Chevrolet Racing Corvette C6.R E85: Renewable Fuel Racing!
2008 Chevrolet Racing Corvette C6.R E85 Specifications
| Drivetrain | |
| Suspension | Independent, short/long double wishbone, fabricated steel upper & lower, machined aluminum knuckle, coil-over multi-adjustable shock absorbers, anti-roll bar |
| Transmission | 6 Speed Sequential Manual |
| Layout | Front Engine, RWD |
| Engine | |
| Horsepower | 590 bhp @ 5400 rpm |
| Torque | 640 lb-ft. @ 4400 rpm |
| Displacement | 7.0 liters |
| Fuel Type | E85R Ethanol, 85 percent ethanol/15 percent racing gasoline |
| Engine Type | Heavily-Modified Pushrod V8 |
| Exterior | |
| Length | 177.6 in |
| Width | 78.7 in |
| Height | 45.8 in |
| Wheelbase | 105.7 in |
| Body Type | 2 Door, Single-Seat Hatchback Coupe |
| Wheels | 18 x 12.5 (front); 18 x 13 (rear) |
| Tires | Michelin racing tires, 290/33-18 (front), 310/41-18 (rear) |
Chevrolet Racing has become synonymous with the successful Corvette C6.R program, fielding GT1-class cars in the American Le Mans Racing Series (ALMS) as well as in other endurance and road racing Le Mans-type races worldwide. The 2008 Corvette C6.R is in many respects unchanged since the extremely successful 2007 C6.R race car, but for one notable exception.
Chevrolet Racing, and parent company General Motors, have pushed the limits of what can be done with renewable energy fuels, choosing to race GT1-class Corvette C6.R cars running on a special racing blend of E85 ethanol, dubbed E85R.
The ethanol-powered C6R has some advantages and disadvantage over last year's Chevrolet Racing Corvettes running standard racing gasoline. In addition to serving as great PR for GM's much-touted FlexFuel program, where performance cars to trucks can run either off E85 or standard gasoline when the renewable fuel is unavailable, the Corvette C6.R has tangible benefits burning E85R as well.
Writes Todd Kaho for GreenCar.com:
In addition to minor modifications to the fuel system to accommodate the drying properties of ethanol and changes to the adhesives used in the fuel cells, the only major modification is recalibrating the fuel curves with a laptop computer. While a bit more fuel is provided the combustion chambers to achieve the same horsepower as gasoline, the ethanol actually burns slightly cooler so heat is not an issue.
There is one significant downside to fielding E85R-burning Corvette C6.R cars, though. Because E85R ethanol produces slightly less energy, based on volume, than standard racing gasoline, Chevrolet was required to enlarge the fuel cell--the shielded "crash-safe" gas tanks used in modern automobile racing--to accomodate a greater volume of E85R and thus remain competitive based on number of pit stops.
Though a larger fuel cell means greater weight, the Chevrolet Racing Corvette C6R has been able to remain extremely competitive from a performance standpoint, while highlighting new environmentally friendly technology and pushing the razor edge of what can be done with race cars.