{"id":24275,"date":"2019-10-12T16:54:13","date_gmt":"2019-10-12T20:54:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=24275"},"modified":"2019-10-12T16:54:13","modified_gmt":"2019-10-12T20:54:13","slug":"mid-engine-corvette-racer-debuts-new-engine-livery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2019\/10\/mid-engine-corvette-racer-debuts-new-engine-livery","title":{"rendered":"Mid-engine Corvette racer debuts new engine, livery"},"content":{"rendered":"

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With its V-8 engine mass over the rear wheels for the first time, the Corvette C8.R promises the ability to put the power to the pavement faster out of corners.\u00a0(Photo: Chevrolet)<\/span><\/p>\n

Atlanta<\/em>\u00a0\u2013 The\u00a0all-new\u00a0Corvette C8.R race car that debuted Thursday at Road Atlanta marks an onslaught on international racing with\u00a0Chevrolet’s first-ever mid-engine production sports car.<\/p>\n

Sporting a large wing,\u00a0lightened chassis\u00a0and a different\u00a0V-8\u00a0than the production\u00a0car, the C8.R will debut at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in January,\u00a0just as production cars begin arriving in showrooms.<\/p>\n

As with the current\u00a0front-engine\u00a0C7.R race car (which wraps up its racing career here the IMSA Weathertech 10 Hour Petit LeMans), development of the C8.R racer\u00a0was integral to development of the production model. Chevrolet\u2019s racing partner, New Hudson-based Pratt & Miller, shared and tested technology with the production program.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was important for us to develop the new race car alongside the production car, so that each product could properly take advantage of the new architecture,\u201d said Corvette Chief Engineer Ed Piatek. \u201cWe\u00a0share more parts \u2014 about 100 \u2014\u00a0between the race car and production car than ever before.\u201d<\/p>\n

One part that won’t be shared is an all-new\u00a05.5-liter, overhead-cam, flat-plane crank engine. (The production cars is a traditional\u00a06.2-liter push-rod engine.)<\/p>\n

Though GM won’t confirm the engine for future production cars, it is a radical departure from Corvette’s previous small-block V-8s. Detroit News sources have said the production car will get two more drivetrain in addition to the base V-8.<\/p>\n

The C8.R’s naturally aspirated engine will produce\u00a0500 horsepower \u2014 not much more than the production car’s 495 horses\u00a0\u2014\u00a0but with\u00a0faster-revving capabilities. Flat-plane cranks have\u00a0been\u00a0used by Ferrari in some of its engines.<\/p>\n

“The flat-plane crank engine breathes better, has lower inertia\u00a0and is more responsive than the push-rod engine,” said Corvette Chief Engineer Ed Piatek. The new\u00a0engine will likely be restrained to 6,500 rpms\u00a0by IMSA engine rules, he said.<\/p>\n

The race engine is mated to a compact, six-speed sequential gearbox instead of the production 8-speed.<\/p>\n

Though it is based on the same platform as the production car, new technology allowed the race team to design the C8.R long before production parts availability.\u00a0State-of-the art 3-D printed prototype parts, wind tunnels\u00a0and hydraulic simulators were used to evaluate subsequent chassis and aerodynamic designs.<\/p>\n

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