NEW PATENT FILINGS SUGGEST MID-ENGINE CORVETTE WILL BE CALLED ZORA

AUGUST 22, 2018 JOHN COYLEWhile there’s been no official confirmation from the Chevrolet, we know that after decades of rumors and false starts, the mid-engine Corvette is coming. A camouflaged test mule has even been spotted picking up burgers at a McDonald’s outside Detroit. At the time, the location of that Mickey D’s — namely, Cadillac, Michigan — had us speculating it might actually be released under the General’s luxury marque. But new patent filings indicate the new mid-engine car will indeed be a Corvette, and its name will be Zora.

In case you were wondering? If you’re interested in parking a new mid-engine Corvette in your garage, the time to talk to your local AutoNation Chevy dealer is now.While General Motors has owned the rights to the Zora name in the United States for several years, the company recently worked to cement its hold on the name worldwide, which at least to us, indicates it’s committed to the moniker. That news comes via our friends at Mid-Engine Corvette Forum, who wrote that trademark protections have been filed in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and Australia, along with China, Japan, and Korea.

The name is a long-coming tip of the hat to Zora Arkus-Duntov, known as the “Father of the Corvette,” and the “ZR” in the ZR1 has long been rumored to stand for “Zora Racer.” During his time at General Motors, Arkus-Duntov often championed the idea of a mid-engine version of America’s sports car, and over the years, numerous prototypes have been produced. But none have ever made it to the showroom, and unless something dramatic happens, like all life on earth is wiped out in the next 18 months, that’s going to change.

Head here for a rundown of what engine options we expect to see for the new Corvette, and make sure to check out resident hot shoe Mike Musto’s review of the ferocious new ZR1.