So there are some that prefer front engine cars.

[MKC8]

I'll bow to the designers of the C8 and say it's desired.

Sorry, was trying to play "peace maker", not specifically commenting on either option or design choice.
OK, I'll stop.

 

[Murray20c8]

Sorry, was trying to play "peace maker", not specifically commenting on either option or design choice.
OK, I'll stop.

I wasn't arguing. Many front engine cars have long noses so they can set the motor back behind the front wheels so there is less push when cornering and to achieve a near 50/50 balance which also moves the center of gravity back towards the rear. Rear and mid engine cars want more weight over the drive wheels for traction.

 

[DW Ruby]

Does it really matter where the engine is? Are you not looking for perfect balance? The C5 had near equal 50/50 balance.

Agree with @Afterimage I just do not get the interest/excitement in the E Ray. Why you would want one is simply beyond me.

Why anyone would want an E-Ray?
The answer is fairly easy.
For the type of driving I do, along with the vast majority of the people in this Forum, the E-Ray outperforms the Z06 in virtually every category.
On the other hand, if you are a 'regular' at the tracks, and hold an infatuation for the shriek of the flat-plane crank, enjoy your Z06.

 

[DenisC8]

Why anyone would want an E-Ray?
The answer is fairly easy.
For the type of driving I do, along with the vast majority of the people in this Forum, the E-Ray outperforms the Z06 in virtually every category.
On the other hand, if you are a 'regular' at the tracks, and hold an infatuation for the shriek of the flat-plane crank, enjoy your Z06.

agree 100% that E-Ray will outperform Z06 in the real world, but it may not be as fun as the Z06 because at the end of the day we are not racers and lowest time is not what we do for a living. Corvettes are our toys and toys are meant to be fun. The fact that the C8 stingray is so easy to live with and daily drive, might actually take away some of that fun, sense of occasion, feeling one would get from driving muscle car, race car or an exotic.

the time most C8 owners spend at wide open throttle can be counted in seconds not minutes, and 0-60mph in 3 seconds is not as fun as 4 seconds outside of competition with another vehicle because its over in 3 seconds. Z06 will do that in 2.5 seconds and E-Ray may even get it down to 2.2 seconds. we are paying $100K more to decrease the length of fun.

last year I did one of my corvette cruises in my 2020 BMW X5 M-Sport (0-60 in 4.8 sec) as I was preparing to trade my 2021 Tourch Red C8, and to my surprise I drove way faster/ more aggressive and most guys where keeping up less. Even when we do drive "aggressively" most of us are not accelerating quicker than 5 sec. So if we actually only need 0-60 in 5 seconds to have fun, we would enjoy more a car that does 5 seconds to 60 at wide open throttle, than a 2.8 second car where we roll onto the throttle or give partial throttle to accelerate to 60 in 5 seconds.

miata, BRZ/GR86, and classic air cooled 911s are fun because your can use 100% of the power.

 

[Murray20c8]

Why anyone would want an E-Ray?
The answer is fairly easy.
For the type of driving I do, along with the vast majority of the people in this Forum, the E-Ray outperforms the Z06 in virtually every category.
On the other hand, if you are a 'regular' at the tracks, and hold an infatuation for the shriek of the flat-plane crank, enjoy your Z06.

Really? I was under the impression that the front drive is only an assist and doesn't last very long. If it was full time 4 wheel drive then I might understand it. Then there is also the weight of the batteries and motor(s?).

 

[Black 03 Z06]

Why anyone would want an E-Ray?
The answer is fairly easy.
For the type of driving I do, along with the vast majority of the people in this Forum, the E-Ray outperforms the Z06 in virtually every category.
On the other hand, if you are a 'regular' at the tracks, and hold an infatuation for the shriek of the flat-plane crank, enjoy your Z06.

I guess I am just "thick" in the head because I still don't get it. Well it is different but does that make it desirable? Strikes me it suffers from the same limitations as every other battery enhanced vehicle, let's face it this is not "new" technology, the batteries are of course different but the same in many respects.

Can't wait to hear the bitching and complaining from the first adopters when the battery takes a crap in their very expensive car.

 

[DW Ruby]

I guess I am just "thick" in the head because I still don't get it. Well it is different but does that make it desirable? Strikes me it suffers from the same limitations as every other battery enhanced vehicle, let's face it this is not "new" technology, the batteries are of course different but the same in many respects.

Can't wait to hear the bitching and complaining from the first adopters when the battery takes a crap in their very expensive car.

Apparently the batteries are guaranteed for 8 years, which is probably about twice as long as I will keep the car.
Yes, they will be pricey, as are ceramic brakes, tires, fuel, a visit to the Dentist, groceries, ..................
We go around once, or so I've been told.

 

[Bunny hop]

I dreamt of a Porsche 911 mid engine, most of my life. I always wanted a convertible hard top. C8 gave me both at a much cheaper price , even though it took 3 years to get and the price went up by 20,000$ but still cheaper than 911 or anything else.

 

[Gilles27]

When I had a C8 Stingray I raced ( in Mexico ) my friends C6 GS and they were fairly close from a roll, now a dig was no contest the ME is king

 

[1st Vette]

I guess I am just "thick" in the head because I still don't get it. Well it is different but does that make it desirable? Strikes me it suffers from the same limitations as every other battery enhanced vehicle, let's face it this is not "new" technology, the batteries are of course different but the same in many respects.

Can't wait to hear the bitching and complaining from the first adopters when the battery takes a crap in their very expensive car.

One potential issue could be resale if the vehicle is close to needing a battery replacement. How hard is the re and re ? Then again perhaps the hybrid component can be disconnected and you are basically left with a Stingray although somewhat heavier. Time will tell.

 

[Gilles27]

In a front engine car you want as close to 50/50 as possible. In a mid engine car you want the weight over the rear wheels so 40/60 is prefered.

Actually Murray it's 42/58 if you want to be more precise, I believe that's why the C8 40/60 has great acceleration and pushes the front a bit, the C8R racecar is 42/58

 

[KTJF]

agree 100% that E-Ray will outperform Z06 in the real world, but it may not be as fun as the Z06 because at the end of the day we are not racers and lowest time is not what we do for a living. Corvettes are our toys and toys are meant to be fun. The fact that the C8 stingray is so easy to live with and daily drive, might actually take away some of that fun, sense of occasion, feeling one would get from driving muscle car, race car or an exotic.

the time most C8 owners spend at wide open throttle can be counted in seconds not minutes, and 0-60mph in 3 seconds is not as fun as 4 seconds outside of competition with another vehicle because its over in 3 seconds. Z06 will do that in 2.5 seconds and E-Ray may even get it down to 2.2 seconds. we are paying $100K more to decrease the length of fun.

last year I did one of my corvette cruises in my 2020 BMW X5 M-Sport (0-60 in 4.8 sec) as I was preparing to trade my 2021 Tourch Red C8, and to my surprise I drove way faster/ more aggressive and most guys where keeping up less. Even when we do drive "aggressively" most of us are not accelerating quicker than 5 sec. So if we actually only need 0-60 in 5 seconds to have fun, we would enjoy more a car that does 5 seconds to 60 at wide open throttle, than a 2.8 second car where we roll onto the throttle or give partial throttle to accelerate to 60 in 5 seconds.

miata, BRZ/GR89, and classic air cooled 911s are fun because your can use 100% of the power.

Very true, at Spring Mountain the most common tracked cars by members are Miatas for that very reason.

The Stingray is actually very fun even at regular speeds , I love it for that reason.

 

[1st Vette]

Actually Murray it's 42/58 if you want to be more precise, I believe that's why the C8 40/60 has great acceleration and pushes the front a bit, the C8R racecar is 42/58

Interesting take on the subject here. According to these folks GM got it right with the C8 . Good read for those interested in the topic, not too long.

How Front-Rear Weight Distribution Affects Race Car Balance

How does the weight distribution influence the handling balance of the race car? The simple model of vehicle dynamics shows us what's happening.

www.suspensionsetup.info

 

[DW Ruby]

One potential issue could be resale if the vehicle is close to needing a battery replacement. How hard is the re and re ? Then again perhaps the hybrid component can be disconnected and you are basically left with a Stingray although somewhat heavier. Time will tell.

Disconnect the "hybrid component"?
Seriously?
That'd be a bit like having a Z06 with a 'cap' of 4,000 rpm.
I'm sure a battery replacement on an E-Ray will be easy:

1. Drive to your Dealership utilizing your 'spare' ICE power source.
2. Wait indefinitely to pick it up.
3. Pay an astronomical bill.

The entire process should be seamless.

 

[DenisC8]

here is an interesting math: under ideal road conditions:

front mid engine RWD C7 has a best theoretical 0-60 acceleration of true 3.3 (3.0 with rollout) seconds on very sticky tires regardless of how much power your throw at it, pulling 0.83 Gs of max acceleration

C8 with rear mid engine RWD layout has a best theoretical 0-60 acceleration of 2.8 (2.5 with rollout) seconds regardless how much power you throw at it, pulling 0.99 Gs of max acceleration.

so the C8 RWD platform has reached its limit of peak acceleration in the 0-60 test with Z06 power levels, so the next step was to add AWD E-Ray which has done a 0-60 in a 2.5 (2.2 with rollout). I am currious to see the max acceleration Gs the E-Ray can pull...( my guess would be around 1.2Gs)

if C8 ZR1 wants to improve on the metric of 0-60 which is what "sells" cars, it must be AWD. now that cars can do it under 3 seconds, its a monumental feat to improve even by 0.1 seconds.

PS: 0-60 are mostly for bragging rights, and 5-60 is more accurate to how the car accelerates under "normal" real world conditions

 

[1st Vette]

Disconnect the "hybrid component"?
Seriously?
That'd be a bit like having a Z06 with a 'cap' of 4,000 rpm.
I'm sure a battery replacement on an E-Ray will be easy:

1. Drive to your Dealership utilizing your 'spare' ICE power source.
2. Wait indefinitely to pick it up.
3. Pay an astronomical bill.

The entire process should be seamless.

Yes in fact I was serious about disconnecting it IF the owner or prospective owner found the cost to be too high . if in fact that could be done . Although if price was not an issue apparently it shouldn't be that difficult according to this . Modularity was the name of the game here. The E-Ray's hybrid system is extremely compact and containerized. Skeptics of hybrid cars will typically say that they're complicated and more difficult to repair, but from the beginning, the E-Ray was designed to eliminate that concern. All of the batteries and power electronics are housed in one unit that can be dropped right out of the bottom of the car. "[It's] all one module, in fact, they're in one composite-encased housing," Holder said. "You disconnect cooling lines, [the] phase cables, and some electrical communication connections, and just drop it out of the bottom."

 

[Murray20c8]

PS: 0-60 are mostly for bragging rights, and 5-60 is more accurate to how the car accelerates under "normal" real world conditions

I don't agree. Suspension has much more influence from a standing start then a roll out.

 

[Gilles27]

Ferrari 296 GTB ( RWD ) does it in 2.4 sec with sub 10 seconds quarter mile so 2.8 isn't the limit, I'm sure we'll see a 2.2 before long

 

[DenisC8]

Ferrari 296 GTB ( RWD ) does it in 2.4 sec with sub 10 seconds quarter mile so 2.8 isn't the limit, I'm sure we'll see a 2.2 before long

I was saying how 2.8 is the theoretical limit for C8 stingray/Z06 chassis, not all RWD mid engine cars. 296 is the quickest RWD factory car to 0-60 in a true 2.6 sec (2.4 with rollout) so not really a fair comparison to a “budget” C8. 296 also has turbos, plug in hybrid, weighs less and has lower centre of gravity than the C8 and more importantly has way more tire grip.

PS: the quickest RWD car so far (Ferrari 296) has the same 30-50mph time of 1.9 sec as a C8 Stingray with z51 (both coupe and HTC).

 

[DenisC8]

I don't agree. Suspension has much more influence from a standing start then a roll out.

Suspension setup is very real, but rollout is cheating to get a lower time. There is no need for 1ft roll out as with modern equipment 1 ft rollout is also measured such as “0.3 sec/6mph” so there is no need to subtract it from the 0-60 time.