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For
Release: Jan. 1, 2004, 12:01 a.m.
INTERIOR MOTIVES: A LOOK INSIDE THE
2005 CORVETTE COCKPIT
The dual-cockpit theme of the Corvette interior design was driven
by three imperatives: Maintain or improve the C5's already excellent
ergonomics, use high quality materials, and execute with
precision.
“The overall theme was inspired by Corvette's dual-cockpit
heritage, with a flowing, wraparound upper feature line and two-tone
split between the instrument panel upper and lower,” said Eric
Clough, lead interior designer. “We wanted the surfacing to echo the
high-tension character of the exterior to unify the whole car. The
result lends spaciousness to the passenger and a nestled cluster pod
for the driver. Switches and controls are located in modular
groupings set into soft skin to reduce visual clutter.”
Interior materials are significantly upgraded for comfort and
aesthetics. The instrument panel and doors are covered with
cast-skin foam-in-place trim that is soft to the touch with low
gloss to minimize glare. To the eye, it looks like a
leather-wrapped, padded panel. To the touch, it is warm and
inviting. This advanced material has double the life of conventional
automotive paneling materials, resists fading and sun damage, and
minimizes interior fogging, which can occur as plasticizers migrate
out of the material. Aluminum trim plates with a woven-type tactile
surface add richness and emphasize features.
The interior is assembled with a high degree of precision,
evidenced in the flush-fit radio and climate controls, the
surrounding trim plates, and the instrument panel-to-door closure.
Taken as a whole, the sum of these refinements adds up to a
dramatically new – but distinctly Corvette – interior.
 All the luxuries of a modern sports car
The
new Corvette offers tremendous performance, an interior that is
comfortable and tastefully appointed, and a full complement of
electronic luxury features that complete the package for a 21st
century sports car. With its high-powered audio system, optional
onboard navigation and head-up display, Corvette will appeal to
those who love technology and the convenience it brings to the
modern driving environment.
Sound entertainment
If a Corvette owner gets
tired of the great sounds emanating from the vehicle’s four
tailpipes, the Corvette is not lacking for other modes of auditory
entertainment. An AM/FM radio with CD player and MP3 capability is
standard. New technology enhances conventional radio reception
despite the antenna being completely concealed within the windshield
glass. An improved optional Bose audio system with an in-dash
six-disc changer and XM Satellite Radio (continental U.S. only) add
to the choices available to the audiophile owner.
A full-function OnStar system is available, offering Virtual
Advisor, Personal Calling, emergency notification, stolen vehicle
tracking, routing assistance, and automatic unlocking. And for the
first time, Corvette offers onboard navigation as an option. Using a
6.5-inch color touch-screen display, the DVD-based system contains
all the map data for the United States and Canada on one disc.
Keeping with Corvette’s global intentions, the navigation system’s
voice-recognition software supports multiple languages.
Gauging performance
Monitoring the vehicle’s
vital signs is critical for the driver of a sports car like the new
Corvette. In pursuit of increased at-a-glance readability, the
instrument panel, its gauges, and the driver information center have
been carefully refined for maximum illumination and legibility – all
part of enabling the Corvette Team’s driving philosophy of “Hands on
the wheel, eyes on the road.”
The traditional, easy-to-read analog gauges of C5 provided an
excellent starting point for Corvette’s designers to refine and
enhance. White-on-black numerals inform the driver with clean,
straightforward displays for speedometer, tachometer, oil pressure,
water temperature, voltage, and fuel level. To reduce visual
clutter, major telltales were moved from within the dominant
tachometer and speedometer gauges to the area between them.
The speedometer and tachometer are larger in diameter by 5 mm
(0.2-inch); the gauge graphics are simplified for increased
legibility; and satin-finished aluminum bezels surround each gauge
for visual punctuation.
While the analog gauges may appear traditional, the technology
used to illuminate them is definitely cutting edge. Using new white
LED technology, the gauges are backlit both day and night for a
better contrast ratio, even in direct-sun conditions. In addition,
the inks used for the graphics and the method of the layers and
application are also new to General Motors.
The driver information center utilizes organic light-emitting
diode (OLED) technology. OLEDs make possible full-color, full-motion
flat-panel displays with a level of brightness and sharpness not
possible with other technologies and will be essential to the next
wave of personal electronics such as PDAs, cell phones, and
flat-screen TVs. Unlike traditional liquid-crystal displays OLEDs
are self-luminous and do not require backlighting, eliminating bulky
and environmentally undesirable mercury lamps.
The Corvette’s DIC expands to a two-line display, which gives the
driver more information including trip computer functions, fuel
economy, range, tire pressure, and oil life remaining. OLEDs enable
improved readability for the DIC – even in bright sunlight – and
establish pleasing visual harmony with the rest of the gauges, the
radio, and the HVAC controls.
Optional dual-mode head-up display
A
menu-selectable head-up display is projected onto the windshield in
front of the driver with vehicle speed and other information. The
display is focused so that it aligns with the driver’s line of sight
on the road ahead, allowing the driver to focus on driving while
still being able to monitor vehicle speed and other critical vehicle
information.
There are two settings for the HUD: Street and Track; and each
setting is preprogrammed to display information that is relevant for
each respective – and very different – situation. In Street mode,
the driver can select between several configurations that feature
the speedometer and the turn signal indicators, and then add to it
other information such as audio system data, automatic transmission
gear position, and high-beam indicator. In Track mode, there is a
larger tachometer, a speedometer, engine condition gauges, and a
real-time lateral accelerometer that samples and displays the
maximum “g-force” experienced during a turn. The HUD uses LCD pixels
to construct the alphanumeric characters and graphics, allowing the
HUD to change size and shape.
Sumptuous seating
The seats in C5 were noted
for their comfort and support, but that didn’t mean the Corvette
Team was willing to rest on its laurels. Much effort went into
making the Corvette seats more supportive and more comfortable,
while reducing their weight.
Corvette utilizes a two-layer composite seat frame that is
supported by an aluminum base, giving the seats outstanding
structural support, especially in the stiffness of the seat backs
themselves. Whether the owner chooses the standard seats or the
optional sport versions, they will experience an uncompromising seat
that offers comfort for long-distance driving as well as increased
lateral support for performance driving.
The standard seat offers the driver six-way power adjustment with
manual recline; side air bags are not available. The optional sport
seat offers six-way power adjustment as well as a power lower-lumbar
adjustment and lateral side bolsters for both driver and passenger.
The sport seats also include head and torso side impact air bags
that deploy through the side faces of the bolsters rather than
through a bezel or a trim piece. Seat belt pretensioners are
standard. And for the first time ever in a Corvette, heated seats
are available.
High-performance cup holders
The 2005
Corvette offers two cupholders designed to handle the car’s high
lateral acceleration capability. Adequate stability for lateral and
fore/aft acceleration was a top priority to keep two travel cups or
20-oz. bottles in place during performance-driving maneuvers.
In addition to improved cup retention, the cupholders have a
tambour (sectioned like a roll-top desk cover) door to close the
holders when not in use. The door gives the center console and
interior a neater, finished appearance, and allows the holder to
serve as additional covered storage space when not being used to
carry beverages.
Improved interior storage
With all of the
stuff modern drivers carry in their busy commuting lives, the more
interior storage they have, the happier they are. Corvette takes the
problem head on with greatly increased storage capacity throughout
the car’s interior.
There is now room in the center console for a cell phone, a pair
of sunglasses, and six traditional-size CD jewel cases. The lid is
easier to open, has more durable hinges, and lock placement improves
accessibility regardless of the driver’s seat position. Both doors
have storage pockets to carry video/DVD cases, and the glove box
grows from 0.14 cubic feet to 0.16 cubic feet. The hinges are damped
to allow the door to open slowly, an upscale touch befitting a
premium automobile.
In the rear cargo area, the doors for the storage pockets are
integrated into the floor for a cleaner, more organized look. The
doors are hinged, too, so they stay open for ease of access and stay
closed during spirited driving. Thanks to the extended mobility
tires, the lack of a spare tire gives the storage area more room and
a neater appearance.
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