anthonysrt8

Read this article on the future 2017 ZR1

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/ne...o-mid-engined/

What type of difference can we expect with the body and engine?

Is it better to wait for it?

phantasms

It's almost never better to wait for anything.

badhabit_wb

what he said. lol

OnPoint

The former (Z06) is real, the latter (mid-engine ZR) is vaporware.

383LPE

hard to believe these twilight zone posts come up so often.....

keagan

Car and Driver seems to always be the one starting rumors. I'll believe it when I see something suspiciously looking like a vette wrapped up in camo. 😃

sunsalem

Nice one.

CORVETTEZL1001

The ZR1 will arrive with a TT 800HP in 2018 not sure if its mid engine.

RFZ

my inside tip from gm guy is if you want high hp buy c7z...changes are a coming and will change the present platform drastically. mid engine corvette...yeah right ,been hearing that for at least 30 years.

Snorman

A 10,000 rpm, 3-liter V8 in Corvette...
http://www.leftlanenews.com/more-rum...-turbo-v8.html

A mid-engine C7 predicted 7-years ago...
http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/24/m...o-bow-with-c7/

Ten different mid-engine Corvette concepts...
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/201...ette-concepts/

Some people will believe whatever nonsense they read in a magazine regardless of how farfetched it is. The internet has exacerbated this over the last ~10 years.
S.

sunsalem

I dunno....a mid-engine car sounds great.
However, is it worth the gain, especially when you consider the 60 year front engine tradition of America's iconic Sportscar?
Tough call IMO.

bigjku

I would be fairly surprised if they didn't just keep building both honestly. It makes the most sense. Keep the basic corvette affordable and build a higher end limited production car, likely at another plant, to push tech forward.

The thing is if they are going to do it the car will have to be an insane performer. People in the $200k plus car market aren't looking for GM brands for the most part. You are going to have to match the elites to get attention in that segment in my opinion.

yenko boy

I agree, the vette team is working on something special. I believe the next halo vehi le will be mid engined because they have given the new z06 zr1 treatment so what other option do they really have. Last gen c6z and c6zr1 were too close in performance and looks to be honest. Plus I have heard from many good sources that a mid engined vette will happen this time around.

DerStig

This is not good news. Simply because this will be used as an excuse to jack up the prices closer to the 911 territory. It won't be as expensive, but it won't be a bargain it is now.

usroute66 MKW

for periodicals, its all about click baiting to increase interweb advertising revenue..its how it works .....its what the publisher and its site advertisers ( look to the left of this page for example )demand or the site goes dark

bigjku

The only option I see on the c7 platform would be drastic weight loss really. You could look to up the carbon fiber content a bunch (carbon fiber frame parts?) but there is an issue of cost and return. I would think if you are looking to bring CF into many models on the frame level you could do it on the c7. Otherwise your cost would be too high And I think people would start to expect more HP or 4wd neither of which are all that easy to get done. Anyone think you could put 750 plus HP into the current model?

I just don't see enough market to push them to make drastic weight reductions on the present model. It would cost a lot and without some other features that bring more attention wpuldnt sell tons of cars.

That is why I think something else makes sense. It lets the basic corvette stay true while letting the company flex some technical muscle at a higher price point. Makes more sense for it to be a coervette than a caddy in my view too.

XC6VETTE

Thanks for the post and link. I for one am waiting....though I recognize I'm rationalizing. Why are those that post so skeptical?
I'm 60 and know the history....but it seems no one is taking into consideration physics as well as some of todays socio/political realities.

1. Was it Lutz who coined "lightness" as the key to performance? Doesn't matter, it's true and fundamental to high performance. Simple perhaps but expensive for sure.
2. However, with the advancement of engineering design and materials it's more viable than I've ever seen it....just look at the base coupe.
3. Light weight + same horsepower = stunning performance.
4. Same or even less horsepower (under the marketing banner of eco friendliness) is a political reality that isn't going away in my lifetime.
5. GM is a publically held corporation....they don't work for you but rather their stock holders....who are looking for returns on their investments....from a company that is in business to stay in business. Advance or die.
So, is it so implausible that they would keep Corvette alive by moving it forward? I'm betting on capitalism and superior engineering talent and am keeping the cash for the C8....if I live that long.

svtkeith

I said all along there would be another ZR1 and I think that's a great thing but I would still go with the Z06 because the chances of having a ZR1 in 17 is going to be a selective few so yeah buy and enjoy the Z06 for 3 years then move up the a ZR1...3 years is a long time to wait for a car IMO.....

MavsAK

Car and driver wouldn't know reality if it bit them on the ***.

Just look at what they swore the C7 would have. 5.5 liter v8 among other things.

vetteLT193

Why would they do this? What benefit does it give the car??????

The corvette is already Mid engine as it is technically a Front Mid Engine / Rear Wheel Drive (FMR)

The car is already balanced as it is. If you aren't increasing balance then WTF is moving the engine around good for? They would end up moving the engine back and more weight up front to balance it out. All the coolers, etc. that they moved back to balance the current car would end up moving up front to achieve the balance the Corvette already has.

Lightness I agree... but nothing about a mid engine means light.