2020 Corvette: GM gambles with midengine layout in biggest engineering overhaul to date
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July 18, 2019 11:15 PM

GM flexes engineering muscle with radical Corvette overhaul

Richard Truett
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    BLOOMBERG

    Though final pricing has not been set on the 2020 Corvette, GM President Mark Reuss said it will be priced below $60,000. The car can now also be reserved.

    TUSTIN, Calif. -- One of the biggest challenges for the eighth-generation Corvette -- the first production model with the engine behind the driver -- doesn't have anything to do with how fast the car can reach 60 mph or carve up a corner.

    The 2020 Corvette Stingray looks to be one of the most technically advanced vehicles General Motors has built since it tested the world's first fuel cell vehicle in 1966 and, five years later, built the propulsion and suspension system for the Lunar Rover that drove on the moon.

    The new Corvette -- introduced here Thursday -- is a barometer of GM engineering in an era of rapidly changing technology. It will provide a strong test of GM's product development system, its testing and validation methods, and its quality control processes.

    If the Corvette launches cleanly with no technical issues from adopting GM's new wire-reducing digital electrical architecture, its advanced lightweight, mixed-material chassis that uses die-cast aluminum parts made in an engine factory, the electric brakes and other innovations, it could bode well for GM as it pushes closer to production of fully autonomous vehicles, which will share some of the same technologies with the new Corvette.

    And most important, the retooled Corvette's computer systems, and the speed at which they communicate internally and externally, will determine how seamlessly GM transitions to autonomous vehicles and the vast amount of data processing they require.

    Nuts and bolts

    GM will begin producing the 2020 Corvette late this year at its Bowling Green, Ky., plant. Since 2015, GM has invested $439 million to retool the factory to build the midengine Corvette. In addition to new production equipment, the plant is equipped with a new paint shop and a low-volume engine production facility called the Performance Build Center, which was previously in suburban Detroit.

    "Corvette has always represented the pinnacle of innovation and boundary pushing at GM," GM President Mark Reuss said in a statement. "The traditional front engine reached the limit of its performance, necessitating the new layout. In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but it drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history."

    PHOTO GALLERY: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette
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    REUTERS
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    GM President Mark Reuss introduces the retooled 2020 Corvette
    REUTERS

    GM President Mark Reuss introduces the retooled 2020 Corvette -- the first featuring a midengine layout -- on Thursday in Calif. Reuss said the sport car's "traditional front engine reached the limit of its performance, necessitating the new layout."

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    2020 corvette rear quarter panel driver
    STEVE FECHT FOR CHEVROLET
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    2020 corvette front passenger quarter
    STEVE FECHT FOR CHEVROLET
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    Even though the 2020 Corvette is track ready, most owners are never going to burn the rubber off those expensive Michelin tires taking hot laps at the local racetrack.
    STEVE FECHT FOR CHEVROLET

    Even though the 2020 Corvette is track ready, most owners are never going to burn the rubber off those expensive Michelin tires taking hot laps at the local racetrack.

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    Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter introduces the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
    STEVE FECHT FOR CHEVROLET

    Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter introduces the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.

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    2020 Chevrolet Corvette side
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    2020 Chevrolet Corvette

    The 2020 Corvette is equipped with Chevrolet's next-generation 6.2-liter small block V-8 LT2 engine. It is the only naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment and generates 495 hp and 470 lb.-ft. of torque when equipped with performance exhaust — the most horsepower and torque for any entry Corvette.

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    2020 Chevrolet Corvette interior
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    2020 Chevrolet Corvette rear
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    GM President Mark Reuss introduces the retooled 2020 Corvette
    2020 corvette rear quarter panel driver
    2020 corvette front passenger quarter
    Even though the 2020 Corvette is track ready, most owners are never going to burn the rubber off those expensive Michelin tires taking hot laps at the local racetrack.
    Corvette Executive Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter introduces the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
    2020 Chevrolet Corvette side
    2020 Chevrolet Corvette
    2020 Chevrolet Corvette interior
    2020 Chevrolet Corvette rear

    At the car's formal introduction late Thursday, at an old military aircraft hangar, Chevrolet officials ticked off a long list of high-tech items featured in the new Corvette.

    They include:

    • A new version of Chevrolet's classic small-block V-8 engine. This one retains the 6.2-liter displacement of the previous motor, but has a new block that lowers the crankshaft an inch to mate to the transaxle. The layout helps improve handling, GM says. The naturally aspirated engine is rated at 495 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque. When the Corvette is equipped with an optional performance package, it can propel the car to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds -- the fastest base-model Corvette in history. GM did not mention any future engines in statements released before the media event. However, as part of the plant investment at Bowling Green, a new engine line for the twin-turbo "Blackwing" Cadillac V-8 has been installed. It's possible that higher-performance models of the Corvette could get a version of that engine.
    • Chevrolet's first eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, a gearbox manufactured by Tremec, that allows the driver to shift the car manually or drive it as an automatic. "The performance shift algorithms are so driver-focused, they can sense when you are doing spirited driving, regardless of driving mode, and will hold lower gears longer for more throttle response," said Tadge Juechter, Corvette executive chief engineer. No manual transmission will be available at launch -- a first for the Corvette in decades.
    • A reengineered suspension system that features coil over dampers, revised electric steering and the Corvette's first electric brake system, which eliminates the vacuum-powered brake booster. That has been replaced with an electronic unit that can be tuned and adjusted for different driving conditions. Other suspension features include a system that automatically raises the front of the car by about 1.5 inches to protect the lower bodywork from damage by potholes, speed bumps and steep driveways. It can be programmed to operate through GPS and can store as many as 1,000 locations.
    • The digital vehicle platform that is the bedrock for GM's future electronics technologies. GM says it reduces wiring and allows for faster signal transmission between different vehicle systems. Vehicles that use the new electrical architecture can be updated via over-the-air programming, similar to how Tesla rolls out new model features.
    • A chassis constructed using the mixed-material process introduced on the Cadillac CT6 and then used in high volume on the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups. With mixed materials, GM engineers use different metals of varying thicknesses in different parts of the chassis -- the right metal in the right amount in the right place. The approach reduces weight but increases strength. The new Corvette uses what GM calls the Bedford Six. They are six high-pressure, die-cast aluminum components that minimize the number of joints in the chassis. Fewer joints yields a stiffer body, which improves handling, especially under strenuous track conditions. The aluminum parts are made at GM's Bedford, Ind., powertrain plant.
    • Significant weight savings from new materials. The front and rear tubs and dashboard are molded from ultralightweight fiberglass and proprietary resin. GM says the material is so light that it floats in water. The new Corvette also has a carbon-fiber curved rear bumper beam, an industry first, GM says. The lightest 2019 Corvette checked in at 3,298 pounds. The entry-level 2020 model is slightly heavier at 3,366 pounds.
    All-new interior

    The 2020 Stingray's midengine configuration gave GM design chief Mike Simcoe's team the opportunity to make the biggest changes to the Corvette -- inside and out -- since the car was introduced in 1953.

    Simcoe says the new exterior design is inspired by fighter jets and Formula One race cars. But the car's aerodynamic shape also helped dictate the interior's styling. First, because there is no engine between the front wheels, the cockpit has been moved forward by 16.5 inches over the outgoing Corvette. Ultrathin air conditioning vents help lower the instrument cluster, which contains a 12-inch reconfigurable display.

    2020 Corvette vs. 2019 model
      2020 Corvette 2019 Corvette
    Weight 3,366 pounds 3,298 pounds
    Wheelbase 107.2 inches 106.7 inches
    Overall length 182.3 inches 176.9 inches
    Overall width 76.1 inches 73.9 inches
    Overall height 48.6 inches 48.8 inches
    Turning circle 38.05 feet/36.41
    with optional FE4 package
    37.7 feet
    Headroom 37.9 inches 37.9 inches
    Legroom 42.8 inches 43 inches
    Shoulder room 54.4 inches 55.2 inches
    Hip room 52.0 inches 53.7 inches
    Cargo volume 12.6 cubic feet 15.0 cubic feet

    A long strip of buttons, between the seats on the center console, controls the seats, HVAC system and other items. Customers can choose from three types of seats, those designed for street driving to full-on competition seats for track use. The interior is decked out in cut-and-sew leather, real metal inlays, stainless steel speaker grilles and optional carbon-fiber trim.Unlike many other two-seat cars, the new Corvette has what appears to be reasonable cargo room -- and that could prove to be a major advantage over cramped roadsters and coupes battling for sales in a market that is shifting to SUVs, pickups and crossovers. The car has two trunks and can transport two golf bags or luggage. Cargo room totals 12.6 cubic feet.

    PHOTO GALLERY: Corvette through the years
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    When the Corvette was introduced at the 1953 Motorama, GM rushed to get it into production. It set up a temporary factory in Flint, Mich., and built 300 for the 1953 model year. The cars were put in the hands of celebrities and executives to build word-of-mouth enthusiasm.
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    The 1957 Corvette.

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    The 1960 Corvette. Styling evolved significantly during the first generation of the car but many design cues that would become synonymous with the Corvette were established, including the long dash-to-axle proportion, dual round taillamps and a dual-cockpit-style interior. All first-generation Corvettes were convertibles.

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    The 1963 Chevrolet Corvette. The second-generation Corvette – dubbed Sting Ray, after a concept race car that influenced its design – represented a revolution in design, engineering technology and performance. Where the first-generation Corvette was based on a modified passenger sedan platform, the second-generation was a clean-sheet redesign based on a dedicated architecture. It enabled a lower center of gravity and lower, sportier seating position, while supporting an all-new independent rear suspension that dramatically transformed the car's road-holding performance.

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    The 1965 Corvette
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    The third-generation Corvette -- beginning with the 1968 model -- was the longest and the car evolved significantly during an upheaval in the auto industry. It was introduced for 1968 as the Stingray -- one word vs. two words with the second generation. Aficionados generally call these cars “shark” models, for their aggressive styling. From a performance standpoint, the C3 generation was transitional. Big-block engines rated at 435 horsepower were initially popular but the auto industry's shift to unleaded fuel, tighter emissions standards and changing consumer attitudes affected output over time. In 1975, the standard 350 small-block was rated at only 165 horsepower -- about 20 percent less than the original 195-hp small-block from 1955.

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    The 1977 Chevrolet Corvette. The sports car set an annual U.S. sales record of 42,571 in 1977 that stands today.

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    The 1979 Corvette.

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    The 1984 Corvette.

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    GM
    Retired General Chuck Yeager poses with the 1986 C4 Corvette Indy pace car he drove for that year's 500-mile race.
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    The 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
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    The all-new 1997 Corvette was larger overall than the outgoing C4 yet weighed nearly 100 pounds less.

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    GM
    The 2003 50th Anniversary Chevrolet Corvette C5 was featured as the official pace car of the Indy 500.
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    The 2005 Corvette featured a return to fixed headlamps.
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    GM

    The Corvette vision concept was introduced at the Chicago Auto Show in 2009 and previewed the character Sideswipe in the movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." The concept was the creation of Corvette designers at GM and heavily influenced by the original Sting Ray race car introduced in 1959.

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    The 2011 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport.
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    GM has standardized its information technology architecture at all of its plants worldwide, including the Chevrolet Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Ky.
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    The 2014 Corvette
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    2020 Chevrolet Corvette

    The 2020 Corvette is equipped with Chevrolet's next-generation 6.2-liter small block V-8 LT2 engine. It is the only naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment and generates 495 hp and 470 lb.-ft. of torque when equipped with performance exhaust — the most horsepower and torque for any entry Corvette.

    2020 Chevrolet Corvette
    Big change

    An all-new Corvette is rare. For most of the 66 years since the car debuted, it has been built basically the same way --- with the engine up front, the transmission in the middle and drive axle in the rear -- and with the body mounted to the frame. There have been several iterations of the car's underpinnings over the years, and GM has tinkered a few times with a midengine layout, but none ever made production.

    FROM OUR ARCHIVES: Corvette's star power holds special place in America's heart

    Despite the major technical changes, there's no guarantee the car will be a profit-making vehicle for GM. Sports car sales have collapsed. Even inexpensive two-seaters, such as the Mazda MX-5 Miata, have struggled. Through June, Porsche has sold just 4,620 911s in the U.S. The budget Porsche 718 has fared even worse with 2,155 sold through June. The highest-volume Porsche is a crossover, the Macan, with U.S. sales of 9,711 this year.

    VIDEO: Chevrolet reveals 2020 Corvette Stingray

    "Corvette mobilizes a passionate fan base but it's a small group and they don't necessarily represent the next generation of Chevrolet customers," said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with Edmunds. "Moving to a midengine format shows Chevy isn't afraid to take risks to keep Corvette relevant, but you have to wonder if it will be enough to excite younger buyers."

    Chevrolet dealers in the U.S. sold 9,731 Corvettes in the first half of the year, down roughly 5 percent over the same 2018 period.

    Related Article
    With 2020 Corvette, GM tries again to slot motor behind driver
    Affordable?

    Though final pricing has not been set, and the car can now be reserved, Reuss said Thursday the 2020 Corvette will be priced below $60,000.

    Suburban Detroit Chevrolet dealer Paul Stanford of Les Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn, Mich., has collected 160 deposits for the 2020 Corvette through Wednesday.

    He said the car has the potential to draw buyers from the Porsche 911 and other more expensive sports cars. Stanford believes GM will price the new model within a few thousand dollars of the outgoing model -- $56,995 with destination -- keeping it a bargain among high-performance sports cars.

    Pricing some of the 2020 Corvette's rivals
    2020 Chevrolet Corvette interior

    2020 Audi R8: $169,900
    2020 Porsche 911: $91,100
    2019 Mercedes AMG GT: $112,700
    2019 BMW i8: $147,500
    2019 Aston Martin Vantage: $149,995
    2020 Jaguar F-Type SVR: $123,600
    2019 McLaren 570S: $192,500

    "They are going to make it affordable," said Stanford, who is on the Chevrolet dealer advisory board. "That's hugely important to the everyday buyer who we've come to know. The Corvette has always been a value proposition in the market. I am honestly thinking we are going to see improved sales.

    "I've seen the car," he said Wednesday. "It's mind-blowing."

    Les Stanford Chevrolet was among the nation's top three dealers in Corvette sales last year.

    And for the first time in Corvette history, the car will be manufactured in right-hand drive, opening up exports markets in such places as Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia. That tactic has worked well for Ford, which boosted volumes of the latest Mustang by adding right-hand drive versions.

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