It is being reported by that a mid-engine C7 Corvette has not only progressed far beyond the initial planning stages, but the engineering on the car is well underway. The mid-engine “super” Corvette will have a production run of 500 or less and is said to be ready for production by 2010.
The price of the mid-engine Corvette should be around that of a fully-loaded C6 convertible, reports AutoExtremist. GM has yet to confirm plans for the C7 Corvette.
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08/22, 12:45 PM
posted by:
Mclaren19p
I can’t imagine this being a Corvette. After all, this goes against the Corvette DNA. However, it could be a new Chevy sports car
08/22, 12:50 PM
posted by:
jackjimturkey
I’m interested
08/22, 1:06 PM
posted by:
SLLLLN
Only three decades late. Will GM fit a modern DOHC engine?
08/22, 1:23 PM
posted by:
autonut
I think it is good idea: existing car does not have trunk to speak off, so what if you drop V8 in there? After all all super cars have their engines up their ass, why not? It may gain a bit in handling, since schnooze will be lighter. Which will bring another problem to Vette designers: how do you keep front on the road at full speed or during bad weather or strong wind? Ferrari and Lotus solved that problem. Can be a cool car.
08/22, 1:29 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
do it do it do it do it, dna, what about the aerovette concepts. do it do it do it do it.
08/22, 1:34 PM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
awd also please,
slllln, they had the ls5 which was a 32 valve vette in the zr1
08/22, 1:38 PM
posted by:
Commodore
I’m much more excited fo this than the GT-R
08/22, 1:42 PM
posted by:
Flipper
I doubt Corvette buyers will respond favorably . But as they are Corvette buyers. . . I’m sure they’d by anything that has CORVETTE on it
08/22, 1:58 PM
posted by:
carsarecool
I would like to see GM stop spending so much time and so many resources on the Corvette. GM needs to have a more consistent lineup, as opposed to one great car.
08/22, 2:03 PM
posted by:
bcjohnso99
carsarecool: How much “resources” do they spend on it. What effect would those resources have spread across myriad models?
It could hurt GM more not to do it – image does matter…
08/22, 2:04 PM
posted by:
Piablo
Priced similarly as a loaded convertible?? As it is, the new Z06 was underpriced by about $20K. Using the Z06 engine in a mid-mounted format will garantee a tag above $100K, especially if they build only 500 of them. Don’t be afraid to charge a real price tag! The dealers will have a hay day with their add-ons.
And regarding the idiot above complaining about the engine still being a pushrod… name a V8 out there with 500+hp and still manages to get 20+mpg. Actually, list out the number of V8s period that get 20+mpg.
08/22, 2:37 PM
posted by:
Bryce
This will be a limited run for a good reason. People are right: a mid-engine Corvette doesn’t have any mainstream value. Winding Road had a nice article on future Corvettes and, in an interview, had listed some good reasons why a mid-engine ‘Vette isn’t feasible. I tend to agree. I think an XLR would be better served.
08/22, 3:07 PM
posted by:
67_L-88
Sweet do it in memory of Zora Arkus Duntov. And for people saying corvette buyers won’t buy mid engine vette, and true Vette enthuiast will know that the vette was supposed to be mid engine since the early 60’s, however the bean counters at G.M. would never let it happen
08/22, 3:10 PM
posted by:
jJayC08
I’m guessing that it’ll just be sold in small numbers, with the C6 still the base model?
That would be pretty neat. It’s true that the Vette was meant to be mid engined from the start, and had alot of experimentation going into the idea, but most people won’t realize that now. It would be neat to see the C7 mid engined, and no longer thought of as an “underdog” which it is not!
08/22, 3:27 PM
posted by:
Fromes
They have been talking about mid-engine vettes for years….I will believe it when I see it
08/22, 4:04 PM
posted by:
kosai03
Who cares what kind of engine it uses as long as it does its job well
08/22, 4:43 PM
posted by:
musclemustang94
Ain’t gonna happen.
08/22, 5:43 PM
posted by:
Scott Kempton
I agree with musclemustang; it ain’t gonna happen. At least not if the article is correct that Chevy would only build 500 of them. GM would never design an entirely new chassis for only 500 cars.
SLLLLN—what’s wrong with the engine the Vette is using now? Sure it’s an old design, but you can’t argue with its performance, and it gets MUCH better gas mileage than anything else near its performance. And it’s (relatively) cheap to build.
Autonut—-have you looked at the trunk in a Corvette in the last few years? They’re much larger than most passenger cars—-certainly larger than most “conventional” coupes.
All in all, I really don’t see this happening. It would confuse the Corvette-buying public. It’d leave them wondering “is a Corvette front engine, or is it mid-engine?”. You NEVER want to confuse the public about what your product represents.
08/22, 6:40 PM
posted by:
Rompn4x
LT5 DOHC Vette was done like 15 years ago. Who cares they whip more DOHC cars with OHV anyways.
08/22, 7:17 PM
posted by:
deutschetouring1337
Its gonna have to be a DOHC V8, since BMW-Audi-Ferrari-AstonMartin-Honda all have highperformance DOHC V8s with smaller displacement.for example.
08/22, 8:15 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
SLLLLN: you know, sometimes, just sometimes, some people prefer the reliability of “old” pushrod powerplants over DOHC engines. Personally I believe the KISS philosophy is the best way to engineer a vehicle, so I can see GM’s point in keeping their OHV engines powering their cars.
08/22, 8:44 PM
posted by:
BlueIndependent
3 decades late? How so? Toyota has never had such a vehicle (the MR2 doesn’t count), nor Nissan. Acura had one, but they let it languish for 16 years with only 1 major update, and that was only a bump in displacement and 20 extra hp. BMW’s last dedicated sports coupe effort (the 850CSi) was set up the same as the Vette, and they haven’t had a mid-engined car for sale since 1980. Audi just got one of these cars, and neither Mercedes nor VW has had such a car either.
Only Ferrari and Lambo, with the exception of a couple Porsches, have sported such vehicles in the upper echelon for an extended period of time. And Ford only built theirs for an anniversary run. Chrysler as well has never had such a car.
Sounds like GM is not only being original in their own way,, but they’re feeling their oats now that they’re making good cars again. And who cares if it’s DOHC or OHV. Bentleys still have pushrod engines too, but nobody whines about those. GM can extract any level of HP and torque they want from the small block. They’d be fools to go back to the drawing board, unless they are looking to develop a very special, very unattainble, highly desirable powerplant.
08/22, 10:14 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
We’ve gone down this road before and the jury said that while it was a cool idea, an MR Corvette was still NOT a good idea. However, making the car a Cadillac was a good idea.
If the Corvette is not a front Mid engine car, it should be for the C7. But Rear mid should not be an issue. It wouldn’t be a Corvette anymore.
A stronger attention to suspension design and setup is in order. The SLR McLaren was totally the (expletive) and was/is a front mid-engine car. Gm should take this into consideration before seriously even pretending to consider chucking out 50+ years of design precedent for something they have not done before. A front mid car with the handling of formula car and the ride of an everyday performance driver with a usable trunk. I think that is what GM is really pushing for.
This article is likely nothing more than LLN catching on to something GM wants to drum up attention for the next Corvette.
08/22, 10:15 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
If nothing else at least it’ll be a limited run car.
08/22, 10:53 PM
posted by:
Oldsmobile
Oh great, the DOHC vs OHV garbage again. Does it matter how many liters an engine is when it has 505hp, gets 25+ MPG, and is phyiscally smaller than many DOHC V8s?
I say bring on the Mid-engined Vette, if it can still be sold starting under $60,000. Porsche snobs will really be ****ting themselves then.
08/23, 2:31 AM
posted by:
A4
displacement is way more badass than small high-revving motors. Anyone that buys a corvette wants a big burly V8 that burbles and roars, not a honda civic on steroids. Its what sets corvette (and viper, mustang, etc) apart from foreigners. Americans make big displacement big balls motors.
08/23, 6:28 AM
posted by:
Get Real
Hey, lets start arguing about the interior again.
With a mid-engine, the interior layout will (should?) be totally different.
08/23, 8:50 AM
posted by:
global_lightning
Chevy has been talking about a mid-engine ‘Vette since the 1950’s. Total ever built (for sale): 0
Perhaps the could instead call it the Corvair II.
08/23, 10:08 AM
posted by:
///m
Sounds interesting, I dont think they should name it the Corvette tho, if theyre smart they wouldnt, I’m not a Corvette enthusiast but I think it would upset all the Corvette fans, but who knows!
08/23, 11:46 AM
posted by:
CTS DRIVER
get real guess who this is
“rubbish pure rubbish, a car like this should have a solid gold interior with platnum trim, rubbish i tell you rubbish”
…..impulsive, who i havnt seen in here in a while.
08/23, 1:17 PM
posted by:
lyndon_h
only 500 copies for 60k? “Holy dealer markup”, this car is going to sell for 90k!