Remember back a few years ago, when the Lexus LF-A first appeared? One of the big talking points about that car was the digital tachometer…the 4.8L V-10 revved so fast (reportedly, idle to redline in 6/10ths of a second) that a mechanical tach just couldn’t keep up with the engine’s speed. For a street car, it was borderline batshit crazy…then again, hearing an LF-A snatching gears in the tunnel underneath the Las Vegas Convention Center would leave people swooning as if Scarlett Johansson had brushed their cheek, or Jason Momoa had given them a steely-eyed gaze and a small smile. (You pick accordingly.) Either way, hairs stood on your neck and your ears soaked it in.
At the recent unveiling of the C8 Corvette convertible, GM launched a sneak attack and also debuted the C8.R racing machine. We’re very pleased to see that Corvette Racing is on track to make 2020 a year to remember, and the C8 looks badass as a winged monster of a racing machine. But then, you hear it. We don’t know what’s under the cover. Far as I can find out, nobody outside of the NDA agreement circle knows. But what we all can ascertain from this clip is that it revs like none other. Does the driver’s indication of revs simply flash on and off? This thing doesn’t rev, it just barks really quick!
We might learn more details around the time of the Petit Le Mans…until then, throw your guesses into the ring here!
My neighbors Yamaha snowmobile revs like that.
Sounds like the Aston Martins that the Corvettes used to race against.
This thing seems to rev more like a sportbike engine than anything of automotive origin. Could GM have farmed out the entire design to Yamaha?
Possibly Ford used to do that. The 32valve v8s in the sho of late 90s
Yamaha’s done contract engines for other manufacturers too – some Toyota cylinder heads, for example.
GM has chosen to use a flat-plane crankshaft for its race engine as opposed to the cross-plane version used in its LT2 engine powering recent Corvettes up to now. The cross-plane version spins up faster due to less mass and inertia. However, the cross-plane version is harder to balance and due to more inherent vibrations tends to make an engine that doesn\’t last as long.
All I can say it sounds awesome! Doesn’t sound like a typical V8 and really don’t care.
I like it!
That would be the LT5. Flat crank. DOHC.
Sounds badass!!!
Flat plane crank!!
Awesome sound
And it goes back to steady idle as quick too .
Corvettes when racing were awesome, front engined machines that seemed to do the impossible, beat the exotics, and sound incredible. The new vette now looks and sounds like the machines it competes against. It has lost its uniqueness and identity in a field of McLarens, Ferraris, and even the Ford GT.