or so Z16s being "medium-volume") prior to using carbon on the base C6 to the tune of 30,000 or so units a year. If that's the case, I'll guess that typically-equipped C6 Targas will come in at right about or a little less than the current Z06 is now, which is 3118 or 3108 with the Z16 hood.

 

[VAmagred01]

LongTimer,

I didn't feel you were flaming me at all. I hope I didn't give off that sense in my response. I was in total agreement. I just added a couple thoughts. No need for apologies.....I didn't sense any anger or "flaming" from you in the least bit.

Hib Halverson,

Good point! I had forgotten all about the C.F. hood on the '04 Z06 C.E.'s. Use of materials like carbon-fiber does get expensive but when you buy in bulk (e.g. 30,000+ Vettes) it might be an inexpensive improvement. It's definitely worth the extra $$.

 

[LongTimer]

Kenny,


Hib,
There are many who agree with your assessment of the CF Z16 hood. It is logical to a point. Some in the vette community have convinced themselves that the entire body will be CF. However, just a month, or so, ago BG solved some problems they were having trying to paint the CF hoods. My position then, and now, is that if the C6 has been planned to have extensive CF panels as part of its bill of materials, I have a hard time believing that the engineers waited until the September time frame to try to paint CF. By now CF supplier contracts would have had to have been long since committed. I can't see them signing Purchase Order commitments before confirming BG production capability.

If that was the purpose of the Z16 hood, it seems too close for comfort to me. If they hadn't been able to solve the problems wouldn't a significant amount of re-engineering (time and $) be required to revert to today's fiber glass material? ...or are CF and FG freely substitutable for each other - except for paint?

 

[Hib Halverson]

There are many who agree with your assessment of the CF Z16 hood. It is logical to a point. Some in the vette community have convinced themselves that the entire body will be CF. However, just a month, or so, ago BG solved some problems they were having trying to paint the CF hoods. My position then, and now, is that if the C6 has been planned to have extensive CF panels as part of its bill of materials, I have a hard time believing that the engineers waited until the September time frame to try to paint CF. By now CF supplier contracts would have had to have been long since committed. I can't see them signing Purchase Order commitments before confirming BG production capability.

After I posted my speculation, I confirmed via interview that one purpose of using the CF hood on 04 Z06/Z16 was as an engineering and manufacturing exercise. I might add that BG "solved" the challenge in painting CF hoods a lot longer than a month ago. The road test car I had two weeks ago was built early last spring. (VIN00025) and the paint quality on that hood was outstanding.

I would say that "extensive" use of CF on on C6 is not planned, though now that GM has proven to itself it can do Class A painted surfaces with CF in quantities of 2000, I suspect you might see limited use of the material on the high-performance varient of C6 due in 06.