Mulling C8 Corvette 4.2-Liter Mid-Engine Details
Cadillac’s new 4.2-liter V8 isn’t headed for the mid-engine C8 Corvette. Or is it? Our forum members investigate!
One of the more notable items from the recent C8 Corvette rumor mill surrounded the possible use of Cadillac’s new 4.2-liter V8 in a mid-engine configuration. It was mostly a case of dot-connecting, after all. Rumors persist that the new mid-engine Corvette will employ an engine of the same displacement. So why wouldn’t GM simply use the same mill in both performance cars? Well, those rumors were quickly shot down by GM brass. But Corvette Forum member elegant decided to do a little more investigating right here in the forums of Corvette Forum.
“The Cadillac 4.2L motor thread has been moved out of our section. But the Markit Engine Forecast and many other media outlets and ‘inside knowledge sources’ have stated that the the 2020 ME Corvette will have a 4.2L. So I’m going to use this thread to compile what we have learned about the Cadillac’s motor specifics that will directly translate/become part of the Corvette’s 4.2L.
One thing we know is that GM has been masterfully keeping Corvette parts development costs low by sharing parts with its GM brethren. I.E. the A6, A8, 6.2L, etc. IMO, it is highly probable that 98%+ of the 4.2 will be directly transferable. I would argue its internals too. Sure the top lid will not say Cadillac and the header/exhaust routing will be different. But its guts and its functionality will be the same.”
For the most part, there isn’t much to dislike about Caddy’s 4.2. Except maybe for one little piece of technology.
“Gad, I hope the Caddy engine auto stop/start isn’t a feature that finds its way into the C8,” said OnPoint. “Love the forged internals, though.”
And hey, it might even come with the Cadillac’s newfangled slush box, too.
“Seems as if the 10-speed torque converter automatic might make it into the C8 Corvette. A little surprising. Hard to imagine the Corvette team will ignore this transmission. Although a transaxle would be needed for the Corvette, so a DCT possibility is not completely dead. Guess we will find our for sure in about 8 months.”
And as lt4obsesses points out, maybe Cadillac’s comments don’t mean much, after all.
“The article is about the new ‘Cadillac’ engine as it is designed and built. If GM were to remove the start/stop and change the exhaust manifolds to fit the Corvette, it technically becomes a different engine. Just removing the start/stop, I believe, would require a different part number for the assembled engine.”
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