z edge

@ what point do we say enough of this madness, and just be happy with the car we have got? Never, i suppose, or death. Whichever happens first (or last).

off_road

Are you sure about that? Notice the air intakes on the rear wing supports as well as in the rocker panels below the doors.


Here you see that it has a C7 roof, windshield, and ever entire dash

roleku

Jay Leno let it slip on his show about the Z06. Said who knows maybe there will be an 800HP Corvette next Yup Zora here we come! This is also to be the base of the C8. Maybe we need a C8 section now!

DGXR

Whatever is under the skin of this monster mule tester, I am very happy to see and hear more evidence of a GM mid-engine supercar actually going into production. If this happens, it will be marketed as different and distinguished from the Corvette Stingray -- its name, target market and price point being the obvious. Extreme care must be taken to avoid dilution or bastardization of the Corvette line and eliminating the Corvette's FR drivetrain so soon would be a very bad idea. And, remember the initial backlash over the exposed headlamps on the C6? That was a minor styling change and many Corvette fans were up in arms. So, I suspect the Corvette will continue with the FR drivetrain for at least one or two more generations if not longer, and with pushrod V8 engines. I'm pretty sure GM & Chevy don't want to risk alienating their legions of dedicated Corvette fans.

GM has done wonderful and amazing things with the pushrod 2-valve V8 engine. But this is 2015 and frankly I am very disappointed that in the Corvette's long history, a DOHC 4-valve V8 option was offered only once in the C4 ZR-1 (which was a true Frankenmotor, designed by GM/Lotus and assembled by Mercury Marine Engines). Yes I know tradition is very important and people still love the pushrods, but it's also important for the world's 2nd largest automaker to show off its engineering excellence, especially in its flagship sports car.

Maybe the added height of a DOHC motor won't fit under the low hood of the Corvette.
But it's been 20 years since the C4 ZR-1 and there's generally more height available for the engine in a MR drivetrain. Something needs to be added here and I am hopeful for the "Zora" (or whatever it's called) to go into production.

roleku

Poor GM the Kitty's out of the bag now!

quick04Z06

I have thought for years that Corvette should be its own brand and have a full line of cars, and have said so on this forum.

If GM will sell a front engine Corvette at 60-80K; a Z06 at 80-110K; and a mid-engine world supercar at 110-140K, the buyer gets more options and GM will make much more money, as the margins on a 140K car are much larger than on, say, building yet another small sedan. Going upmarket makes sense, and the Corvette brand now has quite a small but loyal following outside the USA thanks to the racing successes over the last 15 years.

This is all good news.

To sell globally, the new mid engine car will need an overhead cam motor with smaller displacement to minimize displacement-based taxes overseas. I would suspect we will see a small DOHC DI turbo V8 and as an option a 2.0 liter DOHC turbo engine with a high-HP electrical hybrid drive.

Cannot wait.... Corvette needs to rule in many markets....

SharkGrayStingray

Yes, and we all know Leno is the first to be notified of these things... Lol

seel2000

No way this happens inside of 4 years. Maybe 2020. I still don't see it ever happening.

quick04Z06

Actually, he does get inside info quite a bit.

FlashofRed

I don't understand why it's being referenced as a "mid" engine. The engine is located in the rear so shouldn't it be called a "rear" engine. Is the engine not located where the trunk currently is? So why don't we call it for what it is? A rear engine car just like the corvair and the old vw beetle.

USAF

Think Caddy Roadster

USAF

Mr. Peabody

Gosh you mean to say that you don't recognize what you're looking at?

This is the prototype of the Corvette short bed pickup

MARSC6

A disguised Holden Ute spotted and GM is just happening to end Holden production in Australia in 2017. Maybe the next gen Ute will be made here.

http://www.holden.com.au/cars/ute

SK360

Mid engine is behind the driver but in front of the rear axle... example Ferrari and Lamborghinis.

Rear engine is behind the rear axle... example Porsche 911

Steve_R

The photos show a GM Holden pickup. How is that a C8 mule?

Lots of guessing and hoping going on, with absolutely no facts.

Crabbers

1969 L88, but nice try.



And before the hype train on a mid-engine Corvette gets going again let's just wait until GM announces it. But they won't, because this isn't it.

sahhas

rear vs mid debate: not that i am an expert, but only know stuff from reading "all corvettes are red" and "corvette from the inside" and the debate that has gone on for years.
rear engine is above the rear axle (between the 2 tires). mid-engine is just in front of the 2 rear tires, placed there for balance, etc.

zora duntov arkus was pushing for a mid-engine (by misnomer, most people call it "rear engine") corvette, b/c he wanted a high-performance race car like corvette. the big block in the front makes it too heavy, but put the big block at mid-engine and you have your high performance sports/race car. of course zora's CERV II also had ALL-WHEEL DRIVE!

if you read the above histories, zora fought to give the corvette every bit of performance he could, but in the end he really lost out to styling. Dave McLellan said that he gathered from interactions w/ zora that he didn't really care about the shell of the car (you can then cue the video of that car show that rips everything off a 84 corvette to make it lighter and it gets faster), and he even stated that the C2s at high speed basically became airplanes (but we love them b/c they look cool).

Dave M. doesn't really go any further into the debate/fight that zora had (zora lost of course), but i think you can sort of see what a big co. has to do: they have to sell cars. and let's be realistic: most people don't need to go 200mph...but people want cars that look cool!

so if you read what Zora wanted and what he fought for, the CERV II is your car: it could do 212mph, and had a sub 3 sec to 60mph...and had a 500 (something) hp engine, and it was light...and i think his car looked cool, but it was not a street car...it's hard to guess what GM is doing now, but if they are talking high performance supercar....the engine is in the back, etc....i can't imagine the thing will be cheap....
and if you read "all corvettes are red" the amount of hiding/secretive/camouflage that goes on when the test stuff is INSANE! interesting to read though!

ivanjo11

Bingo the Zora is coming bring it on...

ivanjo11

That is called Camo....

SK360

Cabin is too close to the front axle to be a front engine car. C7 Cabin. Something in the "bed" that needs air as can be seen by the massive ducts in front of the rear wheels and the hidden air intakes hidden in the spoiler pillars.... It's about 99% sure that its a Zora.