Corvette C7 Facts and Plausible Speculation

Page 1 – Background
Page 2 – Powertrain and Chassis
Page 3 – Body
Page 4 – Interior

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Edited by David Palmeter, Corvette owner, lover and historian

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Most of the information on the next three pages came from 'keeks' on 'Corvetteforum.com'

Meet 'keeks:
"Just passing along info from a lifelong corvette guy and collector… I don't work at GM. I am a retired NHL goaltender, named Steve McKichan and I collect corvettes. A relative, Clare MacKichan ( American side kept the extra 'a') just went into Corvette Museum 'Hall of Fame' for being head of Corvette design 53-63….."

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Overall

Official from GM – October 18, 2012 –  BRASELTON, Ga. – Today, Chevrolet confirmed that the seventh-generation Corvette will debut the evening of Sunday, Jan. 13, 2013 in Detroit.

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Editors Comment – October 8, 2012 – The Corvette factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky currently has this statement on their website:

"Beginning September 14, 2012, tours of Bowling Green Assembly will be temporarily closed as we begin preparations to build the next-generation Chevrolet Corvette."

The date on which volume production of the new Corvette will begin has not been announced. General indications are that it will probably begin about mid-year 2013 as a 2014 model.

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You agree with the Jalopnik pics keeks?
"Very close, latest renderings with different colored examples is very close
Vette team surprised how good latest Jalopnik renderings are"
The last photo is closest except it is missing the horizontal, color-matched grill divider.

2014 will be lightest modern Corvette in history
The C5 Z06 has a curb weight of 3,118 lbs – making it the lightest modern Corvette in history. You're saying the C7 will be lighter than that?
No response from keeks

No all wheel drive

No back seat (not a 2+2)

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Fact from the Editor – At the 2012 Road America Corvette Corral, Doug Fehan from the Corvette Racing Team said that the C7 will start racing in the 2014 season (which, incidentally, coincides with the merging of the American Le Mans Series and the Grand Am Series)

Above – Oct 18, 2012 – Used with permission

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Back to keeks –

I am hearing that waiting for 2015 is advisable with engineering tweaks, etc

True hotrod of C7 will be 2016

 

Powertrain – Engine – General

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Fact from the Editor – At the 2012 Road America Corvette Corral, Doug Fehan from the Corvette Racing Team confirmed that the C7 engine will have direct injection

Also, in an October 10, 2012 interview on the 'GM Authority' website, Former Director Of GM Performance John Heinricy said, (paraphrased):

"I expect, or hope anyway, that the all-new Corvette will feature enhanced weight distribution (reduced mass of the drive train, bigger percent of the weight at the rear), and will take advantage of engine technologies like cylinder deactivation, variable valve timing and direct injection to improve efficiency for better fuel economy and reduced  emissions."

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Back to keeks –

Exhaust improved, dual note exhaust

Editors Note – Listen to the exhaust note at the end of this clip

Tips look like c6 (Editor – Except the early pipes below look like muffler shop fabrications with plain tubing)

I have ‘math photos’ (CAD drawings) of LT1 engine bay and 2015 LT4 engine bay (shown below)

 

Powertrain – Engine – LT1

2014 LT1 – 430hp

 

Powertrain – Engine – LT4

2015 LT4 supercharged engine – 586hp – will be an upgrade of Camaro ZL1

I think it is called LT4 so you don't think it is from a C6.

 

Powertrain – Tansmission

7 speed manual – reverse is far right and down

Thanks to Michael Massell for tracking down the shifter picture for me

 

Chassis

 Tires – P235/25ZR19 Front – P285/30ZR20 Rear (Editor comment – the sizes were reported differently, I think this is what was intended)

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Brakes

Editor Comment – The 5-spoke wheels appear to be matched with solid discs; this may be the standard model. The brakes shown with the 'pickle fork' 10-spoke wheels are vented discs, the high performance model(s)?

  

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Page 1 – Background
Page 2 – Powertrain and Chassis
Page 3 – Body
Page 4 – Interior

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