I won’t believe the long-rumored mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette is actually happening until I see it, but Car And Driver has a roundup of new supposed details of the next generation car, including no manual option and a 1,000 horsepower hybrid trim level.
According to Car And Driver’s report, the mid-engine Corvette won’t be priced too distantly from what they consider its current attainable status, in part thanks to fiberglass composite materials used for the body, and the new generation carrying over an updated version of the pushrod LT1 engine.
Here’s more from Car And Driver:
To contain costs, Chevy will launch the new car with an updated version of the pushrod LT1 engine that powers today’s C7 Corvettes. We expect the mid-engined Corvette, or C8, to be a bit heavier than the current car’s roughly 3500 pounds, but it will compensate for that with about 500 horsepower from the LT1. And thanks to the increased traction of a rearward weight bias and a quick-shifting transaxle, it’ll be quicker than the C7.
The report also claims the C8 will also be available with a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter flat-plane crank V8 that peaks at 9,000 rpm with around 600 horsepower, as well as a twin-turbo, 800 horsepower version of the same engine, which we may have already seen.
And then there’s the hybrid, via C&D:
But hang on: What if we told you that within a couple of years Chevy would add a 200-hp electric motor to the mix? The twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8 will abuse the rear tires while the electric motor, housed in what would typically be a front trunk, will energize the fronts. That’s right: This mid-engined/front-motor Corvette will have a horsepower rating at or near the four-digit mark.
The front of the car will be designed for maximum air intake to cool everything, according to the report, and there will be active aerodynamics involving a front-lift axle and rear spoiler.
The real tragedy of the report is the indication that a new Tremec eight-speed dual-clutch transmission will be the only option, with no mention of a manual, which we’ve also heard before.
Car And Driver claims we’ll see the mid-engine Corvette revealed in the upcoming spring, and that it will be built alongside the current C7 for an unspecified amount of time.
Of course, if any of you happen to know anything about it and want to share before springtime, you could always email me.
I want to believe.