ME Engine Cover Discussion

[Bluevette]

To me the engine cover doesn't look like the final product that we'll see on the car. What do you guys think?

If you don't think so, then what do you think that it will look like? How much of the engine will we be able to see when it's closed? How will it open? What will the accessibility to the engine be?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

[John]

I remain the optimist — at least for the coupe version. The engine is forward of the rear wheels, and if they give us a “window” we could look down on top of it. We need that window. Is there HT convertible ME that allows such a view?

[Fasttoys]

Two options display the engine like Audi, Ferrari and Lamborghini or hide it like Mclaren, my concern is how hard will it be to work on as everything gets more complicated when you put the engine in the rear. I added pictures from yesterday test drive. Pictures 570s convertable and 720s coupe

[Bluevette]

All of these possibilities are possible and the way that it looks, it appears to be serving the purpose of both the engine cover and back window (John is right, that's something that the car needs lol) like on an Audi R8. This is what I'm picturing when I look at the ME.

As for working on it, the cover also looks like it may lift off completely or hinge on one end letting you open it. The former would be kind of an inconvenience though.

[tooold2race]

The Ferrari 'vert' had a clear cover exposing the engine in all it's 'redheaded' glory. Unfortunately, that all went away when they migrated to the solid composite folding top vs the fabric. I believe that was 2 generations ago. I think the last one was the 458 Spyder but I'm not certain. We have a FE so to see all the good stuff, we have to lift the hood. You have to do a lot of that with a Ferrari. Everyone wants to see the engine. I'm sure that will be the case with the new ME C8 too.

Another thought.... New Ferrari's come with 7 years of 'by the book' routine dealer service. They did that a number of years ago when they found that people were leaning more towards the high end German and Japanese brands because of Ferrari's costly service reputation. That move alone made me a buyer. Perhaps Chevy will do something like that if sales slip because of service cost concerns. The other good thing it does is it gets the owners back into the dealership. How many guys do you know that took in their C7 in for one of the FREE oil changes and drove home in a new one??? I know more than I can count on one hand.....

[John]

Two options show us the engine like Audi, Ferrari and Lamborghini or hide it like Mclaren, my concern is how hard will it be to work on as everything gets more complicated when you put the engine in the rear. I added pictures from yesterday test drive. Pictures 570s convertable and 720s coupe

Though it the Corvette’s rear hatch is not a thinnish center piece, but roughy the same size as a C7’s, there would be much more access to the engine.

[Bikerjulio]

I had speculated earlier based on this image and another from the side, that the whole rear opens up to the top of the fenders. See the seams there, running up behind the B pillar and with a seam across the roof just in front of the "window" panel. Therefore masses of access room.

[John]

Thank you Bikerjulio! That is a really good picture to show the size-to-size width of the hatch, as well as how back it goes. It is a one large hatch.

[PaulChristian]

To me the engine cover doesn't look like the final product that we'll see on the car. What do you guys think?

If you don't think so, then what do you think that it will look like? How much of the engine will we be able to see when it's closed? How will it open? What will the accessibility to the engine be?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

Other than very basic proportions, very little of what we see is accurate. If the engine does not look impressive out of the rear glass, Chevy needs to just hide it such that it is not visible from outside.

[John]

Using your above one as a cue, went to jagamajajaran’s collections and found this one. I wonder if one were to take out a tape measure how big the monster hatch would be.

[Bluevette]

Using your above one as a cue, went to jagamajajaran’s collections and found this one. I wonder if one were to take out a tape measure how big the monster hatch would be.

It's difficult to tell how big this is just looking at a picture, but the entire cover looks to be roughly the same size as a C7 back window:

37 1/2" across at the top. 26" across at the bottom. 37 1/4" long.

Time will tell.

[Bikerjulio]

This thread here has the measurements for a C7 back window to use as a possible comparison. Of course it's difficult to tell how big this is just looking at a picture.

Some has posted that they believe that it is 37 1/2" across at the top. 26" across at the bottom. 37 1/4" long.

We are not talking about the window opening. Rather the whole back end, fender top to fender top. Looks plausible given the seams.

[Fasttoys]

All of these possibilities are possible and the way that it looks, it appears to be serving the purpose of both the engine cover and back window (John is right, that's something that the car needs lol) like on an Audi R8. This is what I'm picturing when I look at the ME.

As for working on it, the cover also looks like it may lift off completely or hinge on one end letting you open it. The former would be kind of an inconvenience though.

Here was my R8 engine bay, loved looking at it with the carbon package.

[John]

Wow, that CF looks great on the Audi. Wonder how soon after the Corvette ME comes out that we start to see aftermarket visible CF options...