Chevrolet to Unleash All-New Corvette Stingray on Nürburgring

Chevrolet is preparing to release its latest supercar model on the public—the Corvette Stingray. As part of final testing and performance ratings, Corvette has enlisted a team of technical experts to put the car through its paces on the world-famous Nürbugring race course. This team is being headed up by Chevrolet Europe’s technical manager, Patrick Herrman, who is overseeing the two Corvette Stingray coupes that are undergoing this ultimate stress test.

 

The GM dynamics engineer, Jim Mero, had this to say about why Chevrolet chose to go overseas in testing their new model:

“We are paying particular attention to the suspension set-up and the steering at Nürburgring…European roads are quite distinct and different from those in the US, and so are driving habits.”

So far, no official Nürburgring lap time has come from Chevrolet, however they’ve provided plenty of specs for the Stingray to whet the appetite of the potential drivers. Let’s take a look at the rundown:

With a 6.2 liter, V-8 engine with direct injection and active fuel management, the Corvette Stingray will hit an impressive 450hp and 450lb/ft of torque, going from 0-60 in less than four seconds. Its interior is composed of carbon fiber and aluminum composite, with carbon-nano composite underbody parts and new aluminum frame, optimizing weight balance.

The main model will range from $50,000 in the U.S. up to $115,000 overseas, depending on the country purchased in. A $3,000 upgrade option for the basic model includes integrated braking, unique aero upgrades, a dry-sump oiling system, and electronic limited-slip differentials, among other features.

Tadge Juechter, Corvette’s chief engineer, had this to say about why they have such high expectations for this model:

“We believe the Corvette represents the future of modern performance cars because it delivers more power, more driving excitement and better fuel efficiency. The result is better performance by every measure. The 2014 Corvette delivers the fastest acceleration, the most cornering grip, the most track capability, the best braking performance and what we expect to be the best fuel economy ever for a standard Corvette.”

At the same time, Ed Welburn, GM’s vice president of Global Design, noted this about the name choice of the model:

“Stingray is one of the hallowed names in automotive history. We knew we couldn’t use the Stingray name unless the new car truly lived up to the legacy. The result is a new Corvette Stingray that breaks from tradition, while remaining instantly recognizable as a Corvette the world over.”

Admittedly, while it’s got a powerful profile, it’s unlikely the Stingray will beat the record set in early September by the Porsche 918 Spyder—a shocking 6 minutes and 57 seconds. This made the Spyder the first road car to officially make the lap in less than seven minutes. The Stingray may surprise us yet, though!