Spying: Return of the ZR2 for Chevrolet

Interesting, I wonder if it will have a factory winch like the concept had?

A ZR2 with the Duramax engine would be a badass offroad truck.

Well they also need to put  in the new Camaro V6 as not everyone wants the diesel or price. 

As for price it will be interesting to see how they price this with the present ZL1 is close to over $50K for a fully loaded crew. There is a limit on what people will pay before moving to a full size truck. $55K will get you a decent crew with a V8.. 

I would be fine with a SLT GMC but I need a power Sun Roof. 

I'll believe GM finally made a truck that's more than a sticker-job when it's finally released.. They've been too good at sticker-jobs for quite awhile now for me to think anything different until it's out.

But if it does come out as a gnarly off-road truck.. AWESOME! 

What I would love to see is a full size truck, mid sized truck and Tahoe with a sport package that is called Tuned by Corvette. 

My vision is to take these vehicles and let the Corvette guys put some brakes on them and tune the suspensions and let them be real handlers. This way GM could enjoy the sport tuning of a sports car but not call them Corvettes. It is a good way to leverage the name and you know the Corvette guys would not take long to tune these models. 

I bought a 1998 ZR2 extended cab manual in dark blue brand new.  No way I could afford a new one.  It's going to be a tough mother though.

Tuned by Corvette

(handling by Lotus comes to mind)

I like the way that sounds. It would be great to actually have other Chevy or even Buick products to be tuned by Corvette.

I think that is a very marketable strategy.

What I would love to see is a full size truck, mid sized truck and Tahoe with a sport package that is called Tuned by Corvette. 

 

My vision is to take these vehicles and let the Corvette guys put some brakes on them and tune the suspensions and let them be real handlers. This way GM could enjoy the sport tuning of a sports car but not call them Corvettes. It is a good way to leverage the name and you know the Corvette guys would not take long to tune these models. 

This would be super cool.

If they make this, and it's legit, I may just have to buy one.

"Tuning By Corvette" dilutes the icon.  No can do!

I like your posting style BLU.

Reminds me of somebody that I used to know....

(Fear not,I wont post Gotye)

I dont think it will dilute.

Imagine a Buick. This Buick

With a "Tuning by Corvette"  badge on it.

Hyper mentioned a Tahoe sport truck...

For me, it elevates Corvette status if marketed right.

Yo skeeterbite... DEFINITELY not on a non-Chevrolet... GM is doing what they can to make the brands unique, that is GM 101, first day of class, first lesson... 

Yo skeeterbite... DEFINITELY not on a non-Chevrolet... GM is doing what they can to make the brands unique, that is GM 101, first day of class, first lesson... 

HA!

The corporate (read Chevy) small block V8 is under the hood of Cadillacs and GMC trucks.....

And PROUDLY displayed as the Corvette engine...

Chevrolet PROUDLY announces the Camaro's platform as the Alpha platform. While this alone may not cause any alarm bells to go off with the deaf, dumb and blind, to the casual observer however, it might cause an aneurysm as he may recall that the little Cadillac car also utilizes the Alpha Platform...

No. Tuning by Corvette, even on a Buick, perhaps a Buick Avista concept that is actually on the Alpha Platform anyway...and maybe even having the famous corporate V8 engine under its hood, with a Tuning by Corvette badge, will definitely give street cred to the Avista, while boosting the Corvette image further, especially if that Avista is a killer on the strip and street...

Its how one views it...and that is why marketing departments exist:

To tell us what  should we consider good shyte!

And I think the Corvette name is prestigious enough where it SHOULD be marketed as a top dog performance BRAND!

I think that only Cadillac should distance itself a tiny bit from General Motors.

I also think that Corvette should start becoming a brand. Sell itself some how to be able to stand alone...not entirely alone, have a strong connection to Chevrolet, but be Corvette...period. Not Corvette (by Chevrolet)

Maybe Chevrolet Racing should fall under full control to Corvette Racing and go from there.

What you're saying has been discussed before and it was decided that it would not behoove them to move forward with such a harebrained scheme.

What you're saying has been discussed before and it was decided that it would not behoove them to move forward with such a harebrained scheme.

Ill be reporter

Who discussed this?

When did this discussion happen?

And...

I wanna have this discussion again.

I noticed that people are afraid of change...but change needs to happen in order to advance.

If the rumors are true, the C8 will be mid-engined.

Many cry foul at this trying to discredit the spy shots...

Many say that this rumor has been going on forever and that no way this time is any different.

Many say that that a Corvette front engine, rear wheel drive with a V8 and nothing more.

Many point to the Porsche 911 and tell us that because Porsche has never messed with the 911's formula that Corvette should stay the same too...

OK...

Porsche has changed the 911's formula.

From stop being a  VW Beetle chassis to ending air cooled engines.

From adding turbos and AWD.

The Corvette has made only 1 change. From Chevy's Stove Bolt 6 to being a V8.

The Corvette even has looked the same since the hatch version of the C3...yes...like the 911.

But...The Corvette needs to  expand...

Why?

Because 1 model has to do everything. And it cant.  Its a formidable machine. But a Jack Of All Trades approach does not make it the best.

It has to be a track star, it has to be a muscle car, it has to be an exotic supercar.

The 911 has a zillion different configurations specializing in each and every category.

And when the 911  simply cant be the best in 1 area, Porsche makes a brand new supercar that trounces everything.

And in order to do that, Porsche expanded its models SUCCESFULLY both engineering wise and marketing wise and sells us SUVs to continue to make all kinds of wonderful sports cars.

Corvette needs to be the best.

Its awfully close now...

but...

When a car has a limited reach, it could only go so far. Budget and engineering limits....

The C7 Z06...

It had or it may still have heat issues.

The C7 Z06 has to be like the C6 ZR1 (muscle car) the C6 Z06 (track star) and also be an exotic supercar based on the C7 R race car.

Porsche 911 has many versions to be all that and more...and Porsche has the budget to do so.

Corvette C7 Z06 because of heat soak issues, is compromised.

And...it being front engine RWD, it has reached its peak.

OK, better than any other front engine RWD car ever built.

Problem is that other engineering solutions exist and the Corvette is being limited just because we like to have things the way they once were...

24 hours of Lemans.

We could cry foul at the Ford GT and the sandbagging and rules hampering the Vettes....

The Ford GT did get a 1-2 finish...from a mid-engine turbo V6 design....

Sure Vettes DOMINATE this series....but not this time around...

The Vette in 2016 has an image like never before.

States Side it was always a God.

Outside this perimeter though, not so much.

In 2016, the Vette WORLDWIDE is revered. Thanx to Corvette Racing and the 24 hours of Lemans.

Its time to tap into that.

Take advantage of that money.

And maybe spawn many different types of Vettes in the process to specialize to DESTROY the competition once and for all...

Listen, dont look now, but even the Camaro is nudging on the Vettes performance feet.

You think that is a good thing for the Vette going forward when little brother Camaro is about to over take you?

And maybe that is why the mid-engine Vette thing is real this time around..

And if that is true..

This opens up a whole new ball game for the Vette.

The rumors of how many types of Vettes that could be sold along side a mid-engined one is all over the internet. There is no need for me to go into all that.

(OK....Im awaiting for the -1 vote for this post)

Well it was way too long to read it all, sparky.  So no downvote from me.  GM discussed doing something like this years ago, it was posted over the interwebs.  Nothing ever came of it.

GM discussed this?

Point me in that direction....

To the downvoter.

Show yourself...

BLU feels like my post is too long to read.

Which is fine..and you the downvoter, feels like your opinion should not be shared....

CMON GUYS!!!

THIS IS A DISCUSSION FORUM, AINT IT NOT???!!!

YOUR OPINION IS NOT ANY BETTER THAN MINE!!!

NOR  MINE IS BETTER THAN YOURS...........

ITS A DISCUSSION....

If you feel like not talking about this....FINE..

DONT DOWNVOTE!!!

And, if you feel like not reading my post....

DONT READ IT, BUT DONT BRUSH ME OFF LIKE IM A PEASANT!!!

Intelligence is created by discussing.

IGNORANCE is maintained by being selective...

 

What you're saying has been discussed before and it was decided that it would not behoove them to move forward with such a harebrained scheme.

Ill be reporter

 

Who discussed this?

When did this discussion happen?

 

And...

I wanna have this discussion again.

 

I noticed that people are afraid of change...but change needs to happen in order to advance.

If the rumors are true, the C8 will be mid-engined.

Many cry foul at this trying to discredit the spy shots...

Many say that this rumor has been going on forever and that no way this time is any different.

Many say that that a Corvette front engine, rear wheel drive with a V8 and nothing more.

Many point to the Porsche 911 and tell us that because Porsche has never messed with the 911's formula that Corvette should stay the same too...

 

 

OK...

 

Porsche has changed the 911's formula.

From stop being a  VW Beetle chassis to ending air cooled engines.

From adding turbos and AWD.

 

The Corvette has made only 1 change. From Chevy's Stove Bolt 6 to being a V8.

The Corvette even has looked the same since the hatch version of the C3...yes...like the 911.

 

But...The Corvette needs to  expand...

Why?

 

Because 1 model has to do everything. And it cant.  Its a formidable machine. But a Jack Of All Trades approach does not make it the best.

It has to be a track star, it has to be a muscle car, it has to be an exotic supercar.

The 911 has a zillion different configurations specializing in each and every category.

And when the 911  simply cant be the best in 1 area, Porsche makes a brand new supercar that trounces everything.

And in order to do that, Porsche expanded its models SUCCESFULLY both engineering wise and marketing wise and sells us SUVs to continue to make all kinds of wonderful sports cars.

 

Corvette needs to be the best.

Its awfully close now...

but...

When a car has a limited reach, it could only go so far. Budget and engineering limits....

The C7 Z06...

It had or it may still have heat issues.

The C7 Z06 has to be like the C6 ZR1 (muscle car) the C6 Z06 (track star) and also be an exotic supercar based on the C7 R race car.

Porsche 911 has many versions to be all that and more...and Porsche has the budget to do so.

Corvette C7 Z06 because of heat soak issues, is compromised.

And...it being front engine RWD, it has reached its peak.

OK, better than any other front engine RWD car ever built.

Problem is that other engineering solutions exist and the Corvette is being limited just because we like to have things the way they once were...

 

24 hours of Lemans.

We could cry foul at the Ford GT and the sandbagging and rules hampering the Vettes....

The Ford GT did get a 1-2 finish...from a mid-engine turbo V6 design....

Sure Vettes DOMINATE this series....but not this time around...

 

The Vette in 2016 has an image like never before.

States Side it was always a God.

Outside this perimeter though, not so much.

In 2016, the Vette WORLDWIDE is revered. Thanx to Corvette Racing and the 24 hours of Lemans.

Its time to tap into that.

Take advantage of that money.

And maybe spawn many different types of Vettes in the process to specialize to DESTROY the competition once and for all...

 

Listen, dont look now, but even the Camaro is nudging on the Vettes performance feet.

You think that is a good thing for the Vette going forward when little brother Camaro is about to over take you?

 

And maybe that is why the mid-engine Vette thing is real this time around..

And if that is true..

This opens up a whole new ball game for the Vette.

The rumors of how many types of Vettes that could be sold along side a mid-engined one is all over the internet. There is no need for me to go into all that.

 

(OK....Im awaiting for the -1 vote for this post)

 

Excellent read, you make many valid points and I agree with you, there needs to be a diverse group of Corvette products.

*brush*brush* 

I will try to find it, but it was several years back.

*brush*brush* 

 

I will try to find it, but it was several years back.

That is all cool and all...and I want to know the ins and outs from GM's BUSINESS stand-point.

But more to it than that....

I WANNA KNOW YOUR OPINION ON IT!!!

YES BLU, YOUR OPINION!

I HAVE A DIRECT CONNECTION WITH YOU. IM VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN WHAT YOU  HAVE TO SAY.

 

What you're saying has been discussed before and it was decided that it would not behoove them to move forward with such a harebrained scheme.

Ill be reporter

 

Who discussed this?

When did this discussion happen?

 

And...

I wanna have this discussion again.

 

I noticed that people are afraid of change...but change needs to happen in order to advance.

If the rumors are true, the C8 will be mid-engined.

Many cry foul at this trying to discredit the spy shots...

Many say that this rumor has been going on forever and that no way this time is any different.

Many say that that a Corvette front engine, rear wheel drive with a V8 and nothing more.

Many point to the Porsche 911 and tell us that because Porsche has never messed with the 911's formula that Corvette should stay the same too...

 

 

OK...

 

Porsche has changed the 911's formula.

From stop being a  VW Beetle chassis to ending air cooled engines.

From adding turbos and AWD.

 

The Corvette has made only 1 change. From Chevy's Stove Bolt 6 to being a V8.

The Corvette even has looked the same since the hatch version of the C3...yes...like the 911.

 

But...The Corvette needs to  expand...

Why?

 

Because 1 model has to do everything. And it cant.  Its a formidable machine. But a Jack Of All Trades approach does not make it the best.

It has to be a track star, it has to be a muscle car, it has to be an exotic supercar.

The 911 has a zillion different configurations specializing in each and every category.

And when the 911  simply cant be the best in 1 area, Porsche makes a brand new supercar that trounces everything.

And in order to do that, Porsche expanded its models SUCCESFULLY both engineering wise and marketing wise and sells us SUVs to continue to make all kinds of wonderful sports cars.

 

Corvette needs to be the best.

Its awfully close now...

but...

When a car has a limited reach, it could only go so far. Budget and engineering limits....

The C7 Z06...

It had or it may still have heat issues.

The C7 Z06 has to be like the C6 ZR1 (muscle car) the C6 Z06 (track star) and also be an exotic supercar based on the C7 R race car.

Porsche 911 has many versions to be all that and more...and Porsche has the budget to do so.

Corvette C7 Z06 because of heat soak issues, is compromised.

And...it being front engine RWD, it has reached its peak.

OK, better than any other front engine RWD car ever built.

Problem is that other engineering solutions exist and the Corvette is being limited just because we like to have things the way they once were...

 

24 hours of Lemans.

We could cry foul at the Ford GT and the sandbagging and rules hampering the Vettes....

The Ford GT did get a 1-2 finish...from a mid-engine turbo V6 design....

Sure Vettes DOMINATE this series....but not this time around...

 

The Vette in 2016 has an image like never before.

States Side it was always a God.

Outside this perimeter though, not so much.

In 2016, the Vette WORLDWIDE is revered. Thanx to Corvette Racing and the 24 hours of Lemans.

Its time to tap into that.

Take advantage of that money.

And maybe spawn many different types of Vettes in the process to specialize to DESTROY the competition once and for all...

 

Listen, dont look now, but even the Camaro is nudging on the Vettes performance feet.

You think that is a good thing for the Vette going forward when little brother Camaro is about to over take you?

 

And maybe that is why the mid-engine Vette thing is real this time around..

And if that is true..

This opens up a whole new ball game for the Vette.

The rumors of how many types of Vettes that could be sold along side a mid-engined one is all over the internet. There is no need for me to go into all that.

 

(OK....Im awaiting for the -1 vote for this post)

 

Such a good post here. So much truth to this.

Exclude the exterior design, and the 911 has changed plenty. Not too much, but enough. Enough to still be the most darling sports car on the market, and enjoy immense sales success.

The Corvette brand, name, family, whatever you want to call it, needs to expand. Idk how that's even up for debate at this point.

I will say the more I think about it, the more I like TUNED by CORVETTE!

The catch is you have to make sure it truly is tuned right and not just a badge job as GM in the Mid 2000's was starting to do with the SS badge on everything.

TUNED by CORVETTE needs to only go on select limited edition auto's.

Example is if GMC brought back the Typhoon and Syclone.

These should be TUNED by CORVETTE.

Trailblazer SS AWD - TUNED by CORVETTE

Get my point?

I think you could properly expand the corvette family and the branding done right.

I will say the more I think about it, the more I like TUNED by CORVETTE!

 

The catch is you have to make sure it truly is tuned right and not just a badge job as GM in the Mid 2000's was starting to do with the SS badge on everything.

 

TUNED by CORVETTE needs to only go on select limited edition auto's.

 

Example is if GMC brought back the Typhoon and Syclone.

 

These should be TUNED by CORVETTE.

 

Trailblazer SS AWD - TUNED by CORVETTE

 

Get my point?

 

I think you could properly expand the corvette family and the branding done right.

EXACTLY!

And with baby steps if need be.

Start with the "Tuned by Corvette" badging.

Chevy SS badged vehicles could benefit from such "Tuned by Corvette" badging...

And if done right, more praise for Corvette and more exposure for the Corvette brand that expanding a Corvette line-up should not be that off the wall...

 

"Tuning By Corvette" dilutes the icon.  No can do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No if you make a SUV and call it a Corvette that dilutes. 

If you cal it a Tahoe and make a limited number with a small badge like the GM Performance Division used that just says tuned by Team Corvette on their cars that enhances. 

Hell Isuzu sold a hell of a lot of Tuned by Lotus cars and it brought the Lotus name more front and center with no damage. 

Handling by Lotus...which I already mentioned like, it sees eons ago, in this thread.

HYPER...your TUNING by CORVETTE is a fantastic idea!!!

Note when I say Tuned By Corvette I do not mean to whore it out like Cutlass was and how some companies are using the name. 

First off you can not compare this to Porsche as Porsche is a brand not a model or sub model. GM would have to do this differently. In other words no full on Corvette SUV like a Cayenne. But I would be fine with taking existing Chevy models and using a small badge on the cars to denote the engineering of that said models.

Corvette is a sports car and no other kind of vehicle can carry a name of Corvette as a primary name if it is now a sports car. But you can denote it as tuned by Corvette of Engineered by Team Corvette. Remember the Corvette engineering team is a entity to themselves.  

Follow the same thing as the GM Performance division did and since it is only going to be on Chevy make it Corvette Engineering. 

I am driving a GM performance vehicle with the GM performance badge under the hood that was only given to the top form of each vehicle they did. Their work is now legendary. Many of their members are now intergrated into the engineering of the cars from the start and not just fixing what others did. That is why even many base cars now handle and ride so well. 

But just to make it clean any car called Corvette has to be a two seat sports car and nothing else. 

Yup, my 2008 Trailblazer SS AWD has the Performance by GM badging.

Stay tuned for the Macan, "Tuned by 911" special brougham GT Type R Edition! 

Stay tuned for the Macan, "Tuned by 911" special brougham GT Type R Edition! 

You are making fun...

But...

Look at the badge on that car to the left of the 4/6 _{(simplify fraction equals 2/3)} Olympic Rings .

1994 Audi RS2

Look it up!

BLU....

That above post sounds aggressive to me.

I dont mean it to be.

What I meant to write is:

I know you are having fun with this but...look at the badge next to the Olympic Rings...

And even there, I screwed up...

There are only 5 Olympic Rings...

3 on top and 2 on the bottom.

And even my parting words sound aggressive:

"Look it up!"

I realize I look like a doooosh writing it that way...

Oh well...the intent to bring some fun into it was all sucked out...

SORRY!

No problemo dude, I was camping and have not been able to tune in.

Stay tuned for the Macan, "Tuned by 911" special brougham GT Type R Edition! 

Not quite as it is already a Porsche no need to be redundant.

With out the GM performance badge my HHR and your Trailblazer are just Chevys. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=fiat+dino+coupe+by+ferrar&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS600US600&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=955&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRwNvEzYzOAhUJHR4KHfTaDE0Q_AUIBigB#tbm=isch&q=handling+by+lotus+badge

Handling by Lotus. 

Even the old Cortina's and other models were blessed with Lotus engineering tuning. 

Corvette is not a brand it is a model and you can use it effectivly by taking the engineers and letting them tune on other products as long as it does not distract from their primary car. 

Now A Tahoe with a Handling  by Corvette is ok but to make a SUV and call it a Corvette would be all wrong.