The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray could get a Start/Stop system in future editions

Little by little, some of the myths surrounding sports cars are being dispelled. One of them is that owners of a sports car like the Corvette Stingray (with its spectacular instrument cluster) care little about fuel consumption. Performance has always been what sets these vehicles apart. However, there is someone who does care about consumption and emissions: government pressure is pushing manufacturers to meet certain targets, and GM is no exception.

The Corvette Stingray’s chief engineer, Tadge Juechter, told Edmunds that the possibility of equipping the Stingray with a Start/Stop system has been considered. It was not offered on this version of the Corvette because it would raise the price of the vehicle, but they could do so in future versions under pressure from the US government and from regulations in markets where the Stingray is sold as an imported model, such as European countries.

Juechter has commented that these regulations could force changes to the Stingray, but only to meet certain consumption figures and without damaging the car’s sports image. Today the Stingray achieves fairly economical consumption on the highway: besides offering a seven-speed manual gearbox, it also incorporates cylinder deactivation technology. Four of the eight cylinders switch off on the highway, giving a consumption of 8.1 L/100 km.

The first steps have already been taken, but GM has flatly ruled out a hybrid or electric powertrain for the Corvette. It is not a platform designed for that, which will be a relief to fans of the model.

The Corvette Stingray is not the only example. It is known that other brands are also under pressure, such as Porsche, Lamborghini or Ferrari. Sports car manufacturers remain concerned about the “recommendations” to adapt their engines to the times we live in.

Source | Edmunds

Photo | Autoblog