Fans of the C7 Covette may be interested to read this breakdown of the extra 90 lbs that the C7 Corvette has put on. For someone such as myself who is used to the OEMs brushing off weight gain or other uncomfortable facts with eye-roll inducing PR pap, the ‘Vette team deserves credit for this itemized breakdown of every component that added to the weight of the C7.
It’s hard to argue with an oil cooler, a revised drivetrain, beefier brakes and a nicer interior. I still think the car is an aesthetic step backwards from the C6, but there’s an overwhelming contingent of you who feel differently. Since we’re as popular at GM as Joe Biden is with the NRA, the first person to submit a real review of the C7 to TTAC (dealer car, press car, private car, it doesn’t matter) will get some kind of press trip swag courtesy of yours truly.
By Comparison, the Golf R weighs some 300 pounds more than the GTI because of some similarly upgraded components.
Like an all-wheel drive system?
The real concern here is that this is weight over the old base model Corvette, not the ZO6. The ZO6 was lighter because it had an aluminum chassis. The new car is heavier in spite of having an aluminum chassis as standard. Many of the gains are attributed to heavier duty sounding mechanical pieces, but GM’s claimed curb weight for the C6 ZO6 when it was introduced was between 3,132 and 3,176 lbs. That was with a 505 hp engine and appropriate axles, brakes, and rolling stock.
BINGO!
The base C7 is aluminum frame which supposedly weighs 99lbs LESS than the steel C6 base steel frame.
Source: http://www.sae.org/mags/aei/11744/
So, two things –
1. This “list” is total BS and just more of the same PR flack nonsense we should expect to see.
2. Where did all that extra weight really go? My guess – more to the interior/infotainment then they want to admit.
Looking at that list, I’d say the weight was a fair trade-off. It’s hard to argue against the benefits provided. In engineering there is no free lunch. You want safety and stiffness, plus the electronic toys, you pay the price. A lot of material choices like aluminum and carbon fiber helped keep this weight penalty pretty small. I’d imagine that for a higher price you could have pulled some more weight out, but the price for the Vette is pushing the boundary of affordability. And this car is almost a thousand pounds lighter than a Camaroo
Derek, I’ll gladly submit a review for the convertible…I’m planning to buy one when it comes out…that will be a nice Christmas gift to myself…
11 more pounds for a transmission with 1 more gear does not sound like great engineering.
If the previous one was properly engineered, and I’ve heard nothing to suggest that it wasn’t, then 11 lbs to add another gear doesn’t sound so bad at all. It’s when you hear about transmissions adding gears without gaining much weight that something has been left on the table, either by the previous transmission or the new one.
A transmission is too heavy for one person to safely lift, usually in a car this size north of 200 lbs, maybe closer to 300. 11 lbs is nothing relative to its weight as a component.
Also, is 90 lbs a huge issue when there is that much power unless you plan to race it?
While I think this 90lb addition is more than fair in and of itself, I think it’s probable to guess that the majority of Corvette drivers can stand to lose at least half of this weight addition be reducing the weight of the nut behind the wheel. :-p
7 speed manual ? That’d drive you nuts.
I’ll take it over flappy paddles every day of the week. I hope the 7 speed ends up in the next CTS-V, too.