2014 Corvette: The Oily Bits

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2014 Corvette C7 Rear Hatch
Louvers exhaust air so the trunk lid closes easier. These louvers are run by a lightweight, shape-memory alloy, a production-car first.

2014 C7 Corvette Exhaust
Four sewer-pipe-sized rear tips. Optional valves to make the C7 louder. Sounds hellacious from outside the car; a little boomy within.

2014 C7 Corvette Engine
Incredibly basic design—pushrods, 16 valves—continues to over-deliver. Now with direct injection, variable valve timing, cylinder deactivation, greater low-end torque, 29 mpg, and 455 base hp.

2014 C7 Corvette Brakes
Fixed four-piston calipers. Slotted rotors on high-performance Z51 package. Cooling ducts, front and rear

2014 C7 Corvette Steering
Electric assist. Adjustable effort and variable ratio. Not as communicative as, say, a Lotus Elise's, but trumps the old cars.

2014 C7 Corvette Suspension
Frame mounts are five-times stiffer. Optional magnetorheological shock technology pioneered on a Cadillac and now used by Ferrari and Audi strikes a really nice balance of control and comfort.

2014 C7 Corvette Body
Carbon-fiber hood and roof. Otherwise composite plastic with panel gaps 30-percent smaller than those of previous car.

2014 C7 Corvette oiliest bits

1. Wheelbase: stretched nearly an inch, but greater max steering angle helps shrink turning circle two feet.
2. Frame: now aluminum, 100 pounds lighter, gobs stiffer.
3. Transaxle: seven-speed manual is the best-shifting 'box the Vette's ever had. Clutch is buttery and a delight to operate. Optional computer-controlled differential is a wonder; it clamps and relaxes continuously to aid handling balance. Every driveline fluid is cooled standard.
4. Center tunnel: deeper than before to increase structural stiffness. Now houses the 2.75-inch dual exhaust pipes. Tunnel is lined with Aerogel, an insulator used by NASA. Interior trim gets warm, but not hot, unlike old car.
5. Tires: new, custom-designed Michelins are as grippy as race tires of a decade ago. The computer estimates tire temperatures (cold tires have less traction) to maximize ABS and stability-control effectiveness.

- Road & Track

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The memory shape alloy saves 1.1 pounds as well. GM says there are over 200 places on a car that could use this technology. Hopefully this moves on to other vehicles.