2014 C7 Corvette

The Gen 5 Small Block was subjected to the toughest durability testing ever for a V-8 engine from General Motors. It included millions of hours of computational analysis that perfected the design of everything from the design of the combustion system to the shape of the connecting rods, to thousands of hours of physical testing.

Once the Gen 5’s basic design was refined on the computer, physical properties were constructed and tested on a variety of dynamometers – including a unique tilt-stand fixture that tilted the engine to simulate the load experienced in the Corvette during high-speed cornering on a racetrack. It can tilt up to 53 degrees and simulate lateral acceleration of up to 1.3g.

The toughest test session on the Corvette’s LT1 Gen 5 engine was a grueling, GM-proprietary performance durability procedure, where it was subjected to a high-speed/high-load torture session that simulated full-throttle blasts from the equivalent of 0 to 120 mph. With simulated transmission shift points inserted during the high-load test, the engine cycles non-stop between peak torque and peak horsepower for hundreds of hours – the equivalent of thousands of miles.

Testing on the Gen 5 Small Block began in late 2010. Additional procedures included:
• Severe thermal cycle testing, which quickly cycles the engine between extreme cold and hot coolant temperatures to validate the durability of engine components such as the head gaskets, exhaust manifolds and more. The coolant temperatures ran up to 239 F (115 C).
• The “hot scuff” test, in which a brand-new engine – or “green” engine to the engineers – was run at wide-open throttle with no break-in period, which helped test bearings, piston ring sealing, bore scuffing and more.
• Active Fuel Management validation, which cycled the engine in and out of the cylinder-deactivating feature hundreds of thousands of times at a variety of engine speeds to ensure the performance and durability of its unique valve lifters.
• 24-hour racetrack equivalency testing to validate the performance of the available dry-sump oiling system.

And while the computational analysis indeed provided engineers with test engines that were very close to the mark, the physical testing revealed real-world variances that the perfection of a computer model couldn’t anticipate. As a result, the specifications for some of the Gen 5’s bearings and intake valves were revised, along with the cam phasing of the continuously variable valve timing system.

All of the testing was performed at GM’s state-of-the-art Powertrain Engineering Center in Pontiac, Mich. The 450,000-square-foot facility is one of the industry’s largest and most advanced powertrain development centers. It contains 120 test cells and energy generated by the engines running on the dynamometers is recaptured and used to provide approximately 15 percent of the center’s electricity.

I wish it had softer lines. With that, I still favor the (997) 911S over the C7. Yes, it's worth $40K more to me.

2014 C7 base model/2013 C6 base model
Length 177 in./174.6 in.
Width 73.9 in./72.6 in.
Height 48.6 in./49 in.
Wheelbase 106.7 in./105.7 in.
Horsepower 450*/430
Torque 450* lb.-ft./424 lb.-ft
Manual transmission: 7-speed/6-speed
Automatic transmission: 6-speed/6-speed
*Chevrolet estimates
Source: Chevrolet

Porsche 911S
400 hp @ 7,400 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.3 s
Top Track Speed: 188 mph
Consumption (Highway): 27 mpg
MSRP $ 98,900.00
Body Manual Porsche Curb weight 3,075 lbs Doppelkupplung (PDK) 3,120 lbs
Length 176.81 in.
Width 71.18 in. (w/o mirrors)
Height 50.98 in.
Wheelbase 96.46 in.
Drag coefficient (Cd) 0.29

To be honest I was expecting an engine more akin to the LT5.

It's not a GM designed engine, with overhead cams, reached a dead end....wikipedia.

Originally Posted by Dave 330i

It's not a GM designed engine, with overhead cams, reached a dead end....wikipedia.

Thanks but I know all about it..... My dad was a GM tech for 38 years and was LT5 certified.

Originally Posted by TXSTYLE

EPIC!

Never been a huge vette fan but that thing is absolutely freakin' drop dead gorgeous.

I want one. Since the wife added a row of seating to her vehicle, I can stand to lose one.

"and the best thing is its makes you 27% more attractive to your sister." - Jeremy Clarkson.

Originally Posted by cwsqbm

"and the best thing is its makes you 27% more attractive to your sister." - Jeremy Clarkson.

Of course, Clarkson hates every car on the planet, unless it's Merc or Ferrari, and even then he somewhat despises it. He's just a grumpy old man, but I do like his commentary.

Originally Posted by cwinter

Of course, Clarkson hates every car on the planet, unless it's Merc or Ferrari, and even then he somewhat despises it. He's just a grumpy old man, but I do like his commentary.

He preferred the 997 Turbo in Thriller over the GT2 and he loved the GT3 (But then along came the new GT3 and I won't dwell on the whys and the wherefores, but I loved it. Not liked it. Loved it. It had a stupid front splitter that was so low it could give a spider a haircut, scaffolding instead of rear seats and an idiotic rear spoiler which could very obviously be adjusted. No. No. No. Having a rear spoiler that can very obviously be adjusted means that someone, one day is going to ask why. And then you'll have to tell them. And they'll think you are mad.)

I can so hear Clarkson say that. 100% spot on. He's crazy but he is very entertaining. He balances out Hammond who likes just about any car. It's been too long since I've watched Top Gear...

Eh, the whole car looks like an incoherent mix of Ferrari, GT-R and Camaro. I was hoping for more aesthetically pleasing design, but GM is being a GM again...

Originally Posted by Ripred

Eh, the whole car looks like an incoherent mix of Ferrari, GT-R and Camaro. I was hoping for more aesthetically pleasing design, but GM is being a GM again...

#27 I was less insulting by saying I wished for softer lines.
#15 I really dislike the current GM sharp line designs; Camaro, Corvette, Cadillac. Buick seems much more relaxed about having to make a big "look at me" statement.