Spied! 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 Racing Around GM’s Proving Grounds
 

As good as the current Chevrolet Corvette is, we all know there’s plenty of room for improvement. The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7 underneath all that camouflage could have the dynamic improvements that will help the car challenge a surprisingly crowded field that includes the SRT Viper, Nissan GT-R, and Porsche 911.

Caught at GM’s proving grounds, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette prototype reveals meaty quad exhaust outlets and what appears to be four circular taillights, a long-time Corvette styling cue. While the C6 introduced to the lineup HID headlights, don’t be surprised if the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette introduces HID headlights that turn around corners or, maybe as an option, full LED headlights. Expect a resculpted and more aggressive front fascia and grille, as well as improved aerodynamics to improve high-speed stability and fuel economy.


Yes, even on a 2014 Chevrolet Corvette C7, fuel economy is important. While a six-cylinder engine may be offered at some point during the next-generation Corvette’s lifecycle, a new version of the small-block V-8 with a displacement of about 5.5 liters and close to 440 hp will be featured under the hood, powering a lighter car. Direct-injection and cylinder deactivation technologies are possible additions, and expect the Corvette to use the newest generation of the magnetorheological shock absorbers found on the 2013 Camaro ZL1. The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette is EPA-rated as high as 15-16/25-26 mpg city/highway — the 2014 Corvette may pass those numbers by at least 10 percent.

Though one of the current Corvette’s biggest issues has been its lackluster interior, ultimately, the car will compete based on the quality of the driving experience. The new Corvette may use a shorter wheelbase and it’s been said the car may at some point incorporate a seven-speed manual and eight-speed automatic.


Retooling on the car’s Bowling Green factory has already begun, suggesting the 2014 Corvette may debut at the upcoming Detroit auto show and roll into dealerships after the middle of the 2013 calendar year. The 2013 Chevrolet Corvette carries a base price of $50,575; a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters costs $1250.

As we get closer to the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette’s reveal, we want to get your thoughts again: What should be Chevrolet’s focus with the 2014 Corvette?


More pictures: http://motortrend.com

More on the C7...
 

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It’s been a few months since we’ve last seen the next-generation C7 testing in the wild but spy photographers recently caught up with what most believe to be the 2014 Chevy Corvette.

While the new Corvette isn’t expected to debut until January at Detroit’s NAIAS auto show, you can still soak in all that horsepower goodness by checking out these spy pics from automobilemag.com and then bang the “Read More” button for a quick trip around the C7 rumor mill.


As far as the spy photos show, everything is covered up in heavy camo and swirls as expected, but several items immediately came to our attention. First and most obvious is that this is the coupe model featuring one of the mainstays of Corvette design – the removable one-piece top. In one of the photos, we see what appears to be the front yellow side-marker curving around the wheel well which is an element also featured on the Trinity Animation video. And is it me or do these tires look a bit wider than some of the previous spy photos?

While Automobilemag is still thinking the new Corvette will be powered by a 5.5L V8, we’re pretty confident that the new Gen 5 V8 will be 6.2 liters with a horsepower rating somewhere in the range of 440-480. Don’t be surprised if Chevy resurrects a previous engine RPO designation for Corvette’s new Gen 5 powerplant. We’ve heard “LT1″ bantered about on more than one occasion.

The new engine will have fuel-saving technologies including direct injection, variable valve timing and active fuel management. Combine those with a 7-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission and a curb weight that is rumored to be the lightest in recent history and you’ve got an improved power to weight ratio over the current generation as well as one of the greenest sports car ever produced.

All that performance is well and good, and to be expected by Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter and his engineers, but we believe the C7′s greatest gift to Corvette owners will be a complete makeover of the interior. The driver experience will be enhanced with a combo of analog and customizable digital dash gauges and a new DIC. The 9-speaker Bose audio system is back (with a rumored subwoofer in the trunk) along with Bluetooth and a wireless iPod connector. The NAV is rumored to been refreshed with some of the features of Cadillac’s CUE system, but we’re haven’t seen anything definitive on that yet. Expect better materials in the cabin that puts the C7 close too, if not on par with interior's found in the Cadillac lineup.

To those of you that are crying that the car is too much like the Jalopnik renderings, it’s time to get over it. The tidbits we caught coming out of the national Chevrolet dealer meetings this week in Las Vegas have pretty much confirmed that this is the design. It’s locked in and should be ready for the show circuit come January.

See what folks are saying in the forum! >>

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