The future of Corvette

[HORNDAWG]

Originally Posted by JAG

These engines wouldn't just be dished out, teams would be hand picked, there'd be no shortage of takers. They'd be leased and supported by GM engineers, just like Audi, Porsche, Judd etc do.

Huh? Audi and Porshe do not lease their engines out!

P&M would be needed to design and intergrate the V8 into one, possibly more, chassis, even if they don't run a car themselves, plus, more than likely they'll run the GT1 in a handfull of races.

Why would GM let loose of potentially half of its own P-1 program to compete against??

Prodrive operate on a much lower budget yet are now the best out of the rest behind the diesels, no doubt front runners next year, they've shown this model works, have full control, and are gaining experience.

Prodrive and GM are very dissimilar when it comes to their business models.

I'd say it is now massively odds on the GT1 motor will be in the back of a P1 next year.

Conjuring again ehh? Careful they burn people at the stake for that.


L.P.

[AU N EGL]

Now that all said, Katech could sell ( wild guess here ) LS7s Track Attach race motors.

Mind you this not the same as the LS7r but still a very good and powerful motor.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by JAG

I'd say it is now massively odds on the GT1 motor will be in the back of a P1 next year.

Next year? No

2010 maybe

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by JAG

These engines wouldn't just be dished out, teams would be hand picked, there'd be no shortage of takers. They'd be leased and supported by GM engineers, just like Audi, Porsche, Judd etc do.

P&M would be needed to design and intergrate the V8 into one, possibly more, chassis, even if they don't run a car themselves, plus, more than likely they'll run the GT1 in a handfull of races.

Prodrive operate on a much lower budget yet are now the best out of the rest behind the diesels, no doubt front runners next year, they've shown this model works, have full control, and are gaining experience.

I'd say it is now massively odds on the GT1 motor will be in the back of a P1 next year.

P&M does not build engines.

What makes you think Chevy is going to waste time, and money on an engine leasing program.
Chevy does not build the engines either.

[JAG]

Why the scepticism?

Evo/production engine regs are specifically to encourage GM and Aston Martin, amongst others.

Doug Fehan said, with a knowing smile, nothing at the ACO press conference suprised him, including the 7l reg change.

The article posted earlier has the GM boss openly talking about P1 and supplying engines.

LAA, who are effectively GM's Euro (semi) factory team are moving to P1, and want to use a GT1 engine.

GT1 in it's current form is a dead duck, possibly even the Katech 7l with it's specialised bits and pieces.

Katech/GM's engine tech will be protected if engines are leased, just as RS Spyder, Audi, Aston Martin (?), Judd etc engines are only dealt with by their engineers.

Suppling engines is a viable business for a manufacturer, it happens in F1, Indycar etc, and I would hope increasingly in sportscars with production engines. There isn't actually a need for a full factory chassis, Aston Martin have shown that.

Basically there's far more evidence there will be a P1 with GM V8 pounding around the tracks this time next year, than there was for an Aston Martin engined P1 until very, very late last year.

The Lola Aston Martin was put together very late, GM has 6 months before they need to make a firm decision, yet there is already all this talk.

[AU N EGL]

F1 engine lease programs are more then most LMP1 or GT1 team budgets

[JAG]

And...........?

GM's engine is in demand, the regs are in place, the manufactuer is looking for a new direction, new GT regs are at least 18 months away, while Aston Martin have proved the concept works.

Multiple manufactuer supply/lease engines to single seater series, GM have an engine that has had millions invested in it begging to be a front running P1 motor. If they aren't going to build a P1 themselves supplying the engine and/or adapting a customer chassis is ideal.

GM need to be back in the limelight at the sharp end of the grid.

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by JAG

Why the scepticism?
Suppling engines is a viable business for a manufacturer, it happens in F1, Indycar etc, and I would hope increasingly in sportscars with production engines. There isn't actually a need for a full factory chassis, Aston Martin have shown that.
.

But of course, just make sure you mention how the engine building and leasing program in the IRL was SOOOOOO successful.

I would not want to be near the budget dude who has to say "Sure the IRL thing fell flat on its face, but this WILL WORK, I guarantee it!

[JAG]

I really don't care what they do, but make a decision.

Aston Martin have been up and running in P1 for 12 months, in fact they are the talk of the class.

GM politics are holding back P&M, just like it has with previous WRC, DTM and domestic touring car programs, not to mention the Cadillac program being cancelled just as it was hitting the front!

[Aslak Vind]

Originally Posted by JAG

I really don't care what they do, but make a decision.

Aston Martin have been up and running in P1 for 12 months, in fact they are the talk of the class.

GM politics are holding back P&M, just like it has with previous WRC, DTM and domestic touring car programs, not to mention the Cadillac program being cancelled just as it was hitting the front!

That is the problem of executives running a racingprogram from the boardroom. An example is Honda Racing in F1..

Approve the budget, and keep the nose out of it afterwards. Leave it to the pros

[The Badger]

I wish Porsche would take a page from your book Aslak .

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by JAG

GM politics are holding back P&M, just like it has with previous WRC, DTM and domestic touring car programs, not to mention the Cadillac program being cancelled just as it was hitting the front!

GM has a contract with P&M though 2010. There will be Corvette racing though 2010.

The Cadillac contract with P&M ended so the cars where sold to Woodhouse Racing with the Remington sponsor. The drivers remain on GM Racing Payroll / leased or subcontracted to Woodhouse. or something like that.

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by AU N EGL

GM has a contract with P&M though 2010. There will be Corvette racing though 2010.

The Cadillac contract with P&M ended so the cars where sold to Woodhouse Racing with the Remington sponsor. The drivers remain on GM Racing Payroll / leased or subcontracted to Woodhouse. or something like that.

I think he meant the P&M run(?) Cadillac prototype program. It had some growing pains but the program was supposed to only last a few years anyway and wasn't dropped too much earlier then planned. However, I think just as it was just starting to show some pace and get to the front, the R8 was proving itself as the all conquering sportscar. Cadillac was also annoying bad about racing it, only made a few appearances and never got the race miles it needed. Was a good looking LOW profile car and even was ahead of its time styling-wise. It, and the BMW, both had the street car looking front end reflecting the ACO's proposed idea of road car styling (OK not fully reflecting but it was a start.)

[HORNDAWG]

Hmm, P&M did not run the Cadillac LMP program. But they did recently run the suspended/closed Speed World Challenge CTS-V program. So it could/might be taken either way.


L.P.

[JAG]

I was talking about the P1.

I cannot believe how P&M can be left hanging for so long when they are one of the best in the business.

I know P&M have a contract, but they, and more to the point GM, need to be competing in a competive class.

I realise the program is for the US market primarily, but it's the only major GM project to compete in Europe, they don't compete in the WRC or DTM, only the odd domestic series.

The Corvette program is giving the brand great publicity around Europe, Le Mans, LMS and FIA GT.

[AU N EGL]

who says P&M is just hanging?

[AU N EGL]

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...8/newsletter11


The Corvette C6.R is likely moving to the GT2 class next season.

Corvette Racing appears increasingly likely to move from the GT1 class to GT2 as early as the middle of next season. A proposal is on the table that would see the existing Corvette C6.R GT1 car race in the American Le Mans Series--up to and including the 24 Hours of Le Mans--before Chevrolet switches to a GT2 version.

The new car, developed, as was its predecessor, by Pratt & Miller, then would take part in selected ALMS races during the second half of the season.

"We will hopefully get to a 95 percent answer very soon," said General Motors road-racing boss Steve Wesoloski. "Over the next six weeks, budgets will be finalized, so we can determine the 2009 program in detail."

This article was last updated on: 08/26/08, 11:34 et

[Dead-Eye]

So with AMR likely not returning to GT1, they'll take a relatively easy win at Le Mans before moving...nice thinking

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Dead-Eye

So with AMR likely not returning to GT1, they'll take a relatively easy win at Le Mans before moving...nice thinking

Seems to me it would be a meaningless win without substantial competition.

DK

[Speed-King]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Seems to me it would be a meaningless win without substantial competition.

DK

Well, that didn't keep Audi from doing so before Peugeot entered the fray. Or Porsche in 1994.

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by dxk1

Seems to me it would be a meaningless win without substantial competition.

DK

If they can print up ads and posters saying they won Le Mans again, probably 90% of the people who see that add will have no idea of what kind of competition they faced. Just as Audi still sees winning everything in LMP1 as marketing gold.

[AU N EGL]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

If they can print up ads and posters saying they won Le Mans again, probably 90% of the people who see that add will have no idea of what kind of competition they faced. Just as Audi still sees winning everything in LMP1 as marketing gold.

Exactily. PPL remember who Wins. Not who finishes 2nd . .

[Bob Riebe]

Originally Posted by WMUCarGuy

If they can print up ads and posters saying they won Le Mans again, probably 90% of the people who see that add will have no idea of what kind of competition they faced. Just as Audi still sees winning everything in LMP1 as marketing gold.

Nowadays the majority of people who know LeMans is not a U.S. track, would probably if questioned ask, "does Ford still race there."

People don't know which continent major countries are on, much less what LeMans is.

[dxk1]

Originally Posted by Speed-King

Well, that didn't keep Audi from doing so before Peugeot entered the fray. Or Porsche in 1994.

I'm not sure that's the same, but I won't argue the point. You can quit while your ahead or feel compelled to uphold your status as number 1. Aston has pulled out while ahead, Audi feels compelled to remain number 1. Corvette was number one and lost and now coming back against no-one is meaningless, IMHO. I understand the other posts regarding advertising the win and maybe that's worth it, but to Corvette, they will know its an empty win.

DK

[WMUCarGuy]

Originally Posted by Bob Riebe

Nowadays the majority of people who know LeMans is not a U.S. track, would probably if questioned ask, "does Ford still race there."

People don't know which continent major countries are on, much less what LeMans is.

But they know it's something big, and something important and a Corvette win there means something, even to the ill informed.