Are you kidding?

 

Then what explanation do you have for GM underrating other sports cars HP and for Chevy exterminating other divisions "Corvette competitor" developements?

 

Underrating which sports cars HP? Camaro simply doesn't have Corvette's horsepower because of that single exhaust system all but the SLP cars have.

Also, as you point out, Chevrolet is the villian as far as other division's efforts, not a "Corvette rule". Again, there is a long history of cars faster & more powerful than Corvette from other divisions having no problem making it to market.

 

But they still underrated the F-body's HP rating, whats the reason for that?

 

guionM, don't forget the 1996 WS6 and SS f-bodies which were rated at 305hp compared to the base Vette's 300hp. Plus the LT1 Firehawks were pushing 315hp since 1994. Granted that the Firehawk, SS, and WS6 still didn't beat the base Vette's performance.

 

Corvette LT4=330hp

 

I don't know if there is a 'Corvette rule' per say, but I bet it is very much frowned upon that a car having more HP or being faster than the Corvette. As I posted earlier, there have been a few cars (and even a couple trucks) that 'broke' the 'rule', but it has been somewhat rare. And as the Corvette gets more expensive, I believe it will get even more rare.

Just my $.02

 

The so-called "Vette Rule" only applies to base Vettes, not LT4s, ZO6s or ZR-1s. The Sy/Ty didn't even come close to matching the ZR-1's 385-405 hp form 90-95.

 

I can only guess at the reasons, but the F-body's LS1 is by no means the only one. The current Cobra is a prime example. It's rated at 390hp, but it puts out almost that much at the rear wheels !! Also, most all applications of the Buick turbo V6 since '86 were somewhat underrated (or alot underrated), the turbocharged 4 cylinder Ford Probe was very underrated, and there is a rumor that the new Chrysler hemi is also slightly underrated as well. Let's not even go into some of the cars from the late 60s & early 70s!

Corvette is not only about horsepower or acceleration. If that were the case, there have been plenty of competitors (not just from Germany but also from Japan 10 years ago) that Corvette owners would have flocked to.

The rest of this isn't directed to you Meccadeth, it's just some points I want to make in general, so don't take it as a flame or anything like that.

To say that Corvette owners were somehow conned into buying Corvette because they didn't know a cheaper Z28 has the same engine as it does pretty much makes Corvette owners look like a bunch of dummies, and sells Corvette short. If someone is going to spend $45,000+ for a Corvette, They are NOT considering a $23,000 Z28, no matter how much some people want to believe this.

Corvette owners KNOW about Z28s. Z06 owners, being even more performance knowledgeable as a group than even us Z28 guys KNOW about Z28 as a performance value. They know that F-bodies have the same engine as their cars. And they are ok with that. Pick one & talk to him or her. Go to a Corvette gathering. Some of you would be surprized.

As mentioned earlier, Chevrolet did use it's power to squash 2 passenger performance cars from other divisions in the past. But, GM itself does not have a "Corvette Rule". The upcomming supercharged Cadillac XLR will very likely be alot faster than a standard (& possibly Z06) Corvette, so not only is there history proving this myth wrong, there is a car or 2 that will prove it wrong on the horizon (the ONLY reason Cien was cancelled was production cost, NOT a "Corvette rule"). Has anyone thought about the possibility that more often than not, Corvette simply gets the most powerful GM engines, and that once in a while, a different GM division simply screws together something faster??

I'm starting to believe this myth was started by a sour grapes group of F-body enthusiasts..... "the only reason why Camaro isn't faster or have more horsepower is because of the "Corvette Rule". Even ignoring Camaro's restrictive intake & exhaust due to it's body & chassis design (the REAL reasons why Camaro is at a horsepower disadvantage over Corvette), and the fact that Corvette already gets the most powerful engine that's not exclusive to other divisions, why on earth would the Chevrolet Motor Division make Camaro faster than their own Corvette in the first place?!

Although some of you may find this extremely hard to believe, and want to continue to think GM somehow hoodwinked Corvette buyers by underrating Z28s and Firebirds, The Fact is this: Corvette buyers simply WANT a Corvette!! Not a Grand National, GNX, Typhoon, Syclone, Trans Am, Turbo Trans Am, or any thing else on the list of vehicles faster or having more horsepower than a Corvette.

Imagine that.

 

Great points...
If GM KNOWS that Corvette buyers simply want a Corvette, why do they underestimate its other performance cars.
I agree w/ you 100%, but I'm still a mystified about this...

 

some people say for insurance reasons so the higher the number the more money but i don't know for sure.

 

Newsflash: A 2000 Camaro SS actually put MORE horsepower on the road than a '00 Corvette - blame the rear transaxle for extra friction. I had it on good authority that the performance disparity was solely down to weight.

The sad truth was that the LS1 Camaro was underrated by at least 20 horsepower. I'm not sure I believe in a "Corvette Rule,"
but I can see how people can infer its existance.

 

 

This is exactly what I said. A Corvette buyer is not in the market for these other cars. I don't believe I'm conjuring up some conspiracy against the Corvette for the F-bodies' sake. I've heard reference to the "Corvette Rule" in all the major magazine publications on occasion; I certainly don't consider it something created in this community for rationalizing the Camaro's downfall. Unfortunately, GM has been out of the mode of making big-time performance cars in the last decade across all brands, so we haven't had much to really guage this against.

Perhaps all of this is overblown and not really an issue. At the same time, you cannot deny the Corvette is a car held sacred within GM, debuting new technology and having certain achievements reserved for it so as to keep it in its position. With this in mind, I don't think it's out of the realm of consideration that they'd frown upon a car "less technologically advanced" stepping on its toes.

"390hp" Cobra...

I think this is Ford being conservative only to cover their butts after the last mis-rated Cobra fiascal. I don't see any reason for GM underrating the Camaro/Firebirds of recent history. Perhaps it's GM itself that thinks it would make a difference in buyers' eyes, regardless of whether that's really the case.

 

If I had to guess at it I'd say the auto manufacturers under rate cars so they can follow them up. The 03 cobra is a good example. Lets say they put down a conservative 360 rwhp and est 15% drive train loss. That's a 415 hp car, 25 above advertised hp ratings. That means buyers would be looking for something along the lines of 430-440 for the Cobras follow up.

But now if Ford wants to say hey, the 04 Cobra is going to make 405 hp, they'll have no problems doing so. They'll put on a less restrictive exhaust and open up maybe 5-10 rwhp and still be above expected numbers. Then the 05 Cobra can put down 415-420 with no problems, instead of having to redesign the intake and make better flowing heads, dropping all kinds of unecessary money into R&D.