Fortunately for sports car buyers used to the age-old idea of the Chevrolet Corvette coming with a V8 engine underneath, Chevy announced yesterday that would still be the case. Some of the 2014 Corvette’s specifications were revealed by the model’s chief engineer Tadge Juechter in Detroit, and it can definitely be confirmed that the 2014 Corvette will have a V8 engine.
According to Juechter, the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette will run on an LT-1 engine. This new engine will supposedly be capable of a minimum 450 horsepower and pounds/feet of torque, which makes it a bit more powerful than the 2012 Corvette’s 6.2-liter V8 that produces 436 horsepower and 424 lb/ft. torque. Juechter also admitted that the idea of placing a V6 twin-turbo under the hood was mooted for some time, in an effort to improve the Corvette’s mileage.
Numerous other carmakers have done away with V8 options in recent years with the same goal in mind – improving fuel economy. However, Juechter said that performance and engine type is still a major consideration for sports car buyers, particularly those of the Corvette. Speaking of performance, the 2014 Corvette will be able to deliver in that regard, and even outperform the current model. Its zero to 60 mph time is estimated at less than four seconds, which would make it a bit faster than the 2012 Corvette. And it will still remain one of the more economical sports cars on the market, with a miles per gallon estimate that should exceed the 2012 model’s 26 mpg for highway driving. The LT1 engine was designed to provide better fuel economy through direct fuel injection, cylinder deactivation, among other methods.
Chevy will be unveiling the 2014 Corvette at January’s North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and more exact specifications should be revealed shortly before the event takes place.
