| You might think that 6 liters was enough to make the | | | | valves also allow the engine to rev faster safely. |
| Corvette two-seater fast enough, but not for the | | | | In fact, titanium used to be an aerospace-only material |
| competition department lurking inside GM. They | | | | because it was so expensive, but it is now bein gused |
| wanted to be able to compete head-to-head with the | | | | more in exotic cars and the heads of golf clubs, helping |
| European supercars in the international endurance | | | | the lesser pros feel not so outclassed by Tiger |
| races for sports cars. | | | | Woods as they might with ordinary drivers. |
| To do so, they took a leaf out of Ford's book. In the | | | | You will see that the Corvette 7 liter is intended for the |
| 1960s, when Ford found it could not compete with the | | | | race track by the fact that the engine has a dry sump |
| smaller Ferraris at Le Mans with the 4.2 (ex-Indy) or | | | | lube system. A dry sump system prevents the oil in |
| 4.7 liter engines, they brought out their 7-liter mill. And it | | | | the oil pan from slopping away from the pick-up on |
| was so much bigger than the competition that they | | | | fast cornering - the sort you can do only on a track - |
| won. So the guys behind the Corvette decided to | | | | and thus damaging the main bearings. |
| produce a 7-liter version of America's favorite and | | | | Instead of staying in the oil pan, the oil is pumped out to |
| most famous sports car. | | | | a tank, and then pressure fed from there directly to |
| By the way, the 7 liter Corvette more than competes | | | | the engine bearings and other critical areas. Definitely a |
| with the Dodge Viper SRT-10, which could give the | | | | system for top supercars. |
| standard Corvette a bit of a run for its money. Of | | | | The underpinnings of the car have also been beefed |
| course, this is not just any old engine. This is a very | | | | up with a new aluminum perimeter frame which |
| special version of its GEN IV 7.0 liter V-8. | | | | reduces weight. Further weight reduction comes with a |
| This 2006 Corvette is challenging for muscle car of the | | | | new magnesium engine sub-frame. To ensure the car |
| year with no less than 500 bhp on tap at 6,200 rpm. | | | | is stiff enough, it will be available only as a hardtop. The |
| Maximum torque from this mammoth engine is 475 lb | | | | front fenders and wheelarches are now carbon fiber |
| ft at 4,800 rpm. This is bound to be a stunner with a | | | | composite panels, which also reduce weight. |
| top speed of about 185 mph and 0-60 in under 4.0 | | | | But there's more... |
| seconds. GM expects the quarter-mile be under 12 | | | | To get all that power onto the road, and to get it to |
| seconds. | | | | stop, bigger wheels, tires and brakes have been fitted. |
| To give durability, the engine has been beefed up in a | | | | The front brake discs are now 13.9 inch diameter, and |
| number of ways. First, the connecting rods and inlet | | | | 19 x 12 inch wide rims are used at the back; front |
| valves are now made of titanium - these weigh about | | | | wheels are 18 x 9.5 inches. Such massive rear tires for |
| half as much as steel ones and are used in quite a | | | | a car with 50:50 weight distribution suggest that the |
| number of high-performance engines. Because of the | | | | car will have a tendency to oversteer - smoky drifts |
| low weight, the titanium parts put less load on other | | | | could be the order of the day! |
| critical parts of the engine - the crankshaft, bearings | | | | All-in-all, this is a really special car, developed to |
| and in this case the valve gear as well. The titanium | | | | compete with the best. |