GM Reveals 2015 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Z06

[Stingray]

Originally Posted by Camaro_Corvette

Always better to underpromise than to underdeliver. If that makes any sense. It's too early for me.

This Corvette is awesome!

Made sense after reading it 2x...

And just a small correction... the new Stingray is awesome, however this new Z06 will be beyond that... more like supercalafragilisticexpialidocious!

[Kyle2k]

The first color combo looks absolutely vicious

[King T]

GM 8-Speed In Corvette Z06 Shifts Faster Than Porsche PDK; Here's How

With the new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 that was introduced this past week at the Detroit Auto Show, GM raises the threat level to the bragging rights of virtually every other supercar in the world.

And while performance numbers are still months away, there were plenty of interesting details released with GM’s Z06 announcement—like an all-new ‘LT4’ engine, as well as a new, GM-designed eight-speed automatic transmission designed for exactly this application.

That new ‘8L90’ transmission, designed completely within GM, by a dedicated team, is a traditional hydraulic automatic—solenoids, valves, planetary gearsets and all—but GM says that it provides the super-quick shifts of dual-clutch boxes, yet with more smoothness.

The eight-speed automatic is actually quicker-shifting than the PDK gearbox in the Porsche 911, GM officials say; and that’s a transmission that engineers benchmarked for the project.

“Almost a custom transmission”

Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter pointed to some tough packaging challenges. There wasn't any existing dual-clutch gearbox that could take the torque of the engine and would fit in the space permitted.

“It's engineered by GM, internally, and many of the parameters were focused on this car,” said Tadge Juechter, at a pre-show event. “So it's almost a custom transmission.”

“We wanted a transmission that provided everyday drivability and compatibility with cylinder deactivation,” Juechter explained, while they also wanted the speed of a DCT. “When you run in four-cylinder mode, a torque converter is really your friend” in everyday cruising conditions, he said.

The transmission will be used in other applications, Juechter confirmed, but many of the attributes of it were driven by the parameters demanded of the Z06 project.

Also of note is that the transmission offers up to a five-percent fuel economy gain over a six-speed automatic used in the same application

Two-port ‘smart pump’ design a key to being lean and quick

That’s due to a host of engineering changes and analysis of the transmission from scratch, looking at the most efficient path for torque flow. But when we pressed the engineer overseeing the project for the single most important design attribute, he pointed to the ‘smart pump’ setup, in which GM incorporated a binary operation with two inlet discharge ports.

To put it as simply as possible, this clever hydraulic pump system works a bit like the cylinder deactivation the Corvette already has. Under acceleration and aggressive driving, the transmission uses both ports and provides more flow to the clutch packs, to speed up shifts. And then at cruising speed it relaxes to a single port, which reduces drag.

http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1...-pdk-heres-how

[khell86]

That grey color on the vette is sexy. Anyone have anymore pictures of that one? I'd love to see it with the black wheels instead of the silver ones.

[Camaro_Corvette]

Saw this car on Saturday as well. Everything about this car is perfect. Even better when you standing there with it waiting for it to end up in you garage somehow.

[mcsoul]

Originally Posted by FenwickHockey65

http://www.enginelabs.com/news/lt4-e...wer-is-coming/

625/635 is a low ball estimate.

Let's play the 0-60 and 1/4 mile guestimate game!

I'll go first:

0-60 3.1
1/4 mile 10.5 (on street tires with the auto trans)

Throw in Nordschleife guess at 7:15 with the auto and level 3 aerodynamics option

[Hard Parker]

10.5 quarter seems improbably to me I'll say 11.1 and 3.2 to 60

[banter]

Well before the ZR1 was finalized they claimed over 620hp and over 595 ftlbs tq. It ended up with 638hp and 604 ftlbs. So with this Z06 they claim over 625hp and 635 ftlbs tq... I'll just let you take that for what it is (Holy torque monster batman!).

Ready for some bold predictions?

0-60 in 3.0
1/4 mile in 10.6 @ fast

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by banter

Well before the ZR1 was finalized they claimed over 620hp and over 595 ftlbs tq. It ended up with 638hp and 604 ftlbs. So with this Z06 they claim over 625hp and 635 ftlbs tq... I'll just let you take that for what it is (Holy torque monster batman!).

Ready for some bold predictions?

0-60 in 3.0
1/4 mile in 10.6 @ fast

And before the Z/28 was finalized, they said it would make 'at least 505 hp' ... it makes 505 hp.

And those predictions are bold indeed. What is it, exactly, that makes you think the Z06 will be a half second quicker in the 1/4 than the outgoing ZR1? They'll probably be within 10 hp of each other, so call that dead even. But I don't see how the new Z06 can weigh less than 3400 lbs (I expect it to actually tip the scales at roughly 3450).

[banter]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

And before the Z/28 was finalized, they said it would make 'at least 505 hp' ... it makes 505 hp.

And those predictions are bold indeed. What is it, exactly, that makes you think the Z06 will be a half second quicker in the 1/4 than the outgoing ZR1? They'll probably be within 10 hp of each other, so call that dead even. But I don't see how the new Z06 can weigh less than 3400 lbs (I expect it to actually tip the scales at roughly 3450).

While you make a valid point, this was a claim made on a pre-existing engine which had already produced those numbers.

I'm so glad you asked Two significant factors: rubber and gearing. The Z06 has always been (and this one is no exception) touted as the track day car, unlike the "lets hit 200+mph" zr1. So I fully expect more trackworthy gearing to stay in the meat of the powerband vs big long gears for top speed. As for rubber, once again they have a company working for them to accommodate a suitable tire for this new beast. This tire will without a doubt hook better than any previous corvette's (otherwise what's the point?).

[DGthe3]

Alright ... recall the ZL1. It was 'at least 550 hp', turned out to be 580. That was an existing engine too. What I'm trying to say is that we can't really take GM's statement for anything more than what it is. The Z06 will be at least 625 hp. It could be 665 for all we know, it could be 626. But we don't really have anything to go on for how much more power it will make. Its all just pure guesswork at this stage.

Tires ... those tires would have to be roughly the equivalent to a good set of drag radials to get those kinds of times. Problem is, with performance tires, you can generally design them for lateral grip (sideways) or longitudinal grip (lengthwise). But those two traits require different tire profiles & construction techniques. Its not just a matter of 'softer rubber, fewer grooves & sipes' to get more grip (though that does help both side & lengthwise grip). I can only hope that they compromise towards handling rather than acceleration -but that also means that it probably won't be acting like a DR either.

I'm not saying it can't be quicker, but I'm thinking it might be more like a 1/10 faster in the 1/4 than the old ZR1.

[NASTY99Z28]

Don't forget this z06 also has a auto option which will drastically improve et's. So between more low end,better gearing, auto and better tires if it hooks it will be faster then a zr1 BET THAT!!!

[mcsoul]

Originally Posted by NASTY99Z28

Don't forget this z06 also has a auto option which will drastically improve et's. So between more low end,better gearing, auto and better tires if it hooks it will be faster then a zr1 BET THAT!!!

I agree! Auto trans and newer E-diff tech and new tire formula could spell
faster.