Look what I sat in today.

[cvette98pacecar]

I finally got to sit in one and I am lost. I sat in a base Corvette with a price tag of 69k dollars according to the rep that was on site.
I am sorry but you can buy a three year old ZR1 with less than 5k miles for 75k dollars that will out perform the new C7 on any stage.
I am really curious to see what the price tag will be for the L88 and LT5.

http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa468/rdemarco06/IMG_2365_zps8b9c9b7e.jpg (http://s1199.photobucket.com/user/rdemarco06/media/IMG_2365_zps8b9c9b7e.jpg.html)

[Kevin]

but the c7 will have a warranty and probably be more reliable

[Daniel_Mc]

Nice car.

For that how many C4's could you get? I'm sorry but I'm just not as into the new ones (C5's, C6's, or C7's). Save the $'s Robert and put that toward that F40.

-Daniel

[tomtom72]

Not to be the one who disagrees, but I think that rep has to have made a mistake about the price of the base car.

Base was supposed to be south of 60K...not much south, but south. 70k or around there was supposed to get you the Z51 version? I guess prices went up since the NYC auto show??? There were no stickers, but the rep at the show said 70k got you "a very nicely equipped Z51 coupe". I'd figured the rep was talking about MSRP pricing?

Either way, you didn't feel it Rob? The tech is a leap forward and the interior looked to me to be executed very well. Way better than the plastic in the C4's, and better than anything I have seen in the last of the C6's with that optional leather package. Heck, I want to steal the E-diff & see if I can put it in my Z...LOL I drove a '13 Boss with it and even I could feel the difference...less feeling that the rear wants to go off on it's own in a corner.


:cheers:
Tom

[XfireZ51]

The numbers I've seen for a Z51 C7 is around 58 or so depending on trim levels.
I think just sitting in the car is short changing it. So far the driving reviews have been pretty positive. I'd like to see what Cris Harris has to say about it. And have you seen the vid of the C7R? I'm reserving comment till then. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll get a chance at a ride and drive at AutoBahn sometime soon.

[Schrade]

Nice car.

For that how many C4's could you get? I'm sorry but I'm just not as into the new ones (C5's, C6's, or C7's). Save the $'s Robert and put that toward that F40.

-Daniel
+1

A TIGHT, OEM, PROPERLY tuned Z beats all, IMO.............

[LGAFF]

I won't be able to afford one until 2024, so will keep enjoying the Zs

[JimZRyd]

I agree with you Robert. Although I haven't totally embraced nor written off the C7, I wouldn't pay close to what I could pick up a almost new ZR1. Yes the tech is way above what we have seen recently I will still hold out for the higher level C7's when they come out. Never been a huge fan of first year model runs either. Just my opinion.

[LilRedCorvette]

I sat in a few today at Carlisle as well.

Cool car, no doubt. But I'm not their target audience, so *shrug*...

I would like a coupla more C4s in my collection before considering a newer vette...and if I did, it would be a first year (lightest and least amount of cr@p on it) black C6 Z06.

YMMV

[Z51JEFF]

I looked at white one over the weekend,nicest one Ive seen so far but would still take a C6 427 Convertible over a new C7 anytime.

[JThomas]

I was strongly considering the purchase of the new C7, but I was waiting on the "Z06 or ZR1" configuration in another year or two. I got to sit in one about a month ago now, and the room for a 6'6" guy has cause me to give up hope of owning one of these new cars. The seat track is about an inch shorter than a C6 and the head room was less.

The Corvette game was good for me for about thirteen years. Besides my ZR-1's, I have owned two C5's and one C6 Z06. They are by far the most comfortable Corvettes for me. :cheers::cheers:

[RedSled]

No bargains in first year purchases in my book. May be worth waiting. I look forward driving one though.

[mike100]

I'd have to sell both my vettes to get a c7. Not sure if it will be the best thing since sliced bread or not, but if it is anything like the C6, it will be all over the place once the tires are half worn trying to contain 6.2 liters with 285's.

Not really done with my 91 anyways. I will say that there has been an increase in unsolicited interest in buying my 2008 LS3 car- I guess the supply of affordable late model vettes is a little low and with the C7 pushing $60k for a new one, it looks like demand for nice C5's and c6's are starting to pick up.

[cvette98pacecar]

Nice car.

For that how many C4's could you get? I'm sorry but I'm just not as into the new ones (C5's, C6's, or C7's). Save the $'s Robert and put that toward that F40.

-Daniel

While a F40 is my dream ride I can sell all of my vettes and still be about 1.2 million short.

[ZR-1 Franz]

As long as a new Corvette looks like any other sports car you can buy it will be
no alternative for my '91 L98 or the '90 ZR-1. So it's better for me to keep them
together with '64 Impala SS 409 and the oher Chevrolets (pickups and Blazers).
What I would like to get one day is a nice '70 - '72 Camaro SS or a Z28,
or a '73 LT / Z28. 1973 I had a new '73 LT 350, really fine car. It can't be compared
to the Corvettes I had and still have, but on the other side I should never have
sold it!

Best greetings from Switzerland,

Franz

[BigJohn]

I don't like the no key locks and that you can't steer the car with out the engine running!!!

:mad:

[LancePearson]

but the c7 will have a warranty and probably be more reliable

Until the two valve pushrod engine starts wearing valve guides and throws a valve...and you hope that happens under warranty. I'd argue the reverse, ours are reliable. Like he said, I wonder why and how long they will be able to keep a single car factory open at all selling 10-12,000 cars a year. They've pulled everything in house now to keep them busy and there is nothing left to do after that. I'm sure there will be an initial "buy a c7" cause it's new push but after that, there are several better options and at these prices, you'd think about them. The body is so close to a copy of the latest Ferrari it's not funny only the engine is rather weak in comparison. there are more and more cars with 400+ hp nowadays and I can make a fair argument that anything in 400-500 hp is all you need and more so that opens the field up considerably especially when you consider v6 twin turbos some of which can churn out huge horsepowers on 3.5 to 4.0 liter engines.

The world is changing and this latest 2014 is not really much more than just a tweak of what was with the latest electronics applied. I will keep my 91 and thank you very much rather than buy one.

[LancePearson]

While a F40 is my dream ride I can sell all of my vettes and still be about 1.2 million short.

Robert...why an F40? The 458 and 599 in my view are far superior road racing cars. None are cheap but I saw one of the few Enzos ever made which were fast but extremely "twitchy" to keep on the road and the 458 and 599 are not.

In the meantime today when I did a little great weather twisty drive at the stop light with no one in front of me with the red 91 Z, when I shifted from first to second with dispatch the front end lifted a bit in attitude and the back end made this squealing sound and pretty soon I was in third gear just enjoying the bedarned out of the day....

The Ferraris are daydreams and the new C7 sounds interesting enough but just does not captivate me. By the time you get done with the extras to make it have the goodies on it you are going to be surprised at the price tag. The published min model retail is going to be hard to find with the "special builds" and options. I have yet to see a final weight on one with all the extras they have improved on it but there was word that they were not going to be lighter but heavier. Don't know how it got resolved but I'll let Jay Leno buy and drive my C7. I'm still a looney bird for the 91.

p.s. the cylinder deactivation seems to me to be the wrong way to go...hot cylinders next to cold cylinders, cut half of them off with valve and air/fuel control and only save 7%? Why not save 40%? I'd argue that it may be a disaster 30-50,000 miles down the road. Just because you CAN do something does not always mean you SHOULD do something and this one gets my vote for: don't go there.

Lance

[cvette98pacecar]

Robert...why an F40? The 458 and 599 in my view are far superior road racing cars. None are cheap but I saw one of the few Enzos ever made which were fast but extremely "twitchy" to keep on the road and the 458 and 599 are not.

In the meantime today when I did a little great weather twisty drive at the stop light with no one in front of me with the red 91 Z, when I shifted from first to second with dispatch the front end lifted a bit in attitude and the back end made this squealing sound and pretty soon I was in third gear just enjoying the bedarned out of the day....

The Ferraris are daydreams and the new C7 sounds interesting enough but just does not captivate me. By the time you get done with the extras to make it have the goodies on it you are going to be surprised at the price tag. The published min model retail is going to be hard to find with the "special builds" and options. I have yet to see a final weight on one with all the extras they have improved on it but there was word that they were not going to be lighter but heavier. Don't know how it got resolved but I'll let Jay Leno buy and drive my C7. I'm still a looney bird for the 91.

p.s. the cylinder deactivation seems to me to be the wrong way to go...hot cylinders next to cold cylinders, cut half of them off with valve and air/fuel control and only save 7%? Why not save 40%? I'd argue that it may be a disaster 30-50,000 miles down the road. Just because you CAN do something does not always mean you SHOULD do something and this one gets my vote for: don't go there.

Lance
The F40 is just another one of those iconic Ferrari's and that is why I would choose that car. However, to be totally honest if I had 1.4 million dollars to spend on a single car I would buy the cars listed below.
Prototype ZR-1
Callaway ZR-1 LM Speedster
John Lingenfelter yellow 94.
Norms Twin Turbo.
59 Purple/Red retro LT5
63 Grand sport retro with an LT5 engine
65 Nassau blue 396 roadster
69 L36 black, black, white top roadster with factory wire wheels
78,06,13 Corvette Pace cars.
and still have 100k for gas and insurance. I am and always will be a Corvette enthusiast.

[LancePearson]

Robert,
I'm laughing...I can't fit in a ferrari or a lamborghini but I sure appreciate their speed around road courses and handling.

For whatever it's worth you can take a 63 vette 327 engine and pump it up and make it into a rather fierce little road race car. Rather a surprising little beast handled correctly.

Lance

[Kevin]

Until the two valve pushrod engine starts wearing valve guides and throws a valve...and you hope that happens under warranty. I'd argue the reverse, ours are reliable. Like he said, I wonder why and how long they will be able to keep a single car factory open at all selling 10-12,000 cars a year. They've pulled everything in house now to keep them busy and there is nothing left to do after that. I'm sure there will be an initial "buy a c7" cause it's new push but after that, there are several better options and at these prices, you'd think about them. The body is so close to a copy of the latest Ferrari it's not funny only the engine is rather weak in comparison. there are more and more cars with 400+ hp nowadays and I can make a fair argument that anything in 400-500 hp is all you need and more so that opens the field up considerably especially when you consider v6 twin turbos some of which can churn out huge horsepowers on 3.5 to 4.0 liter engines.

The world is changing and this latest 2014 is not really much more than just a tweak of what was with the latest electronics applied. I will keep my 91 and thank you very much rather than buy one.

not in my experience....

[rkreigh]

lt1 may not be the anvil that the LT5 is but it's not going to fall apart anytime soon. they have quite a bit of durability testing on it already and do the dyno torture test just like they did with the Lt5

come one guys, the new car will run 0-60 in 3.8 and quarter in 12.2, so it's not exactly slow and competative with the stock ZR-1 to be sure. not many stock ZR-1s run low 12s, but there are a few.... but overall I'm not in love with the styling, and there's much room for improvement there. the car will be difficult to mod at first and the ECM is much more complicated so it will be a while before the big HP rolls. but I have no doubt that we'll figure it out, vendors are chomping at the bit now!

for sure the ZR-1 is a MUCH more appealing car to me but there's no denying that technology marches on and alot of the concerns presented here aren't grounded in facts. chevy has done quite a bit of testing and the new car while it will likely have plenty of bugs that come with a new car, I'm betting it will be less than many other competative marques

overall, it's alot of technology for the buck, but it's a buck I don't have an I wouldn't trade the LSV for it

and since I can't get C7 money for the LSV, I'll drive it until it drops (which fortunately WAS NOT at carlisle)

Bob, you are right the F40 is a monster. first ferrari to break 200 and WAY ahead of it's time much like the ZR-1 there is one that shows up almost every weekend here in Great Falls Cars and Coffee. let me know if you'd like some pics to drool on. really nice car and much more exciting and "raw" than the newer stuff. all that cool hardware is exposed under a racing lexan rear hatch. exotic seats, and way cool looks!!

nice for the faint of heart or light of wallet though:o

[LancePearson]

Just out of curiosity, what max rpms would the dohc F40 run max? I raced at VIR one day with my 76 Vette and in another class was a guy with a Ferrari 430 I think it was from Md. Lots of visible carbon fiber feeding air to the engine......(at least I think that's what it was.) He was annoyed at his brake pads after running since he'd gone from ferrari factory pads at 1700 dollars a set plus labor to less expensive ones and they were not holding up so he wasn't going as fast into the corners.

Lance

[rkreigh]

Just out of curiosity, what max rpms would the dohc F40 run max? I raced at VIR one day with my 76 Vette and in another class was a guy with a Ferrari 430 I think it was from Md. Lots of visible carbon fiber feeding air to the engine......(at least I think that's what it was.) He was annoyed at his brake pads after running since he'd gone from ferrari factory pads at 1700 dollars a set plus labor to less expensive ones and they were not holding up so he wasn't going as fast into the corners.

Lance

http://www.supercars.net/cars/638.html

about 7,000 rpms the same as the ZR-1, this was a LONG time ago

new LA Ferrari (what a stupid name!!) is up to 9500 and is the most powerful normally aspirated engine ever made ferrari seems to have gotten away from TT while bmw has strongly returned

I can't afford the ferrari and I'm not really into 2000 oil changes either.

Lance,

I'd LOVE to have a TT DOHC corvette! might not be a ZR-1 as I'm not sure I can muster the cash, but fortunately there are a few new TT ZR-1 projects being worked on as we speak, and if you want to buy one, there is an 800 rwhp SGC TT ZR-1 for sale

it's very well done, and if I had the cash, it would be mine. I missed out on buying Wills nice 385 LPE TT ZR-1 and Paul's car (rest his soul) which were both killer deals.

[LancePearson]

Since they are potential harbingers watered down of the future the Ferrari engines/transaxles are interesting. The latest cars like the 599 and now the F12 Berlinetta, its successor, don't have the high output twin turbo 2936CC small v8 of the F40 but a rather robust 6.3 liter dohc naturally aspirated V12 and runs fair rpms in the mid 8000's. Also generates a staggering 730 hp. Imagine that sucker with a twin turbo set up on it. Not sure how you keep 700 hp on the highway anyway much less 900 to 1000. The guys who I have talked to who have spent up to $50,000 custom adding twin turbos to LT5's reported in discussion just amazing amounts of horsepower as the result. That much pressure in a cylinder really taxes head gaskets apparently so one reported they let the piston sleeves rise above the block then machined matching grooves in the head so that when the head is slipped on the cylinder extends above the gasket area. Perhaps this is why the turbos don't have the 13.5 to 1 compression ratio of the Ferrari F12 engine and are more in the 8 to 9 to 1 range. Not sure.

What Ferrari is doing with V12's instead of small V8's with turbos is one approach. Ford, Cadillac with their all new v6 3.6 twin turbo generating 410 hp and 420 ft lbs of torque is another approach to generating power. The Caddy engine is already generating rather a lot of good press on the 2014 Caddy, replacing an older, rather more staid 3.6 liter v 6 performance.

I just remember the Peugot and Hyundai Genesis less than 4.0 liter v6 twin turbos raced at this year's Pikes Peak International hill climb where the Peugot which obliterated the prior record generated more than 900 hp from those engines and ran flat track times zero to sixty two mph of 1.8 seconds. Pro world class drivers drove them. 9 times world rally champ Simon drove the winning Peugot 'sedan.'

Here's the F12's engine which is naturally aspirated like our 5.7's.

The F12berlinetta uses a 6,262 cc (382 cu in), naturally aspirated 65° V12 engine shared with the Ferrari FF, producing 740 PS (544 kW; 730 hp) at 8500 rpm and 690 N·m (509 lb·ft) of torque at 6000 rpm, making it the most powerful road-legal Ferrari to date, only surpassed by the 2013 LaFerrari. This allows the F12berlinetta to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in an officially reported 3.1 seconds, with third party tests reporting as little as 2.8 seconds, 0 to 200 km/h (120 mph) in 8.5 seconds and a top speed of over 340 km/h (210 mph).[1][2][5] It is theoretically possible that the F12berlinetta can reach 362 km/h (225 mph).[citation needed]
The engine of the F12berlinetta has been designed to be more efficient than that of the 599, as well as more powerful. The engine management system is fitted with Ferrari's HELE start-stop system to reduce fuel consumption when idling. Ferrari reports that the F12berlinetta can achieve 18 mpg-imp (15.7 L/100 km; 15.0 mpg-US) – a 30% improvement over the 599 – and produces CO2 emissions of 350 g/km.[4]
Transmission[edit source | editbeta]
In common with the California, 458 Italia, FF and LaFerrari, the F12berlinetta transmits power through a 7-speed dual-clutch automated semi-automatic gearbox operated by the driver using 'paddles' behind the steering wheel. Compared to similar models, the F12berlinetta uses shortened gear ratios to match the power of the engine.[2][3]

[Kevin]

7750 is the f40 redline.