Lutz on the C6

[RocketSled]

Someone sent me this today. I don't know where it came from or if we've seen it before. An admittedly lame attempt at a search of the forum turned up no obvious matches, but...

So, I figured I'd post it anyway.

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Unknown Interviewer: You did the Viper during your stint at Chrysler, and now Neil Hannemann, who led the Viper team, is doing the GT at Ford. Does GM need a Viper/GT class vehicle, or is the Corvette strong enough to handle that role?

Lutz: Let me tell you that the Corvette C6 will have versions where we confidently predict it will suck the doors off of both the cars that you just named. The current Z06, with 400 horsepower, on the Gingerman Raceway, laps faster with its 400 horsepower than the new Viper does with 500. So other than just brutal straightline acceleration, the Z06 is faster today. Clearly the C6 Corvette, without giving anything away, is going to be a major step forward in vehicle mass, dimensions, handling, braking and, most important of all, power-to-weight ratio. So I think whatever gap exists now is going to be eliminated — in total performance. I think we'll match the competition in acceleration, and we will beat them in on-road handling. And if the Z06 version of the C6 is not enough to do it, we've got a few tricks up our sleeve, which we're already investigating. But it will always be Corvette-based.

[MSiska]

Ahhh....I can taste "427" already!!!

[01ZSanDiego]

Its killing me to know the details of the c6 zo6. I wanna mod my current Z but it might be worth waiting for the new one.

[SC6311]

As much as the pictures of the C6 are NOT getting me psyched up simply because it is too similar, talk like this from Bob Lutz makes me smile from ear to ear! I sure hope they can get her to weigh in at less that 3000 lbs! 500 h.p. Better handling, Better interior, higher redline(a little) Slicker and smoother gearbox.....it's my christmas wish list and you know what....I bet you most all of it will come true. Dave Hill knows what we want...he know what we need...he won't disappoint us because if he does, his reputation is on the line. Think about it...if you were in his position, you would know what to do and how to satisfy the majority of the members on this board, would'nt you??? I hope you do, because then you know how we are all so similar. And to me, the biggest thing of all is gonna be to show the new Viper and GT40 what weve got! That $85,000 to $150,000 can give you lots of bragging rights in the exclusivity arena. It can not, however make up for Research and Development and a gracious budget. Not to mention that "Corvette" itself has a name which the others can not touch. And to be real honest, the price increase, if it is reasonable, doesn't bother me. I'd rather see them do it right, then to cut corners like GM does in so many ways. Guess some of us will just need to find lower intrest rates. Hehe


CHRIS