Although rumors ran rampant that General Motors was considering a mid-engine layout for its seventh-generation Chevrolet Corvette , the automaker’s precarious financial situation has assured the C7 Vette will retain the C6’s front-engine setup. However, with finances steadily improving, the C8 Corvette could end up with the long-rumored mid-engine layout.
The Corvette C8 is still a ways off, but a new report claims to have the goods on the future sports car. While GM’s piggy bank was a little too shallow to foot the bill for a mid-engine C7 Corvette, the 8th iteration of America’s sports car will reported make the transition.
As if the shift to mid-engine wasn’t enough, the C8 will allegedly ditch the Corvette’s traditional V8 in favor of a more fuel-efficient twin-turbo V6. While the switch to a V6 powerplant will probably mark the end of high-horsepower Corvette models, it doesn’t mean the Vette will go soft. The C8 is slated to shrink in size in weight, meaning performance should be equal to – if not better – than today’s car.
The timeline for the C8 remains a bit skewed with a reported launch date sometime in 2016. However, the C7 isn’t expected until at least 2012, so a four-year lifecyle seems highly unlikely — especially given some Corvette models have soldier on for 14 years.
References
1. ‘Corvette C8…’ view
