9 Cars That Predicted The C8 Corvette
The idea of a mid-engine Corvette is nothing new, as these nine cars predicted.
1. 1960 CERV I
Chevrolet officially began experimenting with a mid-engine Corvette way back in 1960, when Zora Arkus-Duntov designed and built the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV). The open wheel racer came about after a dismal showing at the 1957 Sebring Grand Prix. To improve performance, Arkus-Duntov concluded that Chevy needed a mid-engine side seater in the mold of that era's Formula One racers. The CERV I topped 200 miles per hour in testing, thanks to the mid-mounted, 500 horsepower small block V8.
2. 1964 CERV II
Arkus-Duntov followed up on the success and lessons learned from the CERV I by building another mid-engine racer - the CERV II. This time he designed a closed wheel two-seater designed to do battle with Ford's GT40. Weight distribution was improved by mounting the transmission further back, and steel mono construction with a tube frame cut weight. The mostly aluminum 6.2-liter small block, producing 545 horsepower, propelled the CERV II to 214 miles per hour.
3. 1968 XP-880 Astro II
The Astro II began life as a rear engine car in the mold of a Corvair, but wildly unpredictable handling led to a mid engine conversion. But it was hardly a finished product, as few concept cars ever are. The Astro II had no headlights, a Pontiac Tempest sourced two-speed transaxle would have snapped under the torque of the V8 it backed up. But it sure was cool looking.
4. 1970 XP-882
Yet another mid-engine, four-wheel drive Corvette concept that came from the mind of Zora Arkus-Duntov, the XP-882 is also one of the coolest concepts ever produced. This time a massive 7.4-liter engine sat mid ship, mounted Oldsmobile Toronado transaxle, provided power. Two output shafts and a traverse layout enabled all that gear to fit neatly within the short wheelbase.
5. 1972 XP-895
Interestingly enough, Corvette engineers dabbled with the idea of converting the Corvette from fiberglass to steel bodies back in the early 70's. They even built a mid-engine steel bodied concept - the XP-892. Once they decided that the pounds gained from such a move would "outweigh" the cost savings, Reynolds Metals was commissioned to build an aluminum-bodied version of the XP-892, dubbed the XP-895. The move saved 500 pounds but ultimately proved too expensive to be feasible.
6. 1973 XP-987 GT
The XP-987GT shared little in common with any production Corvette, instead of using the Dino 246GT as inspiration. Like the Dino, the bodywork was also designed by Pininfarina, and the majority of the chassis came from a Porsche 914. But perhaps most interesting of all was the choice of powertrain - a Wankel rotary mounted behind the driver. Despite favorable public reception, the exotic European-flavored Corvette never saw the light of day.
7. 1973 XP-882
Chevy didn't give up the ghost on a rotary powered Corvette after 1973. Instead, they combined two Wankel engines together and wedged them in the XP-882, otherwise known as the 4-Rotor. The design is one of the best to ever come out of GM, and even Duntov called the 4-Rotor his favorite Corvette design of all time. But even that couldn't save GM's rotary experiment, which was canceled four years later.
8. 1986 Indy
Chevy didn't give up on the mid-engine dream after Zora Arkus-Duntov retired. Instead, they built a technological powerhouse wrapped in a beautiful exterior - the Corvette Indy concept. The Indy featured everything from drive-by-wire technology to four wheel steering. And it was blazingly fast as well, thanks to a twin turbo 4.3-liter V8 derived from Chevrolet's Indy cars.
9. 1990 CERV III
The CERV III was inspired by Chevy's Indy concept, and like it's predecessor it was a long, low, and sleek ride. Also, like the Indy, the CERV III was packed with technology and advanced design features. The body was made out of exotic materials like carbon fiber, Nomex, and kevlar, and stopping power came courtesy of a dual disc setup at each wheel. The CERV III also used two transmissions to send power from the 650 hp, twin turbo 5.7 liter V8 to all four wheels.
For help with service and maintenance on your Corvette check out the how-to section of CorvetteForum.com