Like the outgoing ZR1 and Z06, the C7 rides atop an aluminum frame, a change that helps save some 99 pounds while adding 57-percent more rigidity, and the front and rear cradles that rest atop it are now rendered in hollow-cast aluminum, too, for a weight savings of 25 percent up front and 20 percent in the rear versus the C6, yet they are lighter and stronger than their magnesium counterparts from the exiting Z06.



Those weight savings are important, because in order to meet ever-stricter crash regulations, develop a much richer interior and add performance, some weight had to be added back in the form of new equipment. Counterintuitively, Chevy tells Autoblog that if its engineers didn't have to care about fuel economy, the C7 would actually be lighter. How's that? The new small block incorporates features like direct injection, variable-valve timing and cylinder deactivation ("Active Fuel Management") trickery, all of which adds weight. The new engine management hardware alone adds 35 pounds, plus there's a further 5.5 pounds for the AFM exhaust valves (so the engine doesn't sound objectionable when operating in V4 mode), another 15 or so pounds for the steel torque tube to help improve drivability with AFM, etc.), and so on. Surprisingly good fuel consumption figures have become something of a hallmark in recent generations, and it was a top priority to preserve that leadership in the new generation.


So the new C7 figures to weigh more-or-less the same as the C6, but engineers says they've taken pains to locate the weight in the right places to ensure 50/50 weight distribution. That means splurging on things like the carbon roof and hood panels to assure a lower center of gravity, but also means using lighter sheet-molded compound for the fenders, doors and rear quarters, not to mention advanced carbon-nano composite underbody panels. Together, those changes account for a weight loss of around 37 pounds.