Mid-engined Corvette spy shots

Our best look yet at the mid-engined Corvette (and ZR1 too) - watch out Ford GT!

The mid-engined Corvette has been rumoured for a while now, the switch to a motor mounted amidships almost as contentious as Porsche moving the engine forward in its sports car that's also been around for 50 years. Like a 911 is always rear-engined, a Corvette is the quintessential front-engined, rear-drive US sports car. Except when it's mid-engined, of course...

To go chasing exotica like the Ford GT, Ferrari 488 and McLaren Super Series, Chevrolet is to drop a V8 (well, you hope it's a V8) between the rear wheels and the passengers of a Corvette. This is our first look at it in some kind of daylight, the prototypes apparently running around at night until now to maintain secrecy.

It has the classic mid-engined super silhouette: low, wide and sleek, with the cab pushed forward and the tail long. Beneath the cladding you can see some vaguely familiar Corvette cues - the tail lights and headlights look very similar, plus the quad exhausts - although this is very much something new as Corvettes go.

Conveniently enough the mid-engined car has been photographed with what appears to be the next ZR-1 also. The former appears lower and wider than the latter, no mean feat given the ZR1 will be the most aggressive Corvette yet. Should be even faster too...

Rumours are that the mid-engined Corvette will be launched as a 2019 model. By typical (and very confusing) American model year standards that should mean it's on sale already, but expect it to make a big US show debut either late this year or early next. Detroit would suit nicely...