Mid-Engine C8 Corvette Caught Close-Up on Video

A lucky C5 driver ran down one of the mid-engine Corvette test mules with his cameras rolling.

There have been plenty of spy shots and videos of what is believed to be the mid-engine Corvette, but this new video offers the most detail of the next American supercar. This footage was captured by the YouTube account of prettyfast1000, who happened to have a GoPro on-hand when he happened upon the mysterious supercars.

C5 meets C8

It seems as though the person behind this YouTube account owns a modified C5 Corvette. He was recently out cruising on some curvy roads near Idyllwild, California with his rear-facing GoPro running when a pair of disguised supercars blasted by in the opposite direction. The eagle-eyed Corvette driver immediately turned around and went chasing after the test cars. When he caught up, he stated that he believes these to be the long-rumored mid-engine Corvette.

We think that he is right, as this most certainly looks like the car expected to be the C8 Corvette. In this case, it is wearing little enough camouflage that we can decipher some design details.

Unfortunately, the C5 is incredibly loud, so we cannot hear the mid-engine Corvettes during their dash through the twisty roads. However, the videographer is able to get shots of the C8 from the front and rear.

Mid-engine details

The front end of the mid-engine Corvette test cars are pretty heavily cloaked, so we can only get a rough look at the basic shape of the C8’s face. Overall, it appears to have a similar shape to the current Corvette across the front end, although it is lower and wider than the current models. It also looks as though the masked front end might be hiding a big, flared front fascia. We presume these to be housing cooling vents for the high-end braking system.

The back end of these mystery cars aren’t as covered-up as the front, so this video gives us a good look at the C8 Corvette’s new rear. Most notably, this supercar has quad exhaust tips arranged in pairs and mounted in the outer corners of the rear fascia. Additionally there is a large vent in the middle, likely a bit of functional aero. The rear end looks wider and flatter than the C7, but the roofline has a similar dual-bump design to that of the Stingray.

While the car is very low to the ground, the rear end is positioned higher, looking an awful lot like the form of most mid-engine supercars. That is reinforced by the unusual front-to-rear distribution relative to the cockpit, with a short front in front of the driver and a longer rear portion out back.

What do you think about this? Is this the mid-engined C8 ‘Vette? Drop a comment below, or in the forums and sound off on the latest development.

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com