Last August Straightline
posted about a possible mid-engine Corvette being in the works (A mid-engine Corvette in the works?
). Since then there has not been much discussion on this matter. What has been said is that such a vehicle would likely be very expensive, and would not fit the Corvette's long established image; that being an affordable front-engined that can do battle with the world's best (and most expensive) sports cars.
Well, here we are a few days before Christmas, and this story is back again...
hudsonthedog says:
08:08 AM, 12/21/07
This project, GMX7xx, has been on the table for over a year now. I don't see why it couldn't remain at its current price point since most of the current Corvette is proprietary already. And making the car mid-engined doesn't automatically make it expensive (Pontiac Fiero, Toyota MR2, Fiat X1/9, Porsche 914, Volkswagen Beetle...yes, it was rear-engined, but the idea's the same). Some of the rumors I had heard stated that there would be TWO Corvettes and that the mid-engined one would be high-end, but I don't see why the high-end models (ZR1 and Z06) couldn't share a layout with the basic C7, which could be priced under $50k.
ateixeira says:
12:43 PM, 12/21/07
Why bother calling it a 'vette if it's totally new and different?
hondacura4 says:
08:48 PM, 12/21/07
I think the Corvette should remain FR to keep its ties with past Vettes. The only things Id like to see changed are overall build quality as it doesnt feel as expensive as it should be. Some useful technology as this is GM's halo car and it should have some sort of technowizadry.
stovt001 says:
10:25 PM, 12/21/07
Front engine has worked well for it so far. Why screw with great success? I mean the Corvette has remained one of Chevy's few nearly unquestioned successes all along. I mean the new GT-R is talked about with the Corvette referenced along with the 911 as the benchmarks. That speaks volumes right there. While mid-engine would certainly be exotic, it wouldn't be worth the cost of taking Chevy away from its heritage and historical appeal, and to take it away from the masses.
Here's an idea. Why not make the Cadillac XLR a mid-engine?
rsholland says:
07:19 AM, 12/22/07
Now with the introduction of the supercharged ZR1, I'm wondering if there's room for two distinct Corvettes in the future?
This new ZR1 is a pretty radical departure from plain-Jane Corvettes, and will sell at a price point much higher than other Corvettes. To me the next logical evolution would be to offer a 2-tier Corvette lineup:
• Keep the conventional front-engine Corvette for those who prefer that layout.
• Offer a 200+ mph "Super Corvette" with a mid engine and AWD. This would be the "halo" Corvette, and would be a challenge to any and all sportscar makers.
estreka says:
08:54 AM, 12/24/07
I could see a mid-engine layout available for Callaway applications, but I'd be hard-pressed to see someone buying a $150K+ bowtie.