Zo62018A8

Sorry. Im not as educated in these matters as most of you guys are but I see the current z06 has a perfect weight distribution of the 50/50. The only reason I think the zr1 is only doing much better ONLY in the really high triple digit speeds is because despite the extra hp and torque its still rear wheel drive and the 0-60 and the quarter mile time isnt much better than the z06 simply because you are at the limits of a rear wheel drive car. If its a mid engine car maybe with only 600hp wouldnt it make more sense to make it awd? What do you guys think?

blackbirdws6

50/50 split doesn't detail where the mass is within the vehicle. You could have 1000 lbs on the tip of the front bumper and the same at the rear. The dynamics of the vehicle will be impacted by weight being further from the center of the vehicle. Moving the engine to the middle puts the weight will make this happen. This will improve handling, etc. Take a sledge hammer and see how fast you can swing it with the head as far out as possible, now do it with it tucked close to your chest. Easier right? That's the premise.

As for acceleration, the weight being towards the rear will aid in weight transfer to plant the back tires. With the engine over the front end, there is a good deal of weight transfer that needs to occur to help the tires gain traction.

NineVettes

The C7 wheelbase was extended a bit to move the engine back a few inches making the C7 a front-mid engine design. Evidently the h/p limitations of this design are around 700 or so h/p. A true mid engine will move the engine to right behind the driver, thus allowing for further power increases since rear wheel traction is improved. probably will support hybrid power eventually (gas/electric) better in an ME. Handing characteristics are altered somewhat, with supposedly the advantages of a mid engine design outweighing the disadvantages.

I just bought a new manual '19 Z06 knowing all these things about an ME coming in the next year or so. Why? First, I feel that the '19's including the much improved paint and body fitment, plus having four years to work out some of the earlier issues - new car benefits include cooling improvements, latest MSRC upgrades. And getting a world class near supercar at 12% MSRP was also a benefit.

The ME is a revolutionary design for Corvette and I expect it will be some years before the more serious issues get worked out once it gets into the real world. First adapters pay MSRP or higher prices to sometimes serve as "beta testers" in my opinion. No manual trannys in the new MEs, and the very design of an ME means a lot less room to carry stuff - which is important to many, not so much to others.

I look forward to seeing the new ME, and also look forward to my new '19 which will spank pretty much 98% of anything on the street or the track...

Just IMHO YRMV

3 Z06ZR1

They may find trouble beating the current FE with a new design ME. The current FE has decades of improvements. If the new ME is still heavy or heavier then the FE Not sure. The reason the ME like MAC cars are so fast is the light weight not just more HP.

Mikec7z

i agree that the c7z is not a bad car by any means, and I think the mid engine shines most in cooling capability and 0-60 times, otherwise, there is a reason the c7zr1 has beat a 2019 ford gt around a road course, as can a lighter weight z06 with the same power as a zr1, let alone more power.

The 2019 zr1 adds a lot of weight to the nose with its extra cooling, and this is why GM said this was the limit for the FE

However, GM is finally starting to play with turbos, and I think they are going to be pleasantly surprised at how a 800hp+ front engine car behaves, and how much easier it is to keep cool with a large light weight air to air intercooler on the front of the car.

cooling and rear grip from a dig are the only main advantages of ME/RE

Disadvantages will be understeer, instead of oversteer. I prefer the oversteer, as do most real racers, it is better to drift than to plow head on into what you are trying to avoid.

ME and RE cars plow into what they are about to hit in emergency situations vs a front engine car. Front engine cars can brake harder and still have steering.

cvp33

Z0HS1CK

I think the ME will be the last hoorah and we might see the end of the corvette production as we know it. I think GM knows this and they're saving the best for last. The final punch.

The C7 ZR1 hit it's absolute peak in what in terms of the FE layout. It's pretty much flawless in terms of engineering for it's price. Looks are subjective as have come to find out already lol. I think it looks great minus the ugly wheels, the rest is perfect for what it is.

The ME would enter a whole new realm in what corvette is, (if GM even calls it that), meaning a base model will likely to have a V6 twin turbo while the performance variants of it will have a twin turbo V8 or the new NA DOHC V8 in the works.

Either or we live in the best time to experience all this. I love my C7Z but i know the best is yet to come with the C8. If not, then hey there's still the C7 ZR1 to own to have the best of the best.

Good times we live in

silver74vette

Take a barbell and put balanced weights at each end, then try to rotate it. Not put the weights near the middle, much easier to rotate. The beauty of the mid engine is it takes less energy to change directions, this means smaller tires can do the same job and wider tires are even better.

That said, I am emotionally attached to looking over that long hood.

Z0HS1CK

Sometimes change is good.

Innovation and evolution is the inevitable.

The ZR1 is at the top of the FE world. The ME is going to enter a whole new stratosphere. My suggestion is let's just embrace it. Rather than to be close minded and knock it down like it's a disease.

I can't wait!!!

Bill Dearborn

Basically, 50/50 isn't all that it is cracked up to be. The Vette has been very close to a 50/50 weight distribution since the C2 came out. With a small block the C3 weight was 49/51 with a rear weight bias. With the big block it was 51/49. The next big change came 34 years later in 97 with the C5 where the engine was left in the same location but the transmission was moved to the rear of the car. C7 is the same layout.

A rear mid engine will have more like a 45/55 bias which will provide better off corner acceleration and better turn in. That gets the car around corners better and bring the cars back into competition. They can then make use of the power the engines generate permitting drivers to go wide open sooner.

Bill

shizon'00

The short answer is rotational inertia which is what some have explained above.

Mikec7z

the only counter i have bill, is i believe a front engine car, it is always easy to get the back end to come around when hard on the brakes, at which point the back wheels are helping one fight the curve while also scrubbing off speed.

Rear and Mid engine cars, the back wheels stay planted and don't come around in an easy to use intuitive system (for myself anyway while at the limit as I can do easily with front engine vettes)

Ive always believed front engine cars can brake later in a curve, and ME and RE cars can always accelerate sooner out of a curve. I believe it is tradeoffs, and neither is "perfect"

Personally, being able to brake late and pick a direction I want the back wheels to help me fight... keeps one out of serious trouble in every day driving where unknown obstacles present themselves (people who dont know how to drive and/or potholes in a curve), vs the front wheels coming unhooked.

Then again... the c7 handles better than i thought a car ever could with its weight, so time will tell what the c8 is able to achieve. I hope the DSC and other race guys like yourself figure out the geometry on the suspension alignments like you guys did for the c7z. Still blows my mind i can pull over 1 later G on every day driving and exit ramps.

Thanks for all that you guys do for us with trial and error discovery

Z0HS1CK

I also think the ME performance versions of the C8 will be in direction comp with ferrari, for the street. Thus unfortunately driving the prices to 150+.

But just think about it. A mid engine twin turbo V8 with a dual clutch. For about half of the cost of a real supercar.

But then again if GM does put that out, we can finally call the corvette a supercar.

Let's pray!

SuperdadZ06

I am of the wait and see approach but if you want a Vette the 2019 Z06 is spectacular although a little tough to keep back wheels grounded out of first gear.

X25

Indeed, where the weight is concentrated has a huge impact in handling (imagine two hammers taped together from their bottom ends together, vs. taped from their hammer sides together in the middle, etc.), and also 50/50 weight distribution is not always the best in all conditions. Imagine you're trying to launch or accelerate heavily. If your rear tires have a bit more weight pushing them down, wouldn't they get to put more power down? Another example is braking. Most cars become very front heavy during heavy braking due to dive/squat and eventual weight transfer to the front. Due to this reason, most cars come equipped with much bigger front brakes, and front tires/brakes do most of the braking. A bit of rear bias, however, could let the rear share a bit more of the work, and help with the overall braking. I am obviously simplifying things (e.g. front vs. rear heavy, front-mid vs. rear-mid, etc.), but here's hoping these examples prove useful : )

Zo62018A8

The big question is will the current corvette buyer (Geriatric 60 + year old guy with a middle age crisis) spend that kind of money if the base car is starting at $90k?

Z0HS1CK

Typical older men have money whether from invested income and or retirement money so buying a Corvette c8 when the base model is 90k is probably very likely. Unfortunately that will target only the older crowd again and I know gm wants to target a younger crowd.

there actually might be several versions of the c8 to fit all types of buyers. I'm going for the 100k+ model, the fast one lol

dar02081961

Many have given you the theory and so forth. We have heard it and argued one way or another for 40 years so I wont go there again.

However I will add this to the conversation. The Corvette has filled a nice niche between exotic super car and an everyday car with super car capabilities.
I for one dont want a mid engine car regardless of its capabilities. Just not fond of driving that layout everyday. And since I do my own maintenance I am not fond of the complexity the mid engine design will add either.

I look at it like this. The 911 layout isnt considered perfect either but they have improved the design over the years to keep it competitive and they have a loyal following.
If they changed the design the followers would raise holy hell. (think 928)

The Corvette is the same in that regard. For over 60 years they have run with the best in the world and have a loyal following.

The mid-engine designs are great and certainly worthy.
However they are not the end all to be all in car design the Italians would have us believe.

The Viper, the Corvette and the Mercedes AMG GT R are all front engine layouts that can go toe to toe with anything in the world.
The only mid-engine layouts that best them are the ones with a superior power to weight ratio.
The mid-engine has advantages in initial acceleration and corner exits however they have disadvantages elsewhere in the envelope.

I am sure the mid-engine Corvette will be a heck of a car.
To me the Corvette has always been an everyday vehicle that does everything required in daily use really well. A practical sports car for the average successful Joe if you will.
Trying to make it an exotic just vacates a niche and leaves many of us loyal fans of the original layout out in the cold.
If many of us wanted mid-engine or rear engine cars we would have them already.

Changing the Corvette layout is getting away from its roots for a marginal gain in capability.
It will undoubtedly change a large percentage of the Corvette customer base as well.
The Corvette is a Chevrolet and not an Italian exotic and some of us fans are just fine with that.

I can eat caviar if I like, but I would much rather have a Texas ribeye and an Idaho potato.

GOLD72

Lower polar moment of inertia.

Bill Dearborn

I have instructed in a Lambo, a V10 R8 and a Ferrari 458. All of them exhibited handling advantages over my C7Z. They rotated into a turn much easier and with the Ferrari driver who made a major mistake entering a turn the car actually responded to his corrective action and did what he wanted while I thought we were on our way off track. Until you have experienced the turning advantage you won't think that much of a Rear ME car.

Bill