RE: Next Corvette Could Go Mid-Engined
Friday 6th August 2010
'Vette flirted with mid engine in 1990It's been revealed by a senior Saab source that GM was indeed working on the oft-rumoured mid-engined version of the Corvette.
Is V8 Corvette not long for this world?The latest chatter from the US, however, is that the mid-engined idea is back - and that the C8 Corvette (expected in the next five years) could well have an engine placed behind its driver. The word even is (and we can hardly bring ourselves to write it) is that a twin-turbo V6 is even a possibility, in lieu of the previously ubiquitous V8.
Next Corvette Could Go Mid-Engined
Engineer reveals Saab was working on gearbox for mid-mounted 'Vette
'Vette flirted with mid engine in 1990
A Saab engineer revealed in a trade magazine that, under GM ownership, Saab had been working on a twin-clutch, wet-clutch transmission capable of handling up to 590lb ft of torque and destined for use un a mid-engined 'Vette.
Under GM, Saab was the 'centre of competence' (there's damning with faint praise) for transmission systems, and it's thought that an almost-complete mid-engined 'Vette was canned as a result of the 2008 global financial crisis and GM's subsequent chapter 11 bankruptcy crisis.
Is V8 Corvette not long for this world?
The flames of rumour have even been fanned by none other than GM CEO Ed Whitacre. He has said of the next Corvette that it "looks quite different. It's totally redesigned inside and out."
Discussion
Oh puleaasse!! Every forthcoming Corvette is rumoured to be mid-engined / not have a V8. Guess what? They're always front-engined V8's.
It's all part of Corvette trying (in vein) to make out it's a world-class sportscar; it likes to make out it can hold its own with the Europeans with exotic technology and configurations and why each new model (when it does end up being front engined V8) is heralded as the real competitor to the 911.
The only people who buy Corvettes are Corvette buyers who want a V8 in the front, a long hood and for it to look like a Corvette on their drive.
It's all part of Corvette trying (in vein) to make out it's a world-class sportscar; it likes to make out it can hold its own with the Europeans with exotic technology and configurations and why each new model (when it does end up being front engined V8) is heralded as the real competitor to the 911.
The only people who buy Corvettes are Corvette buyers who want a V8 in the front, a long hood and for it to look like a Corvette on their drive.
Tim,
There have been various mid-engined concepts and prototypes over the life of the Corvette. Zora Arkus-Dontuv, the father of the Corvette, had always envisioned a mid-engined Corvette from the start. This concept has nothing to do with "competing with the Europeans". I guess you can say it's a hidden trait in the Corvette's DNA.
The Corvette purist will not go for a mid-engined car. If GM is going to give a mid-engine car the green-light I believe it should be released as a limited production special. Kind of like what Ford did with the GT. Also, they should release it as a stand-alone marque, not as a Corvette. Even better, release it as Pontiac's final heave.
There have been various mid-engined concepts and prototypes over the life of the Corvette. Zora Arkus-Dontuv, the father of the Corvette, had always envisioned a mid-engined Corvette from the start. This concept has nothing to do with "competing with the Europeans". I guess you can say it's a hidden trait in the Corvette's DNA.
The Corvette purist will not go for a mid-engined car. If GM is going to give a mid-engine car the green-light I believe it should be released as a limited production special. Kind of like what Ford did with the GT. Also, they should release it as a stand-alone marque, not as a Corvette. Even better, release it as Pontiac's final heave.
tim milne said:
Oh puleaasse!! Every forthcoming Corvette is rumoured to be mid-engined / not have a V8. Guess what? They're always front-engined V8's.
It's all part of Corvette trying (in vein) to make out it's a world-class sportscar; it likes to make out it can hold its own with the Europeans with exotic technology and configurations and why each new model (when it does end up being front engined V8) is heralded as the real competitor to the 911.
The only people who buy Corvettes are Corvette buyers who want a V8 in the front, a long hood and for it to look like a Corvette on their drive.
Ha! You're wrong, dumbass!/I agree entirelyIt's all part of Corvette trying (in vein) to make out it's a world-class sportscar; it likes to make out it can hold its own with the Europeans with exotic technology and configurations and why each new model (when it does end up being front engined V8) is heralded as the real competitor to the 911.
The only people who buy Corvettes are Corvette buyers who want a V8 in the front, a long hood and for it to look like a Corvette on their drive.
(delete as appropriate in 2015)
Well, now 'Corvette' is the marque name rather than the model, I can imagine they might be looking to expand their brand.
And incidentally, they once did produce a mid-engined V6 sports car, designed and engineered along similar lines to the Corvette C4 as a 'baby brother'. Looked very similar too:
Pontiac Fiero. Big sales success back then too, and in the top-ten biggest-selling sports cars of all time.
In fact, back in the '50s the intention was to do a range of Corvettes, including a 2+2 coupe version of the 2-seater Corvette called the Corvair, and a four-seater Scimitar GTE-style shooting-brake (that predated the Scimitar and was probably the first design of its type) called the Nomad.
I'd happily see a 'Corvette Fiero', but only as a sister model to the existing Corvette C6.
And incidentally, they once did produce a mid-engined V6 sports car, designed and engineered along similar lines to the Corvette C4 as a 'baby brother'. Looked very similar too:
Pontiac Fiero. Big sales success back then too, and in the top-ten biggest-selling sports cars of all time.
In fact, back in the '50s the intention was to do a range of Corvettes, including a 2+2 coupe version of the 2-seater Corvette called the Corvair, and a four-seater Scimitar GTE-style shooting-brake (that predated the Scimitar and was probably the first design of its type) called the Nomad.
I'd happily see a 'Corvette Fiero', but only as a sister model to the existing Corvette C6.
they cant get rid of the V8
its one of the best sounding engines on the planet !!
As seen here in a VXR8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW52JGR1db8
its one of the best sounding engines on the planet !!
As seen here in a VXR8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gW52JGR1db8
I wanted to add this detail to my original reply. The following link is to a Corvette Blogger page submitted after a visit to Pratt & Miller. For those of you who aren't familiar with Pratt & Miller, they field GM's championship winning C6R Corvettes.
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2009/05/26/The-Corv...
They were developing a mid-engined Corvette to compete in the ACO's still-born Evo class. If the proposed mid-engined Corvette looks anything like the model I believe it's a winner. Pratt & Miller also builds its own "hyper" Vetter, the C6RS. Here's a link:
http://www.prattmillerc6rs.com/
As I stated before, if they did build a mid-engine Corvette it should be limited production. It would become an instant collector car. Plus, GM would have a mid-engined car for homologation.
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2009/05/26/The-Corv...
They were developing a mid-engined Corvette to compete in the ACO's still-born Evo class. If the proposed mid-engined Corvette looks anything like the model I believe it's a winner. Pratt & Miller also builds its own "hyper" Vetter, the C6RS. Here's a link:
http://www.prattmillerc6rs.com/
As I stated before, if they did build a mid-engine Corvette it should be limited production. It would become an instant collector car. Plus, GM would have a mid-engined car for homologation.
Twincam16 said:
Well, now 'Corvette' is the marque name rather than the model, I can imagine they might be looking to expand their brand.
And incidentally, they once did produce a mid-engined V6 sports car, designed and engineered along similar lines to the Corvette C4 as a 'baby brother'. Looked very similar too:
Pontiac Fiero. Big sales success back then too, and in the top-ten biggest-selling sports cars of all time.
In fact, back in the '50s the intention was to do a range of Corvettes, including a 2+2 coupe version of the 2-seater Corvette called the Corvair, and a four-seater Scimitar GTE-style shooting-brake (that predated the Scimitar and was probably the first design of its type) called the Nomad.
I'd happily see a 'Corvette Fiero', but only as a sister model to the existing Corvette C6.
that looks like a 944 crossed with a s13And incidentally, they once did produce a mid-engined V6 sports car, designed and engineered along similar lines to the Corvette C4 as a 'baby brother'. Looked very similar too:
Pontiac Fiero. Big sales success back then too, and in the top-ten biggest-selling sports cars of all time.
In fact, back in the '50s the intention was to do a range of Corvettes, including a 2+2 coupe version of the 2-seater Corvette called the Corvair, and a four-seater Scimitar GTE-style shooting-brake (that predated the Scimitar and was probably the first design of its type) called the Nomad.
I'd happily see a 'Corvette Fiero', but only as a sister model to the existing Corvette C6.
If you don't know CERV concept look here.....
http://www.supercars.net/cars/316.html
Worked with a few guys at Lotus who worked on it - techno-tastic
http://www.supercars.net/cars/316.html
Worked with a few guys at Lotus who worked on it - techno-tastic
evile said:
I wanted to add this detail to my original reply. The following link is to a Corvette Blogger page submitted after a visit to Pratt & Miller. For those of you who aren't familiar with Pratt & Miller, they field GM's championship winning C6R Corvettes.
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2009/05/26/The-Corv...
They were developing a mid-engined Corvette to compete in the ACO's still-born Evo class. If the proposed mid-engined Corvette looks anything like the model I believe it's a winner.
don't forget the IMSA GTP vettehttp://www.corvetteblogger.com/2009/05/26/The-Corv...
They were developing a mid-engined Corvette to compete in the ACO's still-born Evo class. If the proposed mid-engined Corvette looks anything like the model I believe it's a winner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_GT...
2 questions spring to mind Reading this story
1. What happened to the c7 ?
2. Is autocar the only source for this story?
ZeeTacoe said:
evile said:
I wanted to add this detail to my original reply. The following link is to a Corvette Blogger page submitted after a visit to Pratt & Miller. For those of you who aren't familiar with Pratt & Miller, they field GM's championship winning C6R Corvettes.
http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2009/05/26/The-Corv...
They were developing a mid-engined Corvette to compete in the ACO's still-born Evo class. If the proposed mid-engined Corvette looks anything like the model I believe it's a winner.
don't forget the IMSA GTP vettehttp://www.corvetteblogger.com/2009/05/26/The-Corv...
They were developing a mid-engined Corvette to compete in the ACO's still-born Evo class. If the proposed mid-engined Corvette looks anything like the model I believe it's a winner.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_Corvette_GT...
2 questions spring to mind Reading this story
1. What happened to the c7 ?
2. Is autocar the only source for this story?
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