General Motors has just unveiled the seventh-generation of America’s most revered sports car at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), in Detroit. In doing so they’ve resurrected the 50-year old nameplate, ‘Stingray’. We bring you the Chevrolet Corvette C7 Stingray.
Let’s deal with the Stingray name first. The Chevrolet Corvette, in all its seven iterations, has been with us since 1953. The second-generation Corvette that was built between 1963 and 1967, was the first Corvette to carry the Stingray nameplate. The third-generation built between 1969 and 1976 was also recognised by its Stingray designation. What General Motors’ reasoning was to delete it from all Corvettes built between 1977 and 2012 is anyone’s guess, but on the 50-year anniversary of its introduction, the Stingray name is back on a Corvette.
General Motors’ Ed Welburn had this to say about the name: “Stingray is one of the hallowed names in automotive history. We knew we couldn’t use the Stingray name unless the new car truly lived up to the legacy. The result is a new Corvette Stingray that breaks from tradition, while remaining instantly recognisable as a Corvette the world over.”
Now let’s talk about the styling. As with all Corvette sports cars, the styling has often been the only draw card in an otherwise cheap and under-engineered product. It’s only since the arrival of the most recent ZO6 and ZR1 that the Corvette has begun to favour genuine sports car performance over boulevard-head-turner looks, therefore altering its styling accordingly.
The C7 on the other hand, appears to break many Corvette traditions. Like foregoing the round or oval taillights found on all Corvette’s since 1961. Another feature worth noting is the rear-quarter window, which hasn’t been seen since the 1950’s. If you’re thinking the C7 looks ever so familiar, that’s because, as it turns out, many aspects of its design were previewed by the 2009 Stingray Concept that appeared in what movie? Yes, that massive General Motors sponsored Michael Bay blockbuster franchise: Transformers. Go take another look at ‘Sideswipe’ and tell us we’re wrong.
The overall execution of the design is certainly edgier and more sculpted than on any Corvette that’s gone before it. It’s more revolution than evolution, to use a well-worn turn of phrase in motoring. From most forward angles the styling looks overt, challenging, perhaps even a little too busy.
Quite a contrast to the C7’s almost retro shaped rear window, which has been teamed with the prominent rear spoiler, a very brash four-tailpipe exhaust system and the tasty Camaro-inspired taillights. Many design choices were clearly made to cater for the hi-tech, younger generation that knows more about the Nissan GT-R than it does the classic 1966 Corvette Stingray.
The interior of the Corvette C7 is definitely an aesthetic improvement with the driver-orientated dashboard, the sculpted shapes and deliberate lines across the fascia. Among other highlights is the new 8-inch screen in the centre instrument panel flanked by regular, retro-style gauges, as well as a large display for the infotainment and navigation system. Chevrolet says they strived to improve the quality of materials, with a cabin full of carbon fibre, aluminium and leather. Dependent on specification, customers will have a choice of two seats, each with a lightweight magnesium frame, but one sportier than the other.
What about the underneath the skin stuff? The new Corvette Stingray makes use of a lightweight aluminium construction with composite body parts wrapping it up. The bonnet is carbon fibre, as are the removable roof panels. Carbon composite parts include the front fenders, the doors, the rear three-quarter panels and the underbody. General Motors have not released specific numbers on the cars overall weight, but the weight has shifted further rearward for a 50:50 weight balance.
So what’s happening under the bonnet? Well, at first, the C7 will run with General Motors’ newly developed, small block, 6.2-litre LT1 V8 engine. This is the engine that features direct-injection, active fuel management and continuously variable valve timing. The output will be 335 kW and peak torque of 610 Nm. Not bad for the C7 Stingray’s entry-level engine. It is also claimed to be the most fuel efficient Corvette as well, with GM claiming an average fuel consumption of 9.0 L/100 km.
Performance-wise, the Corvette Stingray is touted to hit 100 km/h in less than the magical four second marker and able to achieve more than 1g in cornering grip. This C7 is said to have worked closely with the Nurburgring-eating performance of the previous C6 Corvette ZR1 to deliver sharper handling.
Transmission options include a 6-speed automatic and new 7-speed Tremec manual gearbox with Active Rev Matching. Driver aid technologies include a five-position Drive Mode Selector. In Corvette tradition, the rear wheels are larger than the fronts and the C7 gets 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels wrapped in 245/40 and 285/35 tyres respectively.
What about making the Corvette even faster? Well, optional equipment on the Corvette will be a track-capable Z51 Performance Package that has an electronic limited-slip differential, dry-sump lubrication system, a differential and transmission cooling system, as well as a unique aero package to improve high-speed stability. Of course, with time, General Motors intends to build several high powered Corvette C7 Stingray models to take on the supercars of the world.
The new Corvette C7 Stingray will be built at GM’s Kentucky plant, which underwent a US$131-million upgrade, including a $52-million spent on a new body shop that manufactures the aluminium frame.
Will the Chevrolet Corvette C7 Stingray come to South Africa? Shock of all shocks, General Motors CEO, Dan Akerson, did seem to make sounds at the unveiling that a right-hand-drive variant would be made at some stage in the Corvette’s future. Hells bells! That would be one helluva surprise now wouldn’t it? We wouldn’t advise you to hold your breath, however, because GMSA still needs to make credible business case for bringing the C7 Corvette Stingray over to sunny South Africa. We’re certainly hope they try though.
