I've been reading a lot of theories on the c6 z06 and the 06 cobra. The 2002-2003 z06 is already putting down 405 hp (375 on the dynos) and running low to mid 12's in the 1/4 mile with tires its an 11 sec car without the bad driver mod.

Is the next z06 really going to be THAT much faster? Even the 2003 viper is putting down low 12 1/4 times. I hear rumors of 500 hp cobras and over 500 hp z06s.. what are we looking at low 11 sec cars as everyday drivers... I realize Gm has in store a lighter car and more power, but are we building nascars now... I don't buy this...

I'm guessing the c6 will be equivalent to the c5 z06 and the c6 z06 will have a few more ponies.. You can't get much faster for the price range they WANT to target.

just my .02.

Steven

 

Blame Ford for trying to compete.

 

In a few years there will be 8 sec. daily drivers. Watch.

 

I can honestly say I'm still not too comfortable with the idea of 500 HP+ cars being widely available to the guy with very poor driving skills who just happens to have enough cash to buy one. These are the people who would drive like maniacs, rain or shine, and put other people at risk. It's amazing how 400 HP in a street car is viewed as being almost tame these days. 400 HP makes for one fast car!

 

Ya, like I mentioned in another thread a week ago or so... there's going to be a point where they just cant go any higher (hard to hear myself actually say that!)

May if they breach a certain point, you should have to take mandatory classes on how to drive?

I don't know... just throwing stuff out there...

 

I don't see a problem here at all. In reality, 500hp is within a couple hundred dollars of every LS1 already. A 150 shot of nitrous is cheap and will put down about 500hp.

Any new car with that kind of power will actually be harder to attain for some "punk" than a bottle fed used car. Obviously this hp war will peak at some point. Until then...more power to the manufacturers for upping the ante.

-Rich

 

The next Corvette Z06 is aiming for Viper performance, but since the Z06 is much lighter it shouln't need as much HP as Viper to do the same job.

 

I think you have to realize that the C6 and the next Z06 are going to raise the bar for standard American performance. The same way the C5 raised the bar over the C4. While I won't put much faith in these rampant HP war rumors I will say the next Vette will be very stout. Many mags and people are throwing some big numbers around and thats great to sell magazines and get some free press and thats great. But I wouldn't expect to see the standard C6 Vette with more power than the current Z06, ie not more than 405hp rating. But the next gen Z06 will raise the bar quite a bit, not just hp because I'd expect 450+ but from lower curb weight and better suspension and control. You don't need 500hp to gun down a Viper if you only weigh 3000 lb's.

As for the Cobra well who knows. With SVT dropping a forged SC'd DOHC 4.6 into the current car with 390hp . I guess you could say the sky's the limit for the next Cobra. I do see Ford aiming the Cobra at the Vette and to do so they will need the additional power to offset what many rumors say will be a portly new Mustang. 500hp is a little extreem but It wouldn't really knock me off my seat. One thing is for sure a blown 5.4L motor with a rumored BOSS Ausie 3 valve head design will be very strong no matter what the rating. And with Ford's GT supposedly being 500+ hp and the new SVT Lightning being rumored with 500hp it seems Ford has set the next bar high before they even build the cars.

 

It's sad to think this performance war might not be ended by government legislation and an energy crisis, but by lawsuits from jealous idiots who don't think it's "safe" for other people to have a powerful car.

Let everyone have their powerful cars--the stupid ones will take themselves out of the gene pool, or suffer other financial/legal consequences without the need for more legislation.

 

Just to play devil's advocate, it's not so much the people who would kill themselves by losing control of one of these rockets, but the innocent people they kill in the process...

That being said, I think that can be done now with any car, so the point is rather blurred...

Personally, I hope nothing happens to 'cap' power... but I do think some sort of driving school would be an interesting path to pursue...

I know Red Planet is a big advocate (from what he has posted) of high performance driving schools such as Bragg-Smith , et al...

 

I am also an advocate of driving schools . . . the problem is, if Chevrolet, Dodge, or any of the manufacturers began providing a "free" ticket to one of these schools, then the jury in any hypothetical lawsuit would likely see this as, "Oh, my God! They're TEACHING them to drive like maniacs!"

As far as legislating it, I don't see that happening either. Again, that would be a tacit admission from the government that people are going to drive aggressively on the streets, which goes against many decades of nanny-state "drive defensively" instruction.

I also hope there is no cap to performance, and I seriously hope that Chevrolet is shooting to OUTPERFORM the Viper with the new Z06, rather than reach parity.

 

Good points.

It's sad when legal worries outweigh potential huge benifits that could be reaped from something like this... But, ya, I could see all that stuff happening.

 

Insurance companies will determine what makes it. If people can afford these cars (which all mentioned are very limited production) they will build them.

 

Ah yeah... here we go...

It's like why do citizens need automatic weapons? Answer: they don't but so long as you know when it's appropriate to use one (e.g. firing range) and you're responsible about ownership and keeping it locked up and outa reach of kids, I could give a crap. Guess what - I don't own a single gun and have no desire to do so, but if others enjoy gun ownership, then let people have guns.

A 500HP car isn't what's going to kill someone - it's irresponsible driving and/or poorly trained drivers who loose control that kill people. Besides, 100HP is plenty enough to cause an accident that results in fatalities. Statistically a 500 HP hotrod is less likely to cause a fatality than a Honda Civic or an SUV - there are far, far less 500HP hotrods on the roads than mundane commuter vehicles.

The number 1 cause of traffic accidents and fatalities is not even vehicles but ****ing useless dumb-**** drivers who should not be allowed on thr roads. Kick the dimwits who don't pay attention, who tailgate, who drive too fast in heavy rain, snow and fog, who don't signal, who blab on cellphones... off the roads.... the accident and insurance rates would go way down. Nothing to do with the vehicles they drive whether you have 100HP or 500HP!

 

Wow, I never thought I'd see the day where a Camaro message board is actually saying "These new cars have too much power!"

I don't think more power will make cars any more deadly than they are now. Theres always going to be the people that race at every stoplight. Theres going to be the people that drive too fast in unsuitable conditions. I don't think this number will rise any more than it has before. All cars will still be in relation to how they are now and how they've always been, power-wise. If we were all used to having 100 HP Z28's and 200HP Vipers, I'm sure you same guys would be saying that the next gen 250 HP Viper is just too much for some people