Since hybrid technology is touted as being great for both efficiency and performance, we really should take the possibility of more sports- and supercars being electrified more seriously and even envision a near future where all the best ones get some kind of extra electrical boost.
The new Corvette Stingray is an excellent example of a car that could greatly benefit from becoming a hybrid, if the engineers would be able to make everything work seamlessly and naturally.
Besides, the new ‘Vette did little to improve on its predecessor’s efficiency claims, averaging a claimed 21 mpg combined, even with cylinder deactivation, which comes as standard. This is somewhat of a concern, since regulations are getting more stringent every day.
No, Chevy won’t give up the use of V8 as easily as Jaguar would, but according to GM President Mark Reuss, a hybrid Corvette sounds like a good idea. “I think it’s a very attractive idea, actually,” Reuss told the LA Times. “I think it would be really fun to do, I think it would build capability inside our company and I think people would love it.”
The high-ranking GM official concluded by saying that “it’s exciting stuff,” and it’s definitely “cool enough not to laugh at.”
So perhaps the upcoming Z06 will adopt the traditional path, but what of a possible ZR1 successor with extra electric boost, pushing the power figure past 700 hp – the new Z07 is rumored to have around 600 horses, so the most powerful version really needs to justify itself and its predictably much heftier price tag.
By Andrei Nedelea
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