New C8 Mid Engine Corvette? Caught Testing
Car and Driver Recently Spotted What Could Be The 2019 Mid Engine Corvette
Recently we spoke about the rumored all new 8th generation Chevrolet Corvette Mid Engine platform. Well there have been several spy photos recently published. These spy pics are from General Motors Milford Proving Grounds. Unfortunately since these are spy pics they're taking from a far away distance. But the pictures show under the camouflage what could be a mid engine car. You can see how the cabin is move forward from the current Corvette C7 along with the rear end featuring flying buttresses with a "empty" space between then where the engine could be, behind the cabin. The spy pics are taking only from the side and behind but you can see that this resembles a Corvette sharing it's signature twin taillights. Check out the Car and Driver spy pics here.
1986 Mid Engine Corvette Indy Prototype
Current C8 Mid Engine Corvette Reports
It has been said the new Corvette will make it debut at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show marking the end of the front engine Corvette. Prices expected to start at around $80,000, which is about the same as today's top of the line Corvette Z06. By contrast, the mid engine Ford GT is expected to cost around $400,000. Though this is all speculation at this point, it was even been said that GM will still have "lower" priced front engine Corvettes in hopes to keep prices down and then also sell the "Supercar" Mid Engine version of the Corvette.
GM has not officially confirmed there will even be a mid engine Corvette. But when asked about it at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, Mark Reuss told FoxNews.com to: “stay tuned … the brand that sells more performance cars than anybody else in the world, we’re known for surprises.” Several recent actions by GM suggest a mid engine Corvette will be on the way.
Mid Engine Corvette Evidence
The first actions by GM over the past couple of years were trade marking the names Zora and E-Ray. Zora Arkus-Duntov was the engineer who first turned the Corvette into the true performance sports car that it is today. So with the Zora name being used in the next generation could be a way of honoring him. Well the E-Ray name could suggest a hybrid. Wait a hybrid Corvette? Yes a hybrid power train model in the Corvette could easily be in the works. Look at the Acura NSX or the BMW i8; which have hybrid power train options and would be considered competition to a Corvette by many industry leaders. Or maybe they wont have any correlation at all with the Corvette line up. We can only dream right now and wait for the unveiling of C8.
Bowling Green Corvette Assembly Plant
A more recently announcement by GM was the $290 million dollar investment currently being made to the Bowling Green Assembly Plant where as we know the Corvette is built. Could this be to modify the plant for new technology and processes to accommodate a Mid Engine car? Well this investment just followed the $439 million dollar investment GM made last year for a new paint shop. Remember this plant only makes Corvettes at a rate of about 25,000 cars annually.
What is all these recent investments were for some other than a Corvette? Maybe all this mid-engine Corvette hype is misguided? Maybe GM is going to come out something greater than the Corvette? Remember the 2002 Cadillac Cien Supercar Prototype? Hey anything is possible, but we all know the Corvette has been Chevrolet flagship for several decades and it does well so why change that?
