Seattle C4

This may be for real.

http://www.caranddriver.com/news/exc...st-photos-news

last901

Wake me when it gets here...

XC6VETTE

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2015/01/...he-first-time/

last901

Walter, Walter, Walter... Not you too?

I'll bet you that the Corvette Museum could add a complete wing to hold all the prototypes and development test vehicles that portend a mid-engined Corvette. They might want to consider including enough room to hold all the magazines that hint that a mid-engined Corvette is on the horizon.

Admittedly, that's not to say it won't happen, but depending on where GM feels the Corvette is supposed to fit in the market niche I'd say they're only about 40 years late to the party.

That said, I hope it happens - indeed, it's probably inevitable, but I'll probably have my driver's license revoked due to age-related issues by then so what does it matter?

Just sayin'

JETninja

Its about centralized mass, its the only way to improve further how a Corvette can handle. Yeah, they are 50/50 (or 49/51 for the C7) but its a heavy engine on one end, and a heavy tranny way out on the other end. That is not good for quick transitional response...So if they want to raise the bar further its where they have to go. It's been picking up a ton of steam over the last 6 months in every mag and on the net....I wouldn't be surprised to see a 2017 Zora at around $150K.....And it would help the racing team also, if they decided to go that way...

VIK TOY

Well,if they look anything like the pictures of the black one NO!! Looks more like a PU truck

Mr. Peabody

I think that what we are looking at is really the prototype of the soon to be Corvette short-bed pick up truck

last901

Might be the test mule for the new ever-desirable and best selling SSR retro pickup. This one might actually sell even better since the original SSR couldn't carry much more than a six-pack and a blanket so might as well put the engine back there and free up the space under the hood for use in carrying up to a full case and maybe even a tent.

Love the Pep-Boys-style rear wing. That ought to really throw off the spy photographers.

Sorry if I've offended any of you who have an SSR.

XC6VETTE

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2015/...tte-prototype/

KenHorse

You can fool some of the people........

fperra

http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars...gine-corvette/

nolimits

Ok now I see why all the chatter. If styling came even close and the rest of the package comes together, whoa, nice. I'd bite.

XC6VETTE

Yup, most convincing article and source (Lutz) yet.

Should work perfectly with my retirement plan.....as long as I can live in it.

last901

Well, here's my thoughts. This IS a Forum, right.

Lutz says in the article

In fact, even though the cost would probably be too high for a lot of existing Corvette fans, I doubt that many really question if GM should build the car, especially after Ford’s unveiling of that new GT at the Detroit auto show. That thing, which I hear even had Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter drooling a little, is practically challenging Chevy to develop a more top-tier ‘Vette.

I agree with the comment about the price perhaps being too high for many of us. I don't have the facts and data, but I'd be willing to bet that a great proportion of new Corvette buyers are presently or recently coming out of earlier models. I realize this forum is clearly biased, but there sure seems to be a lot of you who are lining up for the C7. Most appear to favor the "base" model and a few are simply waiting for the ZO6. At $120K+ I think the "Zora" is indeed going to be priced too high for most of us. For me, anyway. I do not personally believe that the mid-engined cars, if built, are going to threaten sales of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and even some Porsches.

Secondly, I find it interesting that this "sneak preview" of the proposed "Zora" comes on the heels of Ford's rollout of the new GT. If GM thinks they can put the new ME car on the market in 20 months, one would think they could have at least shown a mock-up at Detroit. Maybe this "preview" is simply a tool to let everyone know that Chevrolet isn't just sitting still.

Currently - and I hope i'm wrong - I think we're currently in a "bubble" so far as the high end cars are concerned, especially fueled by the sleazy (my term) excitement going on at Barrett Jackson and the like. Resto mods at $100K+? How long is that going to last? Remember when Hemi 'Cudas were million$ cars?

I think truly historic Ferraris and the like are being considered as art and the few that can afford those sort of things will continue to buy them. There are only so many Andy Warhol works and there are only so many rare Ferraris, like the '62 GTO and '57-'59 Testa Rossas. Unlike Cobras, nobody is likely to make replicas or kit car versions of old Ferraris. Likewise, IMHO I would submit that few if any of these people are going to fit the demographic profile of a new Corvette buyer.

At the moment, the economy is looking strong, gas prices are at an all-time low (considering inflation) and everybody seems to have money to burn. How long will this last?

Finally, I think Chevrolet should build the "Zora". But I also think it's not going to be a best selling model. It might hit that niche that currently holds the ZR-1 and possibly the ZO6 buyers, but those models are derivatives of the current platform. The "Zora" is an all-new and stand-alone halo car.

So, just for sake of discussion, who is going to buy them? I guess if GM and Lutz think it's simply good for business, then fine, but then this is the company that gave us the UAW-free Saturn, the Pontiac Aztek, That electric car they had to buy back from the owners, and the ever-popular SSR retro pickup and introduced that cute little mini-suburban HHR at just the moment that Chrysler decided the market, vis-a-vis the Plymouth Cruiser had enough of that sort of vehicle and stopped building them.

Okay, bring it on... This is a forum, right?

Just sayin'

XC6VETTE

Wow....very thoughtful intelligent analysis.....how unusual.

As for cost, let's us worry about that. You don't plan for a corporate halo leader based on Aztek sales. It might take a buck a car to fund a special Vette....and not in lieu of the current car... but as a specialty halo car as you suggested.

And they don't need to destroy sales of the European cars to make a worthwhile splash in retail sales....and since they have dominated comparable racing....it would be very timely to do so.

BTW at least 2 of your "friends" could do the projected cost if they chose to do so....albeit I'd have to live in it. I'm glad your not in charge of what is or isn't produced. Why shouldn't/can't Corvette have a RTC worth offering?.

I forget the rest of you diatribe....I'm sure I'll hear about it or will have follow up comment. BTW I did follow up on my e-mail and spoke to Kathy today.

More importantly is I've discovered Lagavulin.....wonderful Islay Single Malt. :

XC6VETTE

Based on their race creds alone they have the strong brand and otta split Corvette off as its own brand. Quote from Lutz article......

If Corvette were a separate company, you could play all kinds of tunes, like Porsche. You'd make a Corvette SUV. You'd make a sedan. You'd have a front-engine car and you'd have a mid-engine car. It's become a very powerful subbrand, the most profitable per unit of all GM passenger cars (including Cadillac), so I think it would stand the mid-engine continuation of the front-engine car.

Instead of the old strategy, which was to replace the front-engine car, you'd do the Corvette in a mid-engine version. You'd price that at about $120,000, half that of the European stuff, and then suck the doors off everybody. And that would not be a $1 billion project; minus an XLR replacement, I think you'd probably be talking $500 million to $600 million. Downside is, it'd be hard to justify a manual transmission. With an automatic, you get rid of the clutch, which is a wear item and would have to be an expensive hydraulic-assisted type.

last901

As occasionally happens, you miss my cogent points. At least those intended.
kathy who?

XC6VETTE

Kathy Fichtner.

Full Definition of COGENT
1.having power to compel or constrain <cogent forces>
2.-a)appealing forcibly to the mind or reason : convincing <cogent evidence>B) pertinent, relevant <a cogent analysis>
— co·gent·ly adverb

Compel or constrain what? You laid the bait and I bit....I didn't bite correctly?

last901

And your point would be...?

XC6VETTE

I forget. Go Hawks.