Hybrids and electrics will halo new small cars

摘要

Nobody at GM is talking mid-engine C7 Corvette anymore. Bad news: The C7 is on hold and now unlikely to launch earlier than the 2014 model year. Mid-engine boosters, including Bob Lutz, believed it would be easier to achieve gas-saving cylinder shutoff with a mid-mounted LS3 V-8, as it's hard to deactivate cylinders in the current front engine/rear transaxle setup without adding a clutch to deactivate the driveshaft. The question no one asked was, would the extra weight of a mid-engine layout, with its heavy rear cowl, offset the fuel-economy savings of cylinder shutoff? And it's tough to get the proper engine note with cylinder shutoff, anyway.