Is This the Mid-Engine C8 Corvette’s Front Axle Lift System in Action?

[CorvetteBlogger]

One of the reported new features of the mid-engine C8 Corvette is a front axle lift system that will have multiple applications for the driver. If you have ever cracked a $3,000 carbon fiber spoiler on a speed bump, curb or other obstruction, this will be of interest to you.

Front Axle Lift Systems have been found on high-end cars for several years now. Pratt and Miller’s custom C6RS Corvette had an axle lift system and Porsche rolled out their optional system in 2015.

Recent spy photos of a mid-engine C8 Corvette may be showing the axle lift system in action to clear obstructions. In the first photo, we see the C8ME in a gravel parking lot and it’s approaching the road which is taller than the parking lot surface.

The space between the passenger side front wheel and the top of the fender looks to be normal with maybe an inch to 1 1/2 inches of clearance. As the Corvette approaches the road but before the front wheels touch pavement, it looks like the gap between the fender and wheel increases substantially:








Some of the gap distance can probably be explained by the geometry of the four wheels in relation to the road, but even before the front wheels touch the pavement, it does look like an axle lift system is being deployed.

Seeing how Chevrolet has offered and priced various aerodynamic packages previously, we wouldn’t be surprised if the axle-lift system was offered in several different configurations. To keep the C8 MSRP low, we think GM will offer the system in a couple of different options: a stand-alone front-axle lift as well as a full active aero package.

With either package, the ability to save your Corvette’s front splitter from scraping on speed bumps or being damaged on a steep driveway may soon be a thing of the past.

See the full post at CorvetteBlogger.com:
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2018/...tem-in-action/

[Corvettekid]

Yes been there done that with the spoiler, the front axle lift system sounds like a good idea, I’m getting older now and my next corvette may be my last so I’m going to get it with all the bells and whistles.
also since I bought my Z06 I will never buy another naturally aspirated Corvette too much fun with the supercharger, except I’m going to make sure the next car has sufficient heat exchangers the keep the temperature down during track time.

[John]

Welcome Corvettekid! I hear you about the desirability of the front axle lift system. While we have been all over (half of the states) in our C7 Z07, and stil have our CFZ splitter intact, are there are places we literally can not get into when we take the Corvette, e.g., a gas station here, a restaurant there because of their vicious driveway apron angles. Happy and hopeful that we will get to spend roughly $2,500 on that option.

[Mark JD]

Hi all,
Do you think the lift system would be activated by the driver or would there be sensors telling the system to activate automatically? Just DREAMIN!!

[John]

Darn good question Mark. Dreamin’ Is good. In Porsche, you click or press or rotate one switch. Easy peasy — and quick. On the McLaren (saw a video on this), you have go into your IP system, do this, then that (takes longer and more than a one-step process).

I am guessing (purely that) that we will have a one step process, easily done, and similars to every other system I am aware of, that can only be done up to a certain maximum speed (typically in the 25 MPH range). Hwoever, having said that, we learned from CorvetteBlogger, that in GM’s Active Aero patent, it appears to have components which could make it automatic. What we of course also do not know is whether a) the active aero will make it into production, and b) if it does, will it be a year one or a later model implementation???

[Mark JD]

Not for nothin'... but my 2017 Caddy has adaptive cruise control which senses the vehicle in front of me then adjusts the speed. So using the same concept, it would be great if the lift system worked the same way!
With my luck, I would always think of hitting the button when it's too late... then "oh ****"!

[John]

I believe since Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is required for all cars for 2022, we can count on that being on the base car — even for 2020. Once you build in sensors for AEB, it is easy to also include adaptive cruise control, which I also think too will be in every 2020 ME, for with customers wanting these things, and insurance company’s reducing rates for these safety systems going back to 2016, IMO, we will see it on the ME day one.

We will definitely see one more safety system upgrade for next year’s ME. That was one Tadge, in response to a question he recieved, said he wished he had physical room to put into a C7, e.g., BSP (blind spot protection). He added that had there been physical room in the rear quearters (but did not becuase of heat exchangers), it would have been brought in sometime during the C7 generation Again, as far back several years ago, at least the vast majority of customers of even $30K cars have wanted such safety adds.

Conversely, I understand that most track folks do not want the weight of such systems, and some other do not like their complexity (chance of them to break down).

We have AEB and adaptive cruise control and BSP on our 2017 Mazda 3 GT (a $23,000 car), so again IMO, we shall see all of these coming next year as standard equipment on the ME.

Speaking of BSP and related required NHTSA 2022 MY safety systems, unless GM can add it and AEB into a C7, that is why most predictions are for the C7 to end with the 2021 MY. Will a front engined ME (C8) arrive in 2022? Unknown — though we do have a separate thread for those who want to discuss that:

https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...orvette-entail

[[email protected]]

I am not sure these photos show any evidence of a front axle lift system. All the photos are taken with a telephoto lens which distorts proportions and relationships. Further, the last photo is taken from a lower (almost street level) perspective as compared to the photo immediately preceding it. IMO this is what results in the apparent higher front of the vehicle when compared to the prior image.

[John]

Thank you RedHot for your analysis. The good news is that we saw on the CAD photograph of the area of the car that would raise its front end, a coil over shock with a hydraulic line going into it — so according to folks smarter than me who read CAD drawings daily in their work, it has the potential capability to have a front axle lift system,

[[email protected]]

Certainly the camouflaged car could have front axle lift, but the photos IMO don't provide indisputable evidence.

[Corvette Phil]

I've damaged 3 front splitters. 2 were repaired and 1 had to be replaced $$$$$

[John]

Sorry to hear that. I know the Corvette team has heard from many about the next gen needing to have a front axle lift system. It will be one of the first options I check off on my order.

Corvette Phil, we thankyou for joining MECF!!! Glad you are on board. I will in the next few days get caught up, individually re-title all who have joined by July 14th, as a Forum Founding Member.

[NewYuriCity]

I believe since Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) is required for all cars for 2022, we can count on that being on the base car — even for 2020. Once you build in sensors for AEB, it is easy to also include adaptive cruise control, which I also think too will be in every 2020 ME, for with customers wanting these things, and insurance company’s reducing rates for these safety systems going back to 2016, IMO, we will see it on the ME day one.

We will definitely see one more safety system upgrade for next year’s ME. That was one Tadge, in response to a question he recieved, said he wished he had physical room to put into a C7, e.g., BSP (blind spot protection). He added that had there been physical room in the rear quearters (but did not becuase of heat exchangers), it would have been brought in sometime during the C7 generation Again, as far back several years ago, at least the vast majority of customers of even $30K cars have wanted such safety adds.

Conversely, I understand that most track folks do not want the weight of such systems, and some other do not like their complexity (chance of them to break down).

We have AEB and adaptive cruise control and BSP on our 2017 Mazda 3 GT (a $23,000 car), so again IMO, we shall see all of these coming next year as standard equipment on the ME.

Speaking of BSP and related required NHTSA 2022 MY safety systems, unless GM can add it and AEB into a C7, that is why most predictions are for the C7 to end with the 2021 MY. Will a front engined ME (C8) arrive in 2022? Unknown — though we do have a separate thread for those who want to discuss that:

https://www.midenginecorvetteforum.c...orvette-entail

I was thinking about this today, I wonder if this would prohibit (or at least warrant extensive R&D dollars to accommodate) a manual transmission. John I know the Mazda 3 comes with a manual (and AEB effectively just stalls the car unless the clutch is depressed) but I wonder if this would be usable on a Corvette because of the electronic power steering.

I also hope these safety features are at least defeatable in Track Mode or something similar to that, as I've heard some horror stories from BMW guys who have lane-assist and AEB in their cars while using them for track days. The last thing I'd want is my car suddenly following a blend line while trying to get on a hot track, or worse suddenly coming to a dead stop on a hot track...

[John]

Wow, great and very practical thoughts. Thank you NYC! I believe, as many of the top members of the Corvette team are track folks themselves, for example Kirk Bennion being an HPDE instructor, that your key factors will be taken into account.

[ABorC]

GM has rear cross traffic warning system on it's SUVs (It's on my 2018 Tahoe), I don't think it would be a stretch to adapt it to the front of the car for this use case.

[John]

Welcome Thunder! Thanks for the info. I hope however that whatever is done (both front and rear), that it not have those four, roughly 3/4” circles), that are a paint to totally clean, and even when cleaned, are far from pretty. My DD, a 2017 WRX, has a back-uup, cross-traffic detection system without those circles.