Saturday, January 19, 2013

2014 C7 Corvette Stingray - First Thoughts and Specs

Thus far in our blog experiment we've focused on what interests us personally. Personally I own a tuned BMW 135i. Pretty much the best bang for the buck, in my opinion, of any car on the planet. I can pretty much guarantee that this post will quickly top, in page views, any post we've made regarding any bad ass Bimmerfest car show, engine swap fun, or even our best exhaust of 2012 nominee. Why? Because we've added a link to a video showing the new C7 Corvette!

At first glance you'll notice the same overall dimensions of the outgoing C6. The body looks as though it has been reworked around the same structure almost as though Chevrolet put the new design into the hands of an aftermarket tuner. But keep watching. If you pay close attention to the video as the car rotates behind Mr. Jeuchter it slowly becomes apparent, at least to me, that this not merely a refresh of an old design but a whole new take on the Corvette. The way the hood recesses next to the headlights then bulges around the engine. The way the roof is subtly chiseled, and the way the ZL1ish rear spoiler picks up the lines from the roof and accentuates the angry taillights with menacing black gills. The overall look is growing on me quickly. It's as if they've started with a Ferrari California and stuffed a new Camaro and a last year C6 Corvette inside. If they have finally fixed the Jeremy Clarkson rear bumper flexing issues then I'm sold. Surely out of my budget, but still...I'm sold.

Specs as of 1-19-2013
Engine: LT1 6.2L V8 w/ direct fuel injection and variable valve timing
Compression Ratio: 11.5:1
Transmission: 7 Speed manual w/ active rev matching OR 6 Speed paddle shift
Horsepower: 450+hp
Torque: 450lbs/ft
Fuel Economy: 26+ MPG highway
Weight distribution: 50/50
Chassis: Magnetic selective ride
Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport ZP Run Flat (BIG THUMBS DOWN)
Wheels: 18in front, 19in rear / 19in front, 20in rear w/ Z51 package
Roof: Visible carbon fiber, painted carbon fiber, or transparent
Wheelbase: 106.7in
Overall Length: 177in
Overall width: 73.9in
Overall Height: 48.6in
Track: 62.8in front, 61.6in rear
Brake diameter: 12.6in (13.6in Z51) front, 13.3in rear