typically in a racecar you want it to be longer for aero reasons/downforce.

cant really pull 3g's in the GTS class without downforce

look a exotics like the carrera GT and Saleen S7. LOOOONG bodies but the some have the wheels close and others far


http://www.auto-sfondi-desktop.com/W...-GT-02_640.jpg


http://www.edge-inc.net/images/cars/SaleenS7.jpg


http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~tsstudio/...nzo_racing.jpg

http://alex.carpent.free.fr/Enzo.jpg

http://forums.ag.ru/files/McLaren.jpg
Vipers, F-1 cars, Lambos-
all pretty big

I've been around most of these cars- and they all could easily be shortened. Whats the deal? why is GM going the otherway?

 

From the previous link:

"The icing on the design cake is that the new body offers improved aerodynamics, with a remarkably low .28 coefficient of drag (the sleek C5's drag coefficient is .29). The new design also offers both reduced lift and increased high-speed stability relative to the C5."

I read high-speed stability as perhaps a tad more downforce. This is a 185 mph-capable daily driver remember. There's a big difference between an all-out racecar and a production street car as far as downforce that is desired. Few production street cars exceed 1.0 lateral g, nor do they really need to. Downforce is never free; it comes with an induced drag penalty. That's the drag resulting from creating downforce (or lift).

Even in F1, the most highly developed aero vehicles around, there is still a huge drag penalty for the downforce created. Just lifting (or declutching) a F1 car at 180+ gives about 2 g of drag-induced deceleration...before braking. Of couse they have drag coefficient (Cd) of about .70 to 1.0 depending on the track. The drag is so high that a 900 hp F1 car can be drag-limited to the same 185 mph as the C6. Of course it will get there a hellofalot quicker.

FWIW, the C6 is shorter than the current Porsche 911 Carrera. That's a first! The C6 wheelbase is also over a foot (13.2 in.) longer than the 911. Go figure.

 

I was expecting GM to make a more "race friendly" body for their C5R program, not go against it

I fully understand the drag/downforce thing.

and the C6 has reduced DF to reduce gas consumption

 

We will have to wait to see what the z06 specs are.