Quote:
Originally Posted by Normy
-I really don't have a problem with corvettes. I have a problem with the corporation that produced them. In my opinion, gm produces cars that they term "good enough for you", while they use silly cheap plastic on all the surfaces, and technology from the 1950's in their engines. N
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1950 technology? I guess so. Of course SOHC or DOHC were around near the turn of the century.
A 1993 Corvette ZR1 (5.7L DOHC 32V) made 405hp, where a 1993 928 GTS (5.4L DOHC 32V) made 345hp. I'll take 60 hp in a lighter car, thank you.
Of course in 2011 the 'new GM' doesn't make a Vette with that new fangled technology. Just good 'ol NASCAR pushrod lumps. The weakest variant is the LS3 in the cheapest base Vette. It only makes 436 horsepower at 5900 rpm, and only 428 ft-lb at 4600 rpm. It makes 300 ft-lb or torque from 950 rpm to its weak 6600 rpm redline. It makes more torque than a 928GTS (369 ft-lb @ 4250 rpm) from 1950 rpm to redline. It makes more horsepower than a 928GTS (345 hp @ 5700 rpm) from 2650 rpm to redline. All the while taking up less physical space and weighing almost 200 pounds less than the 'high-tech' DOHC Porsche motor.
Of course, that's 1993 Apples to 2011 Oranges. So let's look at the 928 successor, the 2011 Panamera S. The highest-tech NA motor is a 4.8L DOHC V8 making 400 hp @ 6500 rpm and 369 ft-lb @ 3500 rpm. That's no more torque than the 93 928 GTS. Again, the Vette LS3 makes more torque from 1950 rpm to redline, and more horsepower from 5200 rpm to redline. All the while taking up less physical space and weighing almost 200 pounds less than the 'high-tech' DOHC Porsche motor (deja vu?).
Oh, but what about the Panamera Turbo? 500 hp @ 6000 rpm, 516 ft-lb @ 2250 rpm. Turbocharging works its magic. GM's Corvette Z06 jsut can't keep up. The naturally aspirated 7.0L LS7 only makes 5 horsepower more (505 hp @ 6300 rpm) and has a serious deficit in torque (only 470 ft-lb @ 4800 rpm).
So let's match high-tech forced induction (turbocharger) versus redneck old school supercharging. The new Corvette ZR1's engine, aka LS9, is a pushrod 6.2L with a screw-type supercharger nestled in the valley. It makes 638 hp @ 6500 rpm and 604 ft-lb @ 3800 rpm. It makes more torque than the Panamera Turbo (yes, even the Sport Chrono's 'overboost' mode briefly making 568 ft-lb) from 2800 rpm to redline. And more horsepower from 4400 rpm to redline. And it redlines higher. All the while taking up less physical space and weighing almost 200 pounds less than the 'high-tech' DOHC Porsche motor (deja vu x2?).
50's tech or not, I'll take the motor that makes more horsepower, more torque, over a broader powerband, while weighing less and taking up less space.
And having a 100,000 mile powertrain warranty.