January sees the debut of the flat-plane crank engine, which produces 500 horsepower.
The Chevrolet Corvette C7.R will make its final appearance at Petit Le Mans, Atlanta, Georgia this weekend. Don’t worry Corvette Racing fans, its successor is already on the track. Chevy presented its new C8.R at a Atlanta event and shared some juicy details.
Officially, the Chevy C8.R will track debut next January at the Rolex 24 in Daytona during the opening round 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. This confirms earlier reports. In compliance with IMSA regulations, the C8.R will be powered by a 5.5-liter naturally-aspirated V8. It is mid-mounted and flat-plane crank. The engine produces 500 horsepower (373 kilowatts) while producing 480 lb-ft (651 Newton-meters). This is 10 horses and 10 lb-ft more than the road-going base .
Jalopnik figured out at the debut that FIA rules required a minimum 300 copies of this race engine for road use. The V8 will likely be used on a road-going C8. Potential candidates include the yet to be announced Z06.
The extra power is paired with a smaller Xtrac six speed sequential gearbox. This leaves space in the rear to accommodate a racing-specific diffuser. The C8.R is stiffer and lower than the road-going C8 and rides on 18-inch Pilot Sport GT competition tires.
Technically, this is the first race architecture for the Corvette since 1999. Even the C7.R used many C5 components. The C8.R has a greater percentage of parts than its road-going counterparts, and Corvette Chief Engineer Ed Piatek is thrilled to see these components transfer to the track.
Piatek stated Motorsport.com that it was crucial to create the new race car alongside production cars in order for each product to fully take advantage of the new architecture. “The benefits of this mid-engine supercar, including its incredible balance and connected-to-the-road feel, will be obvious on the street and the track.”
This is how they compare on paper.
Corvette Stingray Z51 |
Corvette C8.R |
|
Engine Displacement |
6.2 Liters | 5.5 Liters |
Horsepower |
495 | 500 |
Transmission |
8-Speed Dual Clutch | 6-Speed Sequential |
Wheels |
19 x 8.5 (Front)/ 20 x 11. (Rear). | 18 x 12.5 (Front), / 18x 13.0 (Rear). |
Tires |
Michelin Pilot Super Sport 4S | Michelin Racing Tires |
However, there are a few differences between the road-ready C8 and the track-ready C8.R. One, the C8.R now has a centrally mounted radiator in its front storage compartment. The C8.R also features extra-bright headlights as standard, which is an improvement on the standard ‘Vette production units.
The two factory-backed C8.Rs will have their own liveries, unlike the previous C7.R. The number 3 car will be in the traditional yellow color scheme, with silver accents. The number 4 car will have a silver scheme that is inspired by iconic Corvette concepts like the 1973 Chevrolet Aerovette or the 1959 Corvette Stingray.
The C8.R will take a test drive at Petit Le Mans this weekend, before heading to Daytona in January.