Chevrolet News:Spying: Chevrolet Corvette Testing In Canada

[William Maley]

William Maley

Editor/Reporter - CheersandGears.com

January 19, 2012

It’s been a long time coming, but the day has come. The next generation Corvette has been caught on camera, undergoing some testing in Canada.

The heavily camouflaged prototype reveals some details on what to expect on the C7 Corvette. Designwise, the C7 Corvette will retain the classic long-nose, short-deck configuration of its predecessors, but have a distinct wedge shape. Also, the C7 Corvette will keep the front-engine layout, squashing rumors of mid-engine car for now.

There is still a lot of speculation on what will be powering the next generation Corvette. Rumor has it that a 5.5L twin-turbo V8 is in the cards, along with a seven speed transmission.

When will we see the next generation Corvette, sans camouflage? Rumors point to next years Detroit Auto Show.

Source: Inside Line

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[67impss]

I've wondered if they'd ever put LEDs on a Vette

[dwightlooi]

The camouflaged car has a profile so much like the C6 I am not sure it is not a C6. The funny thing is... if it is just some special edition of the C6, why the camouflage?

[ZL-1]

Platform/Powertrain mule with a distorted C6 body on top? The camo would just hide any proportion changes that might still be visible despite the distorted C6 body...

[Robert Hall]

Disguised modified C6 body hiding the fact that the new C7 platform is.... Epsilon II.

[67impss]

In a perfect world

[Camino LS6]

The camo is really heavily padded, which almost makes it look like something leaner in a C6 fat suit.

Makes me wonder if this new Corvette may sport a leaner look without the huge rear end of the current car. Something also makes me think that rear glass styling will be something new as well.

Overall, it leads me to believe that the C7 will be a much more svelte Corvette.

I hope that's the case.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Camino LS6

[Robert Hall]

It will be interesting to see what direction the styling goes...the C6 already has a small rear compared to the C5....

[Camino LS6]

It will be interesting to see what direction the styling goes...the C6 already has a small rear compared to the C5....

Yes, and sharper creases too.

I hope those two trends continue.

[hyperv6]

The car has a longer but a little more narrow wheel base than the C6.

Note the drawing I posted here from a web site a couple weeks ago "Sorry I can mention per it was removed by managment here" looked very close to the right shape of this car. The web site starts with a J and it was there in Nov.

The B pillars going to change and the rear window will not wrap around. There will be either a quarter window or a black quarter incert inthe C pillar. The rear roof look very much sloped, it is a much more traditional fast back.

The the front fenders has a high ridge and arch to them similar to the ridge on the 130 concept and the new Colorado. This seems to be somthing I have seen showin up more on many of the newer Chevy designs. If you look at the drawing I think they really have this one close.

Many thought it was just a wild guess but as it looks now It may be the best lead of where this car is going on the hidden details. If the drawings are as close as I expect the car should be a nice change till the soone to come C8 gets here.

The one detail I was not sure on was the chome on the fender vent. I am sure if they do it in real life it will look fine but in the drawing it kind of reminded me of the Ford Escort Vent.

I am just shocked at how no one here is posting about the real news today and how well the ZL1 handles. The exciting part is if they can make a 4000 pound coupe dance this well the 3400 pound ATS and 6 Gen Camaro both are going to be well worth the wait. Autoweek and Motor Trend were very please. It really smoked the 302 Boss on track. and I don't mean by just a little. It not the extra Horse Power that did it either.

Edited January 19, 2012 by hyperv6

[Robert Hall]

Interesting..I saw that illustration on that site last year, though it was bogus...interesting development if they move away from the wrap around rear glass..the Corvette has had the same general B-pillar shape and wrap around rear glass for 35 years...

Edited January 19, 2012 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Z-06]

Interesting..I saw that illustration on that site last year, though it was bogus...interesting development if they move away from the wrap around rear glass..the Corvette has had the same general B-pillar shape and wrap around rear glass for 35 years...

I like Porsche's long-established evolutionary approach to design...why mess with a good thing?

[Camino LS6]

Hyper, your description of the sketch sound alot like what I thought I was seeing under the camo in the spy pics. If that's the case, then thumbs up!

I saw the ZL-1 comparo vs. the Boss, and did find it impressive (figured you'd post about it).

So much for the description of Zeta as "archaic" as some would have it around here.

[smk4565]

Looks like evolution of the current car, the shape looks really similar. I wouldn't be surprised if a V6 shows up in this car, they have down sized the engines and cylinder count everywhere but the Corvette and Silverado.

[hyperv6]

Hyper, your description of the sketch sound alot like what I thought I was seeing under the camo in the spy pics. If that's the case, then thumbs up!

I saw the ZL-1 comparo vs. the Boss, and did find it impressive (figured you'd post about it).

So much for the description of Zeta as "archaic" as some would have it around here.

You can make a fat lady dance and dance well. But the fact is the Zeta is just too heavy and to get the Camaro where it needs to be the Alpha will do more good for this car than any, The loss of weight will not only improve the 0-60 times but stopping and handling will also improve. Slap the electronics on that and it will be amazing what this car could do.

I look forward to the ATS and XTS test as I suspect they will prove to be very different than many expect and be excellent handling sedans. The XTS I suspect will prove to be an eye opener for some. They are not pure performance cars but they will no put a wheel wrong under most conditions. The new electonic shocks and the better funded engineer at GM will prove to bring us many good things in the near future.

I liked how they said the 302 was good with lots of feed back but the Camaro was supercar like. This also is where the Vette is going as I feel with it will have less mass and it looks like it is lower. This will make the already great handling even better.

[Camino LS6]

Alpha is the natural home for a Camaro, but Zeta would have made one hell of a Chevelle!

[ocnblu]

I have not liked the short rear overhang of the last few Corvette iterations. The spy photo seems to have a longer rear overhang. I like that.

[hyperv6]

I have not liked the short rear overhang of the last few Corvette iterations. The spy photo seems to have a longer rear overhang. I like that.

Based on the drawing it has a short side but curves out in the middle longer. But we will have to wait to confirm this. Too much camo on this one to tell if that detail is accurate.

Alpha is the natural home for a Camaro, but Zeta would have made one hell of a Chevelle!

Would have but the Zeta is nearing the end of it's life and just live it out with some upgrades till it is gone. From what they said they can't make it much lighter as it is. I believe GM could afford to do this one much better this now with better funding. But who is to say they could not do a larger Alpha coupe as a Chevelle like vehicle or a new Zeta replacement down the road. A flag ship Cadillac has to go on something.

Edited January 20, 2012 by hyperv6

[Camino LS6]

Alpha is the natural home for a Camaro, but Zeta would have made one hell of a Chevelle!

Would have but the Zeta is nearing the end of it's life and just live it out with some upgrades till it is gone. From what they said they can't make it much lighter as it is. I believe GM could afford to do this one much better this now with better funding. But who is to say they could not do a larger Alpha coupe as a Chevelle like vehicle or a new Zeta replacement down the road. A flag ship Cadillac has to go on something.

That really is the question - what can Alpha do with its flexibility, and what will Omega be?

For what I want, Zeta is perfect - I hope that Alpha or Omega can support a car (truck) with the same size and powertrain as Zeta now does.

Otherwise, it's really all over for me and future GM cars.

[Robert Hall]

I have not liked the short rear overhang of the last few Corvette iterations. The spy photo seems to have a longer rear overhang. I like that.

I like the short rear overhang of the C6...I didn't like the giant rump of the C5...the C4s over all looked pretty good on the outside IMO but the interiors were hideous...

[Turbojett]

I can still make out some curves under that burlap sack she's wearing.

[Drew Dowdell]

Alpha is the natural home for a Camaro, but Zeta would have made one hell of a Chevelle!

Would have but the Zeta is nearing the end of it's life and just live it out with some upgrades till it is gone. From what they said they can't make it much lighter as it is. I believe GM could afford to do this one much better this now with better funding. But who is to say they could not do a larger Alpha coupe as a Chevelle like vehicle or a new Zeta replacement down the road. A flag ship Cadillac has to go on something.

That really is the question - what can Alpha do with its flexibility, and what will Omega be?

For what I want, Zeta is perfect - I hope that Alpha or Omega can support a car (truck) with the same size and powertrain as Zeta now does.

Otherwise, it's really all over for me and future GM cars.

Alpha can go up at least as large as the E-class.

[dwightlooi]

Well, if the shots actually show a camouflaged C7 body, then at least one thing is settled. The C7 will not be anything like the Stingray concept and will be an extremely evolutionary replacement of the C6. This is a little disappointing. Corvette needs to be bold to breakout of its traditional demographics. I didn't quite like the split rear windows, but the rest of the Stngray concept was very modern, pretty handsome and darn unique. That it is also somewhat polarizing is not necessarily a bad thing.

[G. David Felt]

Well, if the shots actually show a camouflaged C7 body, then at least one thing is settled. The C7 will not be anything like the Stingray concept and will be an extremely evolutionary replacement of the C6. This is a little disappointing. Corvette needs to be bold to breakout of its traditional demographics. I didn't quite like the split rear windows, but the rest of the Stngray concept was very modern, pretty handsome and darn unique. That it is also somewhat polarizing is not necessarily a bad thing.

I totally agree, they need to Get off this Holding onto the old body style, they finall got rid of the ugly pop up headlights and the Stingray concept had clear connection to the Corvette DNA and yet finally gave a HOT modern look.

Just look at how many people loved it in Transformers.

[hyperv6]

Well, if the shots actually show a camouflaged C7 body, then at least one thing is settled. The C7 will not be anything like the Stingray concept and will be an extremely evolutionary replacement of the C6. This is a little disappointing. Corvette needs to be bold to breakout of its traditional demographics. I didn't quite like the split rear windows, but the rest of the Stngray concept was very modern, pretty handsome and darn unique. That it is also somewhat polarizing is not necessarily a bad thing.

You really have to follow and listen to the Vette team and what is going on.

They pretty much made it clear the C7 was moved up as they needed to update the present car asap. This means while it will be improved the car would not change radically. With that said they also have stated they already are working on a C8 now and the C7 would not have a very long run. The great changes will come with the C8 as GM has to address the fast changing market for Sports cars. With new Goverment regs and the added technology they will need to make a major revamp to the Vette in the future. The C8 will do this and the C7 is just more or less going to address the present sins of the C6 and buy time for the C8.

Last year the Vette sales tanks witht he perfect storm of a poor economy and an aging platform. This car will buy them the time they need to address the Vette in ways they could not before. They are better funded and they are also needed the time to do the needed work for where they are going.

GM did not pump the money they did in BG KY just for the C7 only as they are looking ahead even more.

The Vette is now a global sports can not just the American sports car put together by fat men in Kentrucky. Look for some old things to carry on but we will see more of some of the traditions fall by the way side. The pop up head lamps were only the first thing to go. I suspect we will see other more major changes that will step on some traditional buyers toes but they will make the car a no compromise world beater but still at a much lower price.

Just look at what GM just did on the new ZL1, the improvments in this gen and the next will be amazing as GM adds technology that we have yet to see. I look for GM to improve handling and ride more than anything and I suspect the ZR1 to see 725 HP at some point.

[balthazar]

what are these "great changes" and how is the sport car segment "changing fast"?

Corvette should never be about sales numbers- no other top shelf sports car is.

Discarding the iconic identity cues of the Corvette in a primary search for more sales is folly.

[ocnblu]

Porsche seems immune to this swiftly changing sports car market. They remain.

[Camino LS6]

what are these "great changes" and how is the sport car segment "changing fast"?

Corvette should never be about sales numbers- no other top shelf sports car is.

Discarding the iconic identity cues of the Corvette in a primary search for more sales is folly.

This.

Corvette is all about continuing evolution, not revolution. Since the advent of the C4, every new Vette has raised the bar - this is the one car that GM has consistently gotten right time and time again. Abandoning such a successful process for the sake of the amorphous "New" would be just plain stupid.

[Z-06]

None of the Porsches' aspirants want radical change, yet Corvette should be changed radically.

Stop making excuses, make it the best car and those paper customers being sought will be there.

[hyperv6]

what are these "great changes" and how is the sport car segment "changing fast"?

Corvette should never be about sales numbers- no other top shelf sports car is.

Discarding the iconic identity cues of the Corvette in a primary search for more sales is folly.

You need to really start looking around.

Hybrid technology is creaping in to this segment. Porsche is even making a electric race car now. Ferrari is looking to down size engines in their larger production cars. Jaguar has an electric coming and Mclaren has Kers going into production.

Also Porshce and others sports car MFG have divesed into 4 door cars and SUV's as they can no longer just live on a couple sport coupes alone.

The fact is the MPG of these cars has to go up. But even worse the green movment is strong in Europe and has gotten the many sports car MFG to think of ways to not draw criticism.

It getting tough to sell even expensive sports cars.

Also numbers do effect the Vette. Last year they sold 12,000 units and don't think that it could remain there and GM not take notice if that number contiunues. The Vette team contary to popular belief does not get a free pass. This car has to make a buisness case just like every other GM car out there. The Vette also has to make a profit. Like it or not the Vette is a Chevy and GM is not here just to make cars at a loss they have done that too much with too many other cars. They have proven they can make a top self performance car and still make money so numbers really is not an issue. The real trick is in todays market they can no longer go 12+ years with out major refreshes like they used to do.