After a long and arduous wait, the mid-engined C8 Corvette is finally breaking cover on July 18. You've probably already marked your calendars, but what we didn't know was where exactly the big debut will take place – until now. A user on MidEngineCorvetteForum managed to get hold of a media invite confirming the next-generation Corvette will be revealed in Orange County, California.

"Clear your schedule. Chevrolet will introduce the Next Generation Corvette to the world the evening of July 18, 2019, and you're invited," the invitation says. "Though it's the sum of each generation before it, the first mid-engine Corvette will stand alone as the new standard of performance."

Why GM has chosen Orange County as the venue to show the C8 Corvette to the world for the first time isn't known. One possible explanation, however, is that more mid-engine sports cars are sold in Southern California than any other part of the world.

To get us excited for the next-generation Corvette, Chevrolet recently posted a nostalgic teaser video taking us through the Corvette's history, featuring C7.R racers, the 1963 Corvette GS-II experimental racer, and previous mid-engine concepts including the Corvette Indy.

Technical details are still being kept under wraps, but rumors suggest the first C8 Corvette that goes on sale will be the Stingray packing the familiar 6.2-liter V8 used in the current front-engined model mated to a new dual-clutch gearbox.

More powerful variants will allegedly join the lineup, including a range-topping hybrid model with 1,000 hp that was so powerful it twisted the frames of prototypes. A mid-range twin-turbo version based on the 4.2-liter Cadillac Blackwing V8 is also expected to produce around 600 hp. In the meantime, Chevrolet is already preparing for the C8 Corvette's arrival by adding a second shift at its Bowling Green, Kentucky assembly plant. We can't wait for the covers to finally come off one of this year's most anticipated new models.