capevettes

OP, I get your point and I am a long time Corvette owner; But I am embracing the change to a mid engine format. Not only will it be a better handling car, but with the engine out back, it will allow the car to hook up better by getting additional weight over the rear tires. Lets face it, with the Z06 and now ZR1, the front engine RWD format simply can't put the power down as efficiently as a mid engine will.

As far as appearance, I think it will be a more exotic looking car and a heck of alot more affordable than a Ferrari or Lambo, with what I expect to be superior performance. I believe it is a very exciting time in Corvette history. It is a revolutionary change (for the better) to an already fantastic car.

fasttoys

I have owned many brands, total of 59 cars to this point and I am still under 50. My last Corvette was a 15 Z06, but when I compare it to my ME sports cars, like the Audi R8 & others I still prefer to drive the ME's. For many that ask the question WHY an ME, probably haven’t spent enough time in a modern Mid-Engine car. I have been very blessed to have driven some crazy exotic cars (McLaren’s, Lambo, Ferrari, Lotus, Porsche, GT3 & New Gen & Old NSX, etc. Their nothing like having the motor behind your ear with the balance and the short front hood view, it’s just hard to beat. I never forget this one day after a 2 hour drive in an ME then I jumped in my Z06 and thought huh something feels strange. ( One area was the long hood). You don’t realize how long the hood is until you switch to a Mid-engine car. My only explanation would be those of us that have a truck or big SUV then jump in the corvette after a long drive. It’s that dramatic of a change when you go WOW this corvette is so much smaller and low to the ground. When driving most Mid-engine cars the first thing you notice is the front visibility and the driving position its just incredible compared to the long hooded corvette. Anyway I am sure once it comes out and you get behind the wheel you will see all the differences the ME brings to the driving experience. I still hope GM makes an FE alongside the ME, but when it’s time for me to spend my money, I will be picking the ME all day long.

Mcrider

It's becoming pretty clear that in road racing, the future is weight distribution and the FE cars are at a significant disadvantage compared to the ME's. Look at the Ford GT and the hypercars that are now laying down both incredible "Ring" speeds and blistering top end numbers. I just don't see this happening with a FE designed car. If Cadillac goes ME with turbos, and the corvette doesn't, I think the end of the corvette as a serious performance car will begin.

NY09C6

It only takes a handful of chatty users on a forum to make it seem like everyone wants this. If you were to survey all potential corvette owners you may get a different feel.

skank

We will have both FE and the new ME Corvettes. Like Porsche with keeping their 911 platform continuously updated for their faithful customers, we too will have the traditional front engined Vette for our faithful as well as the new mid engine. Ferrari also uses both FE and ME for their customer base. Ironically, the 1962 front engined Ferrari 250 GTO's are the most valuable cars ever(one sold for 52 million dollars) and still out perform their mid engined models at the Pebble Beach Auctions.

johnglenntwo

Base, Z51, ZO6 - FE

GS and ZO7's; ZR1 - ME

HoldHard

A ME Corvette will allow the development of a Corvette that will compete in the 24 Hour race at LeMans in the GTLM class. You can bet that Pratt & Miller already have the available CAD files from the ME development so they have begun work on the next generation GTLM cars.

If I were to guess, it will also have the electric motors on the front wheels for additional power..... as will the Z06 or ZR1 version of the ME street Corvette.

But that's just a slightly educated guess.....

HH

Quinten33

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...owertrain.html

pickleseimer

I like the alleged plan of producing a FE and ME simultaneously. Choices are good. For me, as a Corvette loyalist and having owned six Vettes over the last 50 years, I'm ready for a change and looking forward to the ME car and what it has to offer. Hoping they hit a home run with it.

village idiot

OnPoint

Benefits aren't just for the track - although there can be advantages there.

Take your new C7 Z out and roll hard into the throttle in temps below 50 degrees and then ask yourself if you wouldn't mind having better weight transfer/power to the ground. A disciplined driver can enjoy the C7 Z on the street, to be sure. But it would benefit considerable with a better weight bias and weight transfer to put the power to the ground. And that's before considering mid-turn throttle feathering on the track.

supermetroid

I wonder if the sales will allow a FE and ME simultaneously? If the ME is slightly better all around and significantly more expensive it would be more likely imo. It's hard for me to believe that someone would choose the FE if they were closely priced and in performance if the ME looks sexier and more exotic. I really hope they don't take the ME out of middle class price range just to keep the FE layout too. If that's the case then I could see the highest end C8's running up to around 130k+ while the ME's will be close to 200k to separate the models...

JoesC5

The electric motors on the front wheels hasn't helped Acura sell the new NSX. Sales matters more than track wins. GM is in the business of making a profit, not collecting trophy's(if they are lucky enough to win a race or two).

Sub Driver

You should tell your son that the 911 uses a rear engine, not a mid-engine design. The rear engine design comes with completely different driving dynamics and challenges than a mid-engine design.

Mcrider

Corvette Racing has a 20 year stretch of great wins and it's translated into building some pretty incredible corvettes for the street. When IMSA road races have set aside areas called Corvette Corral's, that's a damned good indicator of how serious Chevy takes corvette road racing, and corvette owners.

copjsd

Porsche's "end-swapping" challenge was with the 911 models, all rear engine. I believe it was Ferdinand Alexander Porsche who said something like "the 911 is an ill conceived notion, developed to perfection."

Mid engine cars, with Low Polar Moment design, with all things equal (suspension design, tires and etc.), easily out perform any High Polar Moment designs. Furthermore, this inherent advantage allows advanced handling systems (e.g. Torque Vectoring, ABS, Traction Control) to perform with greater results. See: http://ironduke7.tripod.com/polarmoment.htm

I believe the C8 will have no problem outperforming a C7, year one. After all, it will be largely the same engineering group that delivered the C7 that will be delivering the C8, however they will be working with a superior configuration.

Mcrider

Exactly. Look what Ford did with the resurgence of the GT after 50 years of not racing LeMans. From scratch they designed an ME that OWNED that track for 3 years in a row. Chevy has 20 years of experience and 12 Manufacturers titles behind them.

SBC_and_a_stick

Let's see:
better steering feedback
better view of the road
more downforce
less drag
better breaking
higher grip
lower curb weight
more engine bay space

weighed against what, lifting the hood? Hopefully the C8 will be reliable enough that you don't have to do that as often as on the previous gens!

JoesC5

Go back to 1989/90 and in every race of the Corvette Challenge Series, a Corvette won.....but that didn't help sagging Corvette sales that almost caused GM to shut down the Corvette in 1992.

Chrjones2

As someone who had a c7z i couldn't agree more.

The benefit to mid engine i am most excited about is traction!