Victims of going Green: HEMI going away? Next Vette to get smaller, lighter?

[nadepalma]

I'm sure more such stories will be popping up in the near future as the affects of new CAFE standards ripple through the industry. But here is some 'immediate' news about the HEMI and the 'Vette that I'm sure everyone will be just thrilled about. Now this isn't to say that these 'official' communications, but certainly it would worry me as an enthusiast:

SOURCE: HEMI not part of Chrysler's future powertrain lineup

First Cadillac revealed it was canceling its V8 program and now Chrysler has announced that its legendary Hemi V8 engine doesn’t have a bright future. Rising oil prices and toughening fuel economy standards is causing carmakers around the world to rethink their powertrain options, and the future is looking low displacement and hybrid.

“The Hemi is not the powertrain of the future,” Chrysler co-president Jim Press told reporters from Automotive News during a recent interview. Young people don’t associate the ‘HEMI’ name with performance in the same way that their parents may have, Press explained. The design, after all, dates back to the 1950s and was made popular during the muscle car days of the ‘60s and ‘70s.

SOURCE: CAFE won't kill 'Vette, will go green instead

The war for ever-faster, more powerful cars may be drawing to a close. Fuel economy regulations and simple practicality are beginning to make the push for more horsepower unrealistic. Chevrolet’s Corvette is a perfect example - the 2009 ZR-1 revealed at the Detroit auto show makes 650hp and tops out at 200mph - and its designers are already eying ways to keep performance levels the same as the current generation while improving fuel efficiency.
.................

Is a lighter, less powerful Corvette still a Corvette? Will it be able to deliver the experience its buyers have sought and loved, especially over the past decade? And will moving it to a smaller, less powerful state move it into competition with even less-expensive sports cars like the Honda S2000 or the Nissan 350Z, which both sport similar power-to-weight ratios to the postulated Corvette Coupe? Only time will tell, but it’s hard to feel excited about the move to ‘greener’ pastures.

[unkillsam]

My guess is that they will make the Corvette a hybrid, thus it will still be way more powerfull then any of those ricer cars.

[FoMoCo Fan]

A smaller lighter Vette sounds like a good thing, no?

[drew630]

Ugh, the 70's is happening all over again. This sucks!!!

[racy]

This is an uninformed article. The Vette has the same curb weight as the 350Z.

[I-Love-Pontiac]

Originally Posted by drew630

Ugh, the 70's is happening all over again. This sucks!!!

At least we will be saving all that fuel though

[uboys]

Originally Posted by drew630

Ugh, the 70's is happening all over again. This sucks!!!

The people who idolized the 70s are in office. What do you expect?

[uboys]

They need to move to x-Aerogels and carbon fiber.

[racy]

Originally Posted by drew630

Ugh, the 70's is happening all over again. This sucks!!!

Its worse than the 70's.

[FenwickHockey65]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

My guess is that they will make the Corvette a hybrid, thus it will still be way more powerfull then any of those ricer cars.

I wasn't aware that it was possible to use the words "Corvette" and "hybrid" in the same sentence.

[KillerMRK]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

My guess is that they will make the Corvette a hybrid, thus it will still be way more powerfull then any of those ricer cars.

Oh how common sense is a rare thing to come by. Just the idea of a 'Vette hybrid is enough to make me laugh until I cry. I think the car might get smaller, or it will get lighter. Either way, it'll still be powered by a V8. No hybrids.

[paul8488]

Originally Posted by FoMoCo Fan

A smaller lighter Vette sounds like a good thing, no?

Yeah, I'd think so! I guess maybe it isn't in the tradition of the Corvette... but I love cars like the Lotus Elise... it's only got like 120 hp or something silly like that but it's smartly designed and super light and has unbelievable performance.

[JoeliusZ28]

Originally Posted by unkillsam

My guess is that they will make the Corvette a hybrid, thus it will still be way more powerfull then any of those ricer cars.

did you really just use hybrid and corvette in the same sentence!?!?!?

lol fenwick beat me to it

[Mikkoo]

Given the current volume levels of the Corvette, CAFE won't really be effected
by this low volume car. Just sell it with a gas guzzler tax, and continue to
give us the powerful American sports car that we love and cherish. Don't
ruin a good thing by denigrating it with a small displacement V8 with diminished
horsepower.

[Hurricane]

And will moving it to a smaller, less powerful state move it into competition with even less-expensive sports cars like the Honda S2000 or the Nissan 350Z, which both sport similar power-to-weight ratios to the postulated Corvette Coupe? Only time will tell, but it’s hard to feel excited about the move to ‘greener’ pastures.

Somebody doesn't have a clue as to the remarkable fuel efficiency boasted by the current Chevrolet Corvette...

2008 Honda S2000
18 mpg / 25 mpg (manual)

2008 Nissan 350Z
18 mpg / 25 mpg (manual)
17 mpg / 24 mpg (auto)

2008 Chevrolet Corvette

16 mpg / 26 mpg (manual)
15 mpg / 25 mpg (auto)

The question that should be asked is why don't the Honda S2000 and the Nissan 350Z "sport" far better fuel economy than the current Corvette? The Corvette even beats them in highway mileage!