CNBC article suggest that C8 could have between 500 and 600 HP base engine.

[WoW Factor]

Interesting read: https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/12/gm-h...ar-market.html

Base engine appears to be strong having between 500 and 600 hp.

[fvs]

the NSX has 573hp. Turbo S ( tested against) 540hp... Can the Corvette really afford to come out anemic against the competition?

Sure... the GS and Z will have more but I don't think even the base can afford not to be in the ballpark of the competition.

[Mobius]

I'd be happy with 555 HP and 555 Torque with the LT2 (5 is my lucky number).

Still, if the base C8 comes-in at "only" 505 HP/Torque, I guess that would be ok.

There was an article yesterday that stated the C8 Z06 would come with the new normally aspirated 5.5L (more lucky 5s!) flat-plane crank engine... I'd guess that engine will be in the 675-700HP range.

Then the C8 ZR-1, using the C8 Z06 5.5L engine, but with twin turbos, 800-850HP...

Finally, the C8 Zora, which will have the C8 ZR-1 engine along with hybrid electric drive to the front wheels... 1000HP.

[John]

Please start with a 5!

[meyerweb]

the NSX has 573hp. Turbo S ( tested against) 540hp... Can the Corvette really afford to come out anemic against the competition?

Sure... the GS and Z will have more but I don't think even the base can afford not to be in the ballpark of the competition.

Those cars are SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive, though.

[meyerweb]

The author that article really doesn't know much. He writes " all of those European brands traditionally mount their engines amidship, or even in the rear, layouts that translate into markedly better vehicle dynamics"

A REAR engine doesn't provide "markedly better vehicle dynamics." It took Porsche what, 50 years to tame the 911, with all kinds of nannies to keep it on the road? And 500 to 600 is a pretty wide range, so I doubt he has any inside knowledge. He's probably just read a bunch of other websites and copies the rumors he found.

[SheepDog]

Is the base level C8 to be performance-positioned against the base Porsche 911 Carrera or against the Porsche Turbo S? If the Turbo S is the standard then 550+ HP will probably be the base C8.

C8 prototypes have been "training partnered" with the Porsche Turbo S in the "spy" shots and videos the last several years. Not shown with the base 911s?

Question: has the Corvette team spent years daily beating up and bullying their C8 baby with a bigger kid 911 Turbo S? Doubtful. They have probably been teaching their boy to fight back and have give it the means to fight back effectively against the 911 Turbo S.

The HP will be 575 and the TQ 400 something.

The tranny is said to be an 8 speed. So lots of gear options and immediate shifts.

Therefore 400 TQ is not definitive , not deficient. Because. The actual TQ to the rear wheel in 1st gear is a multiplication factor. it is not the base TQ number (400) or what.

The 400TQ is multiplied by the gear ratios to get the actual TQ to the rear wheels. So it comes out to 4 X 400 =1600, or 3.5 X 400= 1400, as the case may be depending on what the gear ratios are.

GM can raise the HP by merely reducing the stroke. Reducing the stroke increases the RPM potential and thereby increases the HP, potential. A.nd they can do other stuff to tune the HP upward

Petro/air combustion expands at a fixed max velocity which is about 60MPH and that is the max speed that the pistons can be moved down by detonation. So to make the thing spin faster, then the distance of travel has to be reduced. That is the distance from top dead center to bottom dead center. So they might shorten that distance, the stroke. And increase the bore to make up the displacement loss.

With so many gears, 8 forward gears, the first gear can be very low, which means have a high ratio of engine revolutions for each one spin of the rear axle. That will multiply the TQ and kick behind out the hole.

It will not be a defect if first gear only goes up to 30 or 40 MPH at 7000 RPM with the DCT, because the shifts are instantanous. No speed or RPM loss when it shifts.

In the FE cars with manuals and automatics GM tried to get 60 MPH in 1st gear. That was done to get the zero to 60 MPH times lower. A gear shift added too much time delay in reaching 60MPH. That is why the TQ had to be so monsterous with the C7, C6, C5, C4s etc. Had to reach 60 MPH within 6500 RPMs. Needed loads of TQ. If C8 gets a 9000 RPM engine, then ⅔ as much TQ does the same trick.

With the engine up front the small block was required so that the driver could see the road ahead.

Things are going to be different around here from now on with mid engine location and DTC. lots of gears. Fast shifts. Plenty room in the back for DOHC and fast valve trains. High RPM. Gonna get wild in Vette land. Watch out.

[TtiME]

Hate to burst some bubbles here but there is no way the base C8 is going to match the NSX or turbo S in power! Those cars cost significantly more and use FI. I’d be thrilled with 520. The rumored FPC car would surprise me it it were much over 615-630 hp emissions for one and how many other brands have made been able to make that kind of power out of an FPC NA V8? Now the TTV8 I’m sure can easily exceed 750!

[Boomer]

Great article WoW Factor. Thanks.

[Z_Rocks]

For $62K, a ME Corvette with 500+HP with DCT is ONE HELL OF A BARGAIN.
That car isn't just for power. watch how tight that suspensin is. It's going to be a FUN car to drive without breaking the bank.

My Cousin just put down $50K deposit with a Miami dealer yesterday that gives him written guarantee on the MSRP price, first in the list (the list is sorted by deposit amount and not date of deposit) and the check does not get cashed by dealer (stays in bank's vault) and it is fully refundable.
Basically, dealer shows proof to GM the # of solid orders he has and can buy as many cars as deposited orders. They are first by GM (according to what he was told).

Funny, he bought a Civic Type-R for $35K cash, put 4 carbon fiber wheels and tires on it. Drove it for 3000 miles and sold it for $50K. Turned around put the $50K as a deposit for a Black C8.

[fvs]

Hate to burst some bubbles here but there is no way the base C8 is going to match the NSX or turbo S in power! Those cars cost significantly more and use FI. I’d be thrilled with 520. The rumored FPC car would surprise me it it were much over 615-630 hp emissions for one and how many other brands have made been able to make that kind of power out of an FPC NA V8? Now the TTV8 I’m sure can easily exceed 750!

...I was only suggesting "ballpark" numbers. The base can't IMO come out with anemic numbers. Can't be in the mid-high 400s IMO.

Camaro is available with 455hp @ $37K and 650 hp supercharged @ $64k MSRP

Just a marketing knightmare if HP is lower than Camaro IMO.

520 is close enough to 540...especially if it can perform.

[TtiME]

...I was only suggesting "ballpark" numbers. The base can't IMO come out with anemic numbers. Can't be in the mid-high 400s IMO.

Camaro is available with 455hp @ $37K and 650 hp supercharged @ $64k MSRP

Just a marketing knightmare if HP is lower than Camaro IMO.

520 is close enough to 540...especially if it can perform.

When did roughly 500 hp become anemic!! We know the HP number isn’t going to go down from the existing LT1. I would guess lowest hp number would around 485ish but I think it’ll come in around 505 or so. There’s a couple ways to make that HP number even better, A. Shed weight (hopefully they cut a few lbs) and/or gain traction. Look at a 911 GTS for example Rwd, 3340 lbs, 450 hp and 405 ft lb yet 3.0 0-60 and 11.3 in the 1/4!!! It doesn’t need to have more power than the Camaro but it well! It’ll just overall be a better performance car. I initially didn’t believe a sub 3.0 0-60 would be possible for the base ME but after reviewing a lot of 911 rwd info I think if they keep the weight down the power, torque and DCT is there to do it!

[Ripper]

My Cousin just put down $50K deposit with a Miami dealer yesterday that gives him written guarantee on the MSRP price, first in the list (the list is sorted by deposit amount and not date of deposit) and the check does not get cashed by dealer (stays in bank's vault) and it is fully refundable.
Basically, dealer shows proof to GM the # of solid orders he has and can buy as many cars as deposited orders. They are first by GM (according to what he was told).

I don't know about how this works, but no way is a dealer getting 50K from me for a deposit on a very poorly worded policy. This whole thing sounds a bit like a scam...

Dealers know how many there are getting based on allotments given to them. His 50K at a dealer that's down the allotment list, probably means less than most of those with a $1000 deposit at one of the top dealers. I could be wrong... but this is my understanding of who and when dealers get cars and if someone put a deposit before he did, I don't think the deposit amount is going to secure a car before anyone that came in before him. That's opening a legal can of worms for the dealer. If I were him, I'd get my 50K back and put a deposit with one of the top dealers to ensure a good position. But... it may be too late to get a desirable position anywhere anymore.

I could be wrong, but this whole situation seem's off to me.

[Z_Rocks]

I could be wrong, but this whole situation seem's off to me.

The deposit amount is up to the customer. To place you on the list minimum is a $1000 that is none-cash able down payment. My cousin chose that amount just to be on the top of the list.
That check is a solid proof by dealer to get a higher allocation from GM. Scam, not sure, but could be tricky. But his money isn't being transferred to dealer's account.

I will not give a dealer a penny deposit, after I had a nightmare to get my $2000 deposit back from an Infiniti dealer.

[TtiME]

I don't know about how this works, but no way is a dealer getting 50K from me for a deposit on a very poorly worded policy. This whole thing sounds a bit like a scam...

Dealers know how many there are getting based on allotments given to them. His 50K at a dealer that's down the allotment list, probably means less than most of those with a $1000 deposit at one of the top dealers. I could be wrong... but this is my understanding of who and when dealers get cars and if someone put a deposit before he did, I don't think the deposit amount is going to secure a car before anyone that came in before him. That's opening a legal can of worms for the dealer. If I were him, I'd get my 50K back and put a deposit with one of the top dealers to ensure a good position. But... it may be too late to get a desirable position anywhere anymore.

I could be wrong, but this whole situation seem's off to me.

Sounds kinda like the guy they caught doing the Porsche scams!