The
C6 Corvette received a larger passenger compartment, all new bodywork with
exposed headlamps (for the first time since 1962), reworked suspension
geometry, and in 2008, a larger 6.2 L (380 cu in) engine. Overall, it is
shorter and narrower than the C5 to gain wider appeal to the European
market. The 6.0 L (370 cu in) LS2 V8 produces 400 bhp (300 kW) at 6000 rpm
and 424 lb·ft (575 N·m) at 4400 rpm, giving the vehicle a 0-60 time of
under 4.2 seconds.
The C6 generation comes close to
retaining the relatively good fuel economy of the C5, due in part to its
relatively low .28 drag coefficient and low curb weight, achieving 16/26
mpg (city/highway) equipped with automatic or manual transmissions; like
all manual transmission Corvettes since 1989, it is fitted with Computer
Aided Gear Selection (CAGS) to improve fuel economy by requiring drivers
to shift from 1st gear directly to 4th in low-speed/low-throttle
conditions. This feature helps the C6 avoid the gas guzzler tax while
achieving better fuel economy.
The new Z06 arrived as a 2006
model in the third quarter of 2005. It has a 7.0 L version of the small
block engine codenamed LS7. At 427.6 cubic inches, the Z06 was the
largest small block ever offered from General Motors. Because of the
Corvette's former use of 427 cubic-inch big blocks in the late '60s and
early '70s, the LS7's size was rounded down to 427 cubic inches.
Officially certified output is 505 bhp (377 kW) and has a 0-60 mph (97
km/h) time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 198 mph (319 km/h).
For 2008, the Corvette received
a mild freshening: a new LS3 engine with displacement increased to 6.2 L
(380 cu in), resulting in 430 bhp (321 kW) and 424 lb·ft (575 N·m) (436 bhp
(325 kW) and 428 lb·ft (580 N·m) if ordered with the optional performance
exhaust). The 6-speed manual transmission also has improved shift linkage
and a 0-60 time of 4.0 seconds, while the automatic is set up for quicker
shifts giving the C6 automatic a 0-60 time of 4.3 seconds, faster than any
other production automatic Corvette. The interior was slightly updated and
a new 4LT leather-wrap interior package was added. The wheels were also
updated to a new five-spoke design.
The ZR1 was formally announced
in a December 2007 press statement by General
Motors, where it was revealed tha
t
their target of 100 bhp (75 kW) per 1 L (61 cu in) has been reached by a
new "LS9" engine with an
Eaton-supercharged 6.2-liter engine producing a confirmed 638 bhp (476 kW)
and 604 lb·ft (819 N·m). It would have a sticker
price of about US$105,000 with
the standard interior or US$115,000
with the leather-wrapped interior. The engine is the most powerful engine
to be put into a GM production sports car. Top speed is 205 mph (330
km/h).
In 2010, the historical Grand
Sport name returned to the Corvette lineup as an entirely new model
series. It combines the wide body from the Z06 with the standard C6
powertrain in coupe and convertible models. With suspension and brake
upgrades, the Grand Sport replaced the Z51 option. A new launch control
system was introduced for all models that allows for more optimal launch.
The Grand Sport with manual transmission and launch control is capable of
a 0-60 time in four seconds.
Starting in the 2011 model year,
buyers of the Corvette Z06 and ZR1 are offered the opportunity to assist
in the build of their engine. Titled the "Corvette Engine Build
Experience," buyers can pay an extra $5,800 to be flown to the Wixom,
Michigan Performance Build Center. Participants will help the assembly
line workers build the V8 engine, then can accept delivery of the car at
the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, near the Corvette final
assembly point
Next generation
development ( C7) :
According to Motor Trend
magazine, GM executives have been planning the next-generation (C7)
Corvette since 2007. The car was originally planned for the 2011 model
year (to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet). Mid-engine and
rear-engine layouts had been considered, but the front-engine, rear-wheel
drive (RWD) platform will continue to keep costs lower and the engine
compact. There's a possibility of a return of the split rear window roof
design. The seventh generation Corvette is still in development, but is
widely believed to be publicly unveiled by 2012, but may be delayed
further depending on the scope of upcoming Corporate Average Fuel Economy
(CAFE) regulations .
According to one of Motor
Trend’s inside sources, the Corvette C7 will come equipped with
Chevrolet's upcoming 5.5 L small block V8 that features a number of
technical advancements including an aluminum block and heads and a revised
combustion system, however the engine will retain the pushrod, overhead
valve design configuration. The new 5.5 liter V8 has already made its
world debut, appearing between the fenders of the C6.R racecar. Power will
likely total 440 hp (328 kW) horsepower, an improvement over the 436
horsepower available currently in the Corvette C6, however thanks to the
new engine's smaller size and advanced features, there will be a
noticeable jump in fuel economy. The engine is part of a new $890 million
program committed for vehicles across the GM lineup.
GM has assigned C7 internal codes: Coupe – GMX721,
Convertible – GMX711, Z06 – GMX73, ZR-1 or SS – GMX245.
