Corvette Stingray Coupe

Make
Chevrolet
Segment
Coupe

Zora Arkus-Duntov, the so-called father of the Corvette, could very well be smiling down upon General Motors right now. You see, his dream of building a mid-engined Corvette appears to finally be happening. It's only taken over a half a century. Damn shame Arkus-Duntov died in 1996. Last month we reported on a reliable rumor claiming that the C8 Corvette will in fact adapt a mid-engine design. That came from Motor Trend, and now Car and Driver has learned additional information.

The C8 flagship, due in 2017 and supposedly called the Zora ZR1, will feature a mid-engined architecture. It'll be low-volume, around 1,500 units annually, and priced in the region of $150,000. The rest of the C8 lineup will also have its engine sit behind the driver. And yes, small-block V8s will remain. Because the manufacturing process of the C7 was such a leap forward compared to that of the C6, GM already knows how to adapt the new aluminum space frame from front- to mid-engine. Basically engineers will need to reprogram the robotic frame fabrication process, among many other things on the to-do list. It's not easy but completely doable.

Also expect to see a shift from fiberglass to more carbon-composite body panels. The latter are lighter, stiffer, and more crash-resistant. Could this simply be yet another bullshit file added to the pile? Doubtful. GM has already confirmed the next Corvette will be revolutionary instead of evolutionary. Take that for what it is.