Lightweight- stripped M4 track car

[FTS]

Yes, I believe you are right, although I do not know that for a fact. At the same time, its engine is completely different than the street version, which again defeats the purpose IMHO.

[mastek]

Originally Posted by Arcoril

From what I understand, the new C7.R's chassis is also surprisingly similar to the chassis in the standard C7/Z06.

The C6R was a tube frame or a hybrid (modified tub with tube frame like the e92m3 GT2).
I dont see why that would be different for the C7R.

As much as all of us would love to buy a certain sports car, then point at its racing counterpart and say "look, I have the same car" ....the reality of that is much different. Those days are gone and are most likely not coming back. There is a huge disconnect in every single vital component between street car and its racing counterpart. Unless, you look at amateur racing and specifically the Continental Challenge, Ferrari Challenge and Porsche Cup. All other racing use tube frames to achieve lower weight and completetly different suspension and chassis geometry for lower center of gravity. Even the body panels you see on those tube frame cars that make the car "look" like it's street counterpart are not the same body panels stamped at the factory.

I have progressively stripped down 3 generations of m3s so far and it always comes down to very little weight you can lose (200-300 lbs) and not being able to get the car low enough using the OE suspension system and pickup points to make that specific system work with its chassis. Its only then that you realize why so many racing engineers choose custom chassis fabrication.

I actually own and operate the worlds lightest e36m3 tub chassis race car @ 2350#s and it took a massive amount of clever cage work and all fiberglass body panels (lighter then CF, just not as strong, pretty or expensive) to make that happen....and the only thing in common this car now has to its street counterpart is the unmodified tub and the front/rear subframes along with the suspension system.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by mastek

I have progressively stripped down 3 generations of m3s so far and it always comes down to very little weight you can lose (200-300 lbs)...

I actually own and operate the worlds lightest e36m3 tub chassis race car @ 2350#s...

Isn't the stock E36 M3 roughly a 3100 lb. car?

[Arcoril]

Originally Posted by mastek

The C6R was a tube frame or a hybrid (modified tub with tube frame like the e92m3 GT2).
I dont see why that would be different for the C7R.

As much as all of us would love to buy a certain sports car, then point at its racing counterpart and say "look, I have the same car" ....the reality of that is much different. Those days are gone and are most likely not coming back. There is a huge disconnect in every single vital component between street car and its racing counterpart. Unless, you look at amateur racing and specifically the Continental Challenge, Ferrari Challenge and Porsche Cup. All other racing use tube frames to achieve lower weight and completetly different suspension and chassis geometry for lower center of gravity. Even the body panels you see on those tube frame cars that make the car "look" like it's street counterpart are not the same body panels stamped at the factory.

For what it's worth, here's GM's press release blurb on the C7.R's frame:

New, aluminum frame
As before, the race car and the Z06 will share the same, production-based aluminum frame. However, for the first time, the frames for the race car and production Z06 will be built in-house at the Corvette's Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant.

By leveraging advanced manufacturing materials - such as laser welding, Flowdrill-machined fasteners and a GM-patented aluminum spot-welding process - the production structure is significantly stronger than its predecessor. For Corvette Racing, this equates to a race chassis for the C7.R that is 40 percent stronger than the outgoing C6.R.

"In the first lap in the C7.R, the drivers felt the increase in chassis stiffness," said Mark Kent, director of Racing for Chevrolet. "The drivers instantly noticed that the C7.R handling was better over changing surface features and rough track segments. This is important as our drivers don't always stay on the smooth pavement, and are constantly driving over curbing at corner apexes."

You're totally right about people wanting their performance cars to share parts with the racing versions. GM's jumping on this racing program as a huge marketing tool and emphasizing all of the shared components. It's the exception rather than the rule these days. I actually end up watching the Continental Sports Car Challenge way more than the Tudor USCR events these days since I actually feel some sort of a connection to those cars.