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Chevrolet Ups The Ante!

Remember way way back in the day (about a few months ago), when talk of 500 horsepower super trucks (the Viper Truck & next generation Lightning) was considered "WILD?" And way back (about a month ago) when 500 horsepower wrapped in a 3,300-3,500 chassis (Viper and Ford GT) was considered "insane"? Well, get this! Chevy's, soon to debut C6 Vette, will have a Z06 version that will also kick out 500 horsepower. That sweet 347 cubic-inch LS1 motor will get poked and stroked out to 427 cubic inches. Yes, that's right.. four hundred and twenty seven big ones. Okay, so now you're thinking a 427 is freakin' cool! But you're also thinking, 500 horsepower is NOT uping the ante! And you'd be right, but Chevy isn't done yet. Because on their drawing boards is a 'super Vette' code named "Blue Devil." What's so special about the "Blue Devil" you ask? Well, the Blue Devil's 427 cubes will get the help of some "artificial respiration" in the form of a supercharger. Need some icing on that cake? How about carbon fiber panels to reduce the Vette's fighting weight down to a more acceptable 2,900 pounds?

We Americans are a sick bunch, aren't we? Too much is never enough. But geeze, if the new GT and Viper are running mid 11s, what will a

2,900 Vette run with at least another 125 ponies? 10s? Could it run 10 1/2s, or maybe a lower 10 on street tires. Then what would happen if you just slipped on a set sticky tires? A 9...?

This is nuts, isn't it? It's like today's automotive world is moving as fast as the personal computer world... where one day a 2 gig machine is considered blazing fast, but by the middle of next week if you don't have a 3.0 you ain't shit. Whatever happened to our 225,

235, and 305 horsepower machines? Hell, seems every new full-size pickup these days has a 300+ horsepower motor under the hood. And all the super sedans are running 350 or so. Gosh, now when I drive around in my 225 horsepower '93 Cobra I feel like I'm driving a Pentium 1. Will this modern-day horsepower war get even more crazy? Will my '93 Cobra soon be down to packing only a 486 equivalent?

While you think about that, read the following for the "Blue Devil" details!

----From Autoweek---

THE 2005 C6 CORVETTE hasn't even been officially introduced, but the Corvette development team is already hard at work on future, high-performance variants, including a wild 600-plus horsepower Ford GT-fighter known internally as "Blue Devil."

While chief engineer Dave Hill has publicly announced the Z06 version of the next-gen Vette due in 2005 will have 500 hp, his engine team wasn't sure until recently that they could actually achieve that impressive figure. Sources now say that it will be a case of "nothing beats cubic inches" with 95 extra horses (compared to today's 405-hp Z06) coming as a result of boring and stroking the next-gen Chevy small-block V8 to 427 cubic inches?7.0 liters. Not since the late-1960s has that magic number of cubes been under a Corvette's composite hood (though there were some 454s along the way).

More important, Chevy is clearly investigating an ultra-performance Corvette designed to do battle with?and conquer?the mid-engined GT from rival Ford, as well as many supercars from across the pond. Called Blue Devil (no one knows why it has that name?could it be Chevy hopes to bedevil Ford's blue oval?), unofficial stats make the name seem appropriate. Reportedly producing 625 hp, Blue Devil's initial power will come from a supercharged 427 engine?and it will use lightweight carbon fiber for key body parts, reducing weight by several hundred pounds to drop the super C6 to about 2900 pounds.

The price indicated on the internal documents is $100,000 for Blue Devil, if and when it actually makes production in 2006?at the earliest. We wonder whether the Devil's chances of seeing light are further improved following product czar Bob Lutz's comments that he'd like to see a Chevy-badged car like the 2002 Cadillac Cien concept.

General Motors officials aren't connecting the dots and saying this is a "go," but the high-performance heart of Blue Devil is the kind of specialized, high-content engine project envisioned for the General's new Performance Build Center set to open shop next year in Wixom, Michigan. The center is intended to attack projects with "a sort of race team mentality," says Ed Koerner, vice president of GM Powertrain engineering operations.

Patterned after low-volume race shops, the center could build up to

10,000 powerplants per year for very specific, high-end, high-performance GM vehicles. Koerner says engines from the shop should appear in showroom vehicles by 2005.

----end----

NoOp Comment: Since Ford used the terminator name for the '03 Cobra, maybe Chevy should consider calling the "Blue Devil" a shark name in memory of the '60's Mako shark moniker. But give it a famous shark name like "Jaws". Now that would be cool! Maybe have the 427 badge with a shark's body on one end. Just a thought.

And one final thought. I wonder how Team Viper will top Jaws? Maybe with a "King Kong" Viper...?

Patrick '93 Cobra (powered by a Pentium 1) '83 LTD (powered by a "Pong" machine)

Reply to
Patrick
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Reply to
V'ger

And...loving it!

Bob '03 Cobra coupe

Reply to
Bob

That is awesome! I always have loved corvettes. I was also reading somewhere(rumor's) that they were gonna have another ZL1. Perhaps they decided to call it blue devil instead. Erik D. '94 white lightning

Reply to
Erik D.

The greatest thing about the horsepower wars this time around is that fuel economy is at least part of the picture. While I realize that one doesn't get tremendous horsepower without consuming gas, the new cars are faster and use less gas than the big names of the mid to late '60's. Most (if not all) of them will also pass an emissions test as well.

I bet if one drives the 600hp 427 'Vette easy enough, 18-20 MPG could be realized. But then, how often would one want to drive that car easy enough for that?

That's also not to say that another abrupt end could never come to this HP war... but that's a whole different topic..

JS

Reply to
JS

Reply to
Johnny K

While it is GM, it is also the corvette. Personally, I don't think GM will be too shabby with the corvette. .02 Erik D. '94 white lightning

Reply to
Erik D.

yeah unfortunately those 500 hps are gonna cost big bucks too.. who can afford $50 grand for a z06.. or 150,000 for a gt40.. god, I can't imagine what a blue devil would cost. you aren't patrick in AZ who bought my cobra back in august by chance, are you ?

daveZ

--you musr first take out MYUGLYSISTER to reply by email..-------

Reply to
DaveZ

Take a look at the actual mileage for these new performance cars.

12-16 mpg is common. That may be a couple mpg better than the "good old days" but there are LOTS more cars now and people are driving LOTS more miles. And because of all the increased congestion, people are driving LOTS more "city" miles. The proof of this is our steadily increasing reliance on imported oil.. far more than in the last two oil crisis.

If you don't remember an oil crisis, odds are very good you will get your chance. And the next one will make the last ones look like nothing.

LJH

95GT

Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

Oil crisis in the future? Not a chance! If we start running low, we'll just take over another middle eastern country.

Reply to
Mustang_66

We may see another gas shortage but IMO it isn't too likely. There's several differences about the world today than in the early 70's. The main thing we have going for us now is that there are many more sources where we can get oil. Alaska, Mexico, Venezuela, Middle East, South East Asia etc. There's also many wells that aren't viable to operate when oil prices are relatively low but when the price jumps they become profitable to operate. The oil that is easiest to recover is what is used first whether it comes from the Middle East or Texas. When oil prices rise enough the oil from the tougher sites can and will be extracted. IMO, this is why you'll never see gas prices consistently stay above $1.75-$2.00 per gallon because OPEC and other oil producing countries realize this and act to preserve the status quo. High gas prices also will drive the development of alternative fuels which is another reason OPEC and others won't let prices get ridiculously high for too long a time. Additionally, OPEC doesn't wield near the power they could in the early 70's. Let's face it, they need to sell us the oil as bad as we need to buy it.

In the early 70's the "experts" said we would run out of oil in 30 years when in reality we have more known reserves world wide than ever before. The fact is we are not running out of oil, at least not for the next

50-100 years at the earliest. I doubt the internal combustion engine will survive that long as our main power source in cars and trucks.
Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

So, I guess you believe we "took over" Iraq for the oil. I wish that were the case, but it isn't. Erik D. '94 white lightning

Reply to
Erik D.

Yes, and that should help a lot with the terrorism problem. Ever think of running for President.. or Emperor?

LJH

95GT

Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

The problem isnt just supply, it's demand.. and not just from the US. I personally wouldn't bet on alternative fuels to save us.. none of them actually save energy or reduce greenhouse gasses. In any event we we all see won't we?

LJH

95GT

Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

Demand will raise without a doubt but it looks like technology keeps letting us find more oil sources and at a faster rate than we're using it. I didn't even mention the potential from the conversion of coal and the extraction of shale oil here in the U.S. and elsewhere. There's allot of potential for developing alternative sources like ethanol, and the generation of electricity from wind, tides and geothermal sources. Unfortunately, I don't think either of us are going to live long enough to see the oil supply drop to a level that will force the development and use of alternative energy sources. So to answer your question, "No I don't think WE will see it". I do think that someone living into the

22nd century will see it though. > The problem isnt just supply, it's demand.. and not just from the US.
Reply to
Michael Johnson, PE

$50 grand for a new car nowadays is not that far out Dude! Go look at what a stupid Hyundai sells for. Or what you need to plop down for a Saleen Stang! $50 grand for 625 horses is a bargain! Insurance though will be a different problem!

-- _______________________________________ "The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: The chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed'."

Reply to
Just Me "Koi"

The article said it'll go for roughly $100K. Which is good...it'll make Ford keep or lower the price on their GT.

daveZ,

Nope. I bought mine out of New Mexico in '98. Before NM, it lived in California, and prior to that Oregon. Now it's living in Florida.

Patrick '93 Cobra '83 LTD

Reply to
Patrick

I'd just blame SUVs, but they're just as excessive as these supercars, only much more common. The average new V8 still gets much better gas mileage and performance than those of yesteryear. A new GT can easily click off a quarter mile in 14 flat and get 24+ MPG.

JS

Reply to
JS

Try $50K for 500 hp and $100K for 625 hp. You misread the numbers.

Reply to
Mark Jones

The dirty little secret about ethanol is that it takes more energy to produce a gallon of ethanol than you get from it. In truth it's just a subsidy for farmers and mostly ADM. Wind energy can be used to supplement our electrical needs but is not reliable enough or dense enough to make a dent in out base load needs. And though it's air pollution free, the vast areas of land and the unsightly nature of all those turbines will make them a hard sell. Geothermal is good if you happen to live in a place where it can be tapped. Unfortunately very few do. Electric cars don't reduce pollution. They only shift the source of the pollution.. to electric generating plants. Not to mention all the energy consumed manufacturing replacement batteries.

Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, there are no energy (or agricultural, or medical, psychological, etc) solutions to an exponentially expanding population on a finite planet. IMO humans are behaving no different than bacteria in a petri dish.. continuing to madly grow even while we are killing ourselves with our own waste products. To imagine this can continue is more than I can do.

LJH

95GT

Reply to
Larry Hepinstall

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