UPDATE: Images removed
HOLY SCHNIKES!
Here are millions of dollars of development and thousands of hours of work laid bare for us to ogle. This Corvette caught by Fast-Autos.net forum member, Chikara83, definitely has some trick bits on it and apparently it's the real deal. There's a liquid/liquid intercooler perched atop the V8, and where the alternator used to be sits a supercharger. We can't tell what type of huffer it is, though -- positive displacement Roots-type or centrifugal.
The hood and front quarters are wearing camouflage to cover changes in those panels. The low-pressure area behind the front wheels makes the perfect location for extractors, which are likely fed by the high pressure area at the base of the windshield. Together they provide a good path through the engine bay for extra cooling air. That's a nice, tidy explanation for why the camo is where it is, too, so we're going with it. There's also a vent in the leading edge of the rear quarter panel, which we presume is for rear brake cooling. The burning question that everyone wants to know has finally been answered: the interior (of the mule, at least) is still kinda cheap. We are gonna be so embarassed if this is Winding Road messing with us again.
Many thanks to tipster Chris.
[Source: Fast-Autos.net]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Will @ Feb 21st 2007 11:31PM
that would look incredible sitting right next to my new roush mustang!
NoNameDenton @ Feb 21st 2007 11:34PM
Time to sell everything I can to buy one
Rob @ Feb 21st 2007 11:36PM
Probablty meant Liquid to air intercooler :)
http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_2469/article.html
RC @ Feb 21st 2007 11:48PM
nice, but it seems hard to believe, someone at GM would be fired over this or have a huge lawsuit on their hands.
Josh Oliver @ Feb 21st 2007 11:57PM
RC - who says they won't? This was in no way staged by GM.
I get a kick out of the people that think it is every time a leak happens. "GM must have planned it!" Nah, they never do plan it, and in this case they sure as shit did not want their biggest debut in Detroit to make its way out to the public.
RC @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:09AM
Josh I never said they staged it, all i was saying that i dont think GM would want this leaked and someone was getting in trouble.
Talis @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:32AM
I don't know. These are too good quality to be "spyed" also I cant see the plate on the shot of the two 'vettes. Like it was noted before, with the winding road thing, test mules have manufacture plates on them. I am not sure if the camo is GM style or not (but as winding road showed, it's not hard to fool).
I know the car is being developed as noted by AutoBlog (http://www.autoblog.com/2007/02/12/lutz-confirms-600h-super-vette-in-the-works/), so I'm not sure if anyone can fool us anymore on this issue, that is unless Lutz is in on a big joke...
cman @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:39AM
Guys, did you read the forum post? The fellow works for a shipping company; and this car was on it's way to Germany. My guess would be for Nurburgring testing.
thetruck454 @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:43AM
This is a zo6 test mule with a LS9 motor(ss motor). They are doing a powertrain test... this is not the body of the ss. That top intercooler houses the roots type charger below it making a super compact design.
Phred @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:57AM
The vents in front of the rear wheels are for brake cooling. At least that's what they do *on the Z06* and I don't see why they would repurpose them.
Honestly, Dan - "we presume?" *shakes head*
Chris @ Feb 22nd 2007 12:57AM
It's a little early to be commenting on the interior quality of this vehicle, or any of the design really as this car is just a powertrain mule.
jj @ Feb 22nd 2007 1:57AM
Winding road is STUPID.
These are the same dorks that said the S2000 will be replaced by some S4000 with a back seat and front wheel drive. Get a clue, kids.
NoNameDenton @ Feb 22nd 2007 2:11AM
I think jj missed his nap time
Phred @ Feb 22nd 2007 2:33AM
It's not staged.
At least not in the opinion of Brenda Priddy, who has now posted on Fast-Autos.
BOB @ Feb 22nd 2007 2:43AM
JUST REMEMBER -- whatever the styling ends up being, or whichever blower.
It's SS when you write it, SUPER SPORT when you say it, or there goes the Chevy heritage from the sixties.
Unless they hired someone from Ford, who was embarassed that "Mark something" was too Lincolnish, and made the cars EMM KAYS, rhymes with Hyundai.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Feb 22nd 2007 4:28AM
Interior still kinda cheap? Why don't people take this kind of attitude to the S2000 or a Lotus Elise?
The Z06 is 900 lbs lighter than a Ferrari 612. This is because they were careful about the weight. Yes, that means the interior is somewhat spartan. Yes, that means the exterior parts might be a bit flexible on spots.
It's called a sports car.
If you want a luxury car, get a luxury car. GM makes one of those on the same chassis for you, but I think I'd recommend getting a Mercedes SL instead.
Could this just be an aftermarket company at work?
And also, wouldn't it be unusual to put a roots-type blower in that location? Roots and Lysholms usually sit right on top of the manifold on a V8, don't they?
It'd be said if this were a centrifugal unit. Centrifugal units are for cheap aftermarket Civic mods.
Honestly, though, I'll be bummed if GM puts a blower on at all. Blowers are for Fords.
Technically, despite all the names bandied around here, a setup like this is an air/water/air intercooler. It's still using cold air at the front to cool the charge air, it just uses water as a medium to move the heat around.
Turall @ Feb 22nd 2007 4:57AM
There is a roots-type blower nestled between the cylinder heads, below the intercooler.
Look at this picture:
http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/sneak-pix-of-corvette-ss-blue-devil/165415/
You can see a pulley just to the left and behind the intake piping.
Vega @ Feb 22nd 2007 5:05AM
@why not the LS2/LS7:
There's a difference between lightweight quality material and cheap plastic crap. Just compare the Corvette interior with a 911 interior. And before you mention the price: I guess anyone spending 60k on a sports car would gladly spend 5k more for a an interior style that matches the performance.
Phred @ Feb 22nd 2007 5:55AM
why not the LS2/LS7:
the original poster (a worker at a shipping company) said it was GM, with all associated paperwork.
Turall:
Nice catch! I have to agree, even though the guy who saw it said "the blowers on the drivers side of the car, were the altenator used to be." I don't know what else could be there.
whofan @ Feb 22nd 2007 5:58AM
This car is the envy of all other car makers. The Corvette is second to none. Why can`t GM build a minivan this good?
Anyone who will buy a Porsche or Ferarri over this has more money than brains.