Gran Turismo 5 - Drive the C7 Now

[Chris Draper]

Those of you with PS3's have an early shot at driving the car, virtually. Or if you stop by the LA Auto Show.

http://media.chevrolet.com/media/us/...vette_gt5.html

[stinger430]

Wow. That should be fun. Especially since it's still covered .. ha ha... seriously though, Chevy is really milking this release.

[car_dude427]

Tail lights look pretty round there

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by car_dude427

Tail lights look pretty round there

[car_dude427]

Originally Posted by Patrick

Mind you that may just be the camo cover and by may i mean it is. With the amount of feedback GM is getting about the tail lights, if they don't come out atleast oval im pretty sure someones gonna get hurt.

[racerw]

It drives good. Interior is camo'ed too.

[Longtimer]

Originally Posted by car_dude427

Mind you that may just be the camo cover and by may i mean it is. With the amount of feedback GM is getting about the tail lights, if they don't come out atleast oval im pretty sure someones gonna get hurt.

Although I would NEVER condone violence, the guys responsible for the C7 design are Welburn, Peters, Bennion, and Juechter (as Chief, he could have overridden the rear design).

Changes can be for the better, just not this time. All it took was for someone to say, "Yeah, want something very different, just not this."

[stinger430]

You Tube

You Tube

[C4forlife]

Funny part about the taillights. In the download screen it describes how far gm is going to disguise the car.

[GUMBY]

[QUOTE=Longtimer; C7 design are Welburn, Peters, Bannion, and Juechter


Not to nitpick Longtimer, but the 3rd guy's name is actually
Kirk Bennion
But, anywho....My theory....
With GM heavily investing in Bowling Green, there is a lot riding
on this one. I think they will get it right. But I wonder about the marketing strategy for C7? For sure they want to sell more, that's why all the expansion at the plant, right?
I think (hope) they will offer an entry level model to attract more
(younger) buyers.
Right now, we know who the demographics for Corvettes are...soooo, this is my theory, and I'm sticking to it.

[Longtimer]

Sorry about that. I copied his name from a website that obviously spelled it wrong, but I'd seen it before and should have remembered.

We think the plant expansion is to accomodate bringing some prior subcontracted pieces into BG for fabrication. I think our consensus is that the added space will be mostly for the production of the Al Hydroformed Rails. This should save them some costs and assure nearly perfect Just In Time inventory practices.

They already offer an entry level and that's the Camaro. Now they'll have much more in common than just the engine.

[blckslvr79]

Originally Posted by Longtimer

They already offer an entry level and that's the Camaro. Now they'll have much more in common than just the engine.

Tail lights.

[DarthAWM]

Buying the DLC right now

Ok DLC is free.

First drive impressions.

As downloaded. Hp 443 Tq 453 weight 1500kg weight distribution 49/51(a Gran Turismo first, vettes are always nose heavy in the game) Tires are sports hard (4 on a scale of 1-9 with 9 being the stickiest)

Daytona road course, American muscle opponents.

Car is torquy of the line but doesn't feel as much so as the C6 Z06. Tires are slicker than I would use for a car this powerful but the balance is good, oversteer/understeer can be managed mostly with throttle. Road holding is good with aggressive throttle use breaking the rear loose in tight turns. Like virtually all non aero cars braking in a corner is asking to go into an uncontrollable tank slapper skid (Again a wing or stickier tires would fix this and it is common to all street cars capable of above speed limit speeds). Exhaust note is a pleasant baritone hindered only by GT5's in ability to make any American V-8 sound like its revving past 3000 rpm.

Over all I really like the car potential is definitely there for expanded racing when and if modifications become available.

[blckslvr79]

Are you guys comparing performance of a video game car to the real thing?

[Longtimer]

If GM really did work with Sony on this, at least some of the performance characteristics might ring true to the car. Even if they don't, the specs should match the C7.

The 49/51 weight distribution is EXTREMELY informative, if true for the actual C7. IMO, this confirms the forward movement of the front axle to be at least a couple of inches or more.

Start with a C6. How many ways can a car that looses significant weight, change distribution from 51/49 to 49/51 ... while the front mid engine is gaining weight?

• Moving the battery to the back is a must. Lightens the front and weighs the back down. However, this is just about offset by the LT1 weight gain due to the added tech. Just about status quo in distribution, but the physics improvement is greater because the battery moves from near the center in front to behind the rear axle at the farthermost interior point. Selective electric power accessories that have been forward of the centerpoint could be moved behind the center point if room can be found. JAT
• Lighten the front materials. Perhaps CF is used for hood and front fenders on the base model. CF might also be used for the firewall and inner fenders. Some weight could be saved behind the front fascia, if they can continue to meet the 2.5mph requirement (this is in front of the axle so again there is a disproportionate physics benefit in handling. Perhaps the radiator mounting header could be made of a lighter material ... Al?
• HOWEVER, If CF is used for the front fenders, wouldn't it be used for the back fenders too? This would roughly result in a status quo of weight distribution for these lighter components.
• Use of Aluminum HF rails on Sting Ray. I'm not sure on this one at all, but I think the rails have more mass forward of the current center line. Wouldn't this mean that the front weight reduction due to the Al HF frame is benefitted more than the back? Seems kinda chicken or the egg because of the centerline moving.
• Although that rear fascia weighs extremely heavy on my mind, I doubt if there is any significant increase there versus the C6.
• Is the new hatch treatment lighter than the basket handle/glass design. Possibly, but not by much due to the way it is designed. If it's lighter, it's likely due to more use of CF for the inner pannels where the C6 uses heavier plastic.
• Push the front axle forward 2-3 inches without lengthening the car. This should have little or no impact on total weight while, essentially, pushing the engine and cockpit back by moving the vehicle centerline rearward.

Unless I forgot something (entirely possible), I think the biggest impacts on the all important weight distribution will be, in order of their importance:

1. Moving the front Axle forward.
2. Use of lighter materials (Al and CF) for the inner support structures (fenderwells, radiator header, etc).
3. Battery and possibly some other support elect power functions relocation behind the centerline.

Just not sure of the impact of the Al HF rails on distribution. Intuitively, I think it IS significant.

What did I miss?