[1]Last week, we showed you a glimpse of the upcoming C7 Corvette [2] that apparently appears in the 2014 model’s service manual. Today, we have another bevy of illustrations from Corvette Forum user BlueOx, who won’t say where he got them from, but we’re guessing this material comes from the user’s manual. First, the bad news…
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Yep, it’s the rear end everyone’s afraid of. It’s interesting to note that it’s bereft of any “Corvette” or crossed flag badging in this illustration, and that the rear glass seems very narrow compared to the expansive greenhouse provided by the C4/5/6 hatches. Let’s hope those C-pillars are less of an impediment to rear visibility than they appear to be at first glance – we think it looks a little like a Chrysler Crossfire in this particular detail.
[4]This hatch-up view shows the backs of the seats, as well as another perspective on just how bulky the C-pillars appear to be.
[5]Under the hood, we get a look at how the engine bay is laid out, as well as some details of the intake for the Gen V LT1. It’s worth noting that although the hood scoop seems to be functional, the offset location of the air filter housing (5) would indicate that the air makes some twists and turns before getting to the throttle body. We’re sure that new intakes will be one of the first aftermarket products you’ll see for this car.
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The seat illustrations show well-bolstered buckets; until we sit in them we can’t say whether they’re an improvement on the C5 and C6, but based on the power controls and built-in heating/cooling, it’s safe to say they’ll be heavy. Let’s hope that there is a lightweight manual seat option available as well.
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Interior detail shots show the all-digital instrument panel we’ve expected, the steering wheel controls, and a big middle finger to the electronics aftermarket in the form of that center-stack screen.
[11]BlueOx also provided some interesting text to go along with this illustration of the “sport mode” screen for one of the displays (presumably the center console, since it appears to have touch screen controls).
• Vehicle Speed: Up to three digits are displayed. Leading zeros are not displayed. The current speed is centered above the label. The label may change between MPH and km/h, depending on vehicle settings.
• Engine Rotations Per Minute (RPMs): The vertical line and triangle indicate current RPMs. As the RPMs increase the green back-fill follows.
• Transmission State (Current Gear): The numbers and letters displayed are dependent on the type of transmission in the vehicle. The types of transmissions are automatic or manual. The PRDN- is for automatic transmission vehicles, with the D changing to D1 or D2. Once the vehicle has shifted into drive, M1 or M2 are for automatic vehicles in manual shift mode. The 1 or 2 are for manual transmission vehicles.
• Lateral G-Force Graphic: Left and Right G-Forces are displayed the graphic fills to the left or the right depending on the measure value. The measured G-Force displays as a digital number as a digital number at the top of the graphic.
Some additional text-only tidbits:
- Engine Sound Management – This allows how robust or quiet the engine will sound. Select Auto, Stealth, City, Tour, Sport, Track or Off.
- Active Rev Match (ARM) – Vehicles equipped with a manual transmission have ARM. ARM aids in smoother shifting by matching the engines speed to the next selected gear. By monitoring shift lever and clutch operation, ARM adjusts engine speed to match a calibrated value. On downshifts, engine speed will be increased before the clutch is engaged. On upshifts, engine speed is reduced to the calibrated value. Rev matching is maintained for a few seconds between shifts, then deactivates if the shift is not completed, and engine speed returns to idle.
- Performance Data Recorder – If equipped, the Performance Data Recorder (PDR) has an icon on the Home Page screen. The PDR records video, audio, and vehicle data. This data is stored on an SD Card accessible by the driver.
It looks like the C7 will have some amazing new features, and we’re getting more excited about the launch every day as the countdown winds down to zero. It is 1/13/13 yet?