The mid-engine Corvette is coming, and Car and Driver once again has juicy details on what we may see from the most radical Corvette in decades.
The publication reported that the mid-engine C8 Corvette will indeed multiple powertrains, but not exactly the ones we’ve reported on in the past. Instead, the sports car turned supercar will begin with an upgraded 6.2-liter LT1 V8 engine that will allegedly make 500 horsepower. We’ve suspected the LT1 will live on for some time.
However, things get interesting quickly. The C8 Corvette will also reportedly include a naturally aspirated 5.5-liter DOHC flat-crank V8 engine good for 600 hp. Then, a twin-turbo 5.5-liter V8 will join the fray shortly thereafter. Said engine is rumored to make 800 hp with two turbos attached.
Finally, sitting atop the engine hierarchy will be the long-rumored hybrid variant. Said Corvette’s powertrain will begin with the twin-turbo V8 engine, but a 200-hp electric motor will reside in the “frunk,” or front trunk. The electric motor will power the front wheels, while the mid-mounted V8 will send power to the rear wheels to provide all-wheel drive. Said variant won’t arrive for a few years after the car’s original introduction, however.
That’s not all C&D had to spill about the mid-engine Corvette. Allegedly, the C8 Corvette will do away with the manual transmission in favor of one gearbox option: a new Tremec eight-speed dual-clutch unit.
Though that’s sour news, Chevrolet and General Motors have reportedly worked to keep the mid-engine Corvette quite attainable. Thus, the architecture will largely sport aluminum with a mix of magnesium and carbon fiber. Body panels will be made of fiberglass, and the final curb weight should hover around 3,500 pounds.
Comments
Wow wow wow, wonder how the naming will go will the AWD vette be the ZR1 and will the 800 hp be the Z06?
Will the “base” vette or the hybrid vette be the Zora?
Zora
Grand Sport
Z06
ZR1
Lastly….. when is this beast scheduled to be unveiled? Detroit?
Hybrid AWD might get something like ZXE for a name
GM Trademarked “E-Ray” which is a somewhat clever name compared to using “hybrid” or “E-assist”…
oh right, forgot about E-Ray
The “Electric Ray” is a real existing creature, capable of giving any human a mortal shock:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_ray
Car and Driver did not break this as this has been posted here about a year or so ago and several times since.
Look at my post as I stated that a Corvette engineer was quotes as saying that they were testing over 1,000 HP on the Corvette and would only use as much as they could put to the ground.
The same for the Hybrid AWD as the same leak stated a possible Hybrid system. Also the intro of the ZR1 Chevys stated clearly they had looked into AWD on the C7 but could not fit it in. This was a clear indication AWD would be a part of the new car.
Hybrid mule C7 models have also been reported at this obscure web forum.
http://gmauthority.com/blog/2017/01/c7-corvette-frame-spotted-at-gm-battery-lab-fuels-hybrid-corvette-rumors/
E Ray name has been registered too. It may be the new systems name.
Some folks will be shocked at what is yet to come. The Easter Eggs have been all around and if you have been paying attention you would not be shocked by this post.
Where are all the “its a Cadillac people now LOL!”
While not cheap the 1000 will be cheaper than anyone else with that much. Much cheaper.
GM should call this car the Exorcist as it will cast the Demon and Hell Cat out.
not sure how any of this is “sour” news. This is actually pretty awesome. Would love to see that 600hp 5.5L N/A work its way into a Z/28 Camaro. Now that would be good news! Honestly I like corvettes but Camaros are really where its at. GM is on a serious roll right now. It’d be better if they brought some more of Holden’s HSV vehicles up here but GM is doing a good job. Between GM and Mopar, we really don’t need a third Brand. (get lost Ford!)
All mid-lifers rejoice!!!
If the rumors hold, that will be one awesome car!
I do hope GM spreads the love to a few vehicles with more than 2 seats, too (maybe a V-series Cadillac?)
Caddy defiantly needs AWD and Hybrid engine to their cars. New Mercedes E AMG and new BMW M5 are AWD now. New Mercedes E53 is mild hybrid. I think new CT5-V will follow them. Putting this C8 drivetrain to CT5-V will be an awesome idea. Just can image how crazy that current 640hp CTS-V to future 800hp CT5-V.
Getting rid of a manual in a Corvette is a HUGE mistake. Hopefully this is not accurate news.
A dual clutch automatic misses the fun factor mark.
Save the manual!
I second that.
Reported right here on GMA that nearly 80% of all Vettes are auto…
There not rumors.
Disapointing yes but the loss of the manual will not kill the car.
Let’s face it Ferrari never saw an issue losing the gated shifter. You do not get more traditional than that. Yet they sell all they can build and offer the most powerful and fastest cars the ever made by them.
Losing the manual is not a bad thing if having a automatic transmission makes for a faster Corvette! You buy a Corvette to drive it fast, if the auto version is superior to the manual in terms of performance then that’s the way to go. People that belly ache about not having a clutch pedal to push need to get over themselves.
This car should be about performance only! What makes it go faster should be the focus!
I think people should be buying a sports car for an engaging dynamic. If you just want to cruise or you rode traffic frequently, then an automatic makes perfect sense.
The only place you’ll care a dual clutch shifts faster is a track, and even then most amateur track day goers are not pushing the limit and have 25 other factors slowing them down.
No driver merging onto the highway is going to say “watch my auto trans shift 1/10th faster than a manual”
Then why do people who own sports cars post their time slips from the track, or tell people how fast their car is!
If you like losing then go ahead and find a car with a manual but if you like coming in first then the automatic is the way to go.
I guess this explains why we now give kids participation trophies. Those kids eventually became adults and I wonder if this guy was one of them?
Who are you trying to be Ricky Bobby? Calm down shake N bake
Did you notice I mentioned track days? And of the 40,000 Corvettes sold each year, the 20,000 Porsche car sales, the 10,000 MX5, the you get the point, how many of those cars end up on the track?
I’m not doubting the auto is faster. I know it is. But any true purist will be disappointed about no manual.
There are some fans and customers who are loyal manual although DCT and multi automatic have proven having better performance than manual. Looking on Porsche, they did plan that high level 911s been DCT only until they realize sales is most important, so they bring back manual only on 911 GT3. For GM and fans, it is logical to keep version of manual in Corvette.
C7 ZR1 are setting records with a automatic transmission.
Since G M is testing the midengine Corvette. That might be a good idea. Think about this going with the mid engine Corvette.
But make it very expensive and call it the Corvette ZR1. Then make another Corvette with the engine in the front and call
it the Grand National; and this one could be cheaper. Well you see Farrari has a car with the engine in the front and they
call it the Spider and they have a car with the engine behind the driver. This idea that I have having the Corvette with two
models that can compete against Ferrari.
Paul says that is a good idea if GM was not to chicken and afraid they would go and do something that would
compete against that too expensive Italian sports car that get americians paying and going broke and getting
poorer just to drive that thing. All americians should buy Corvettes and not that expensive thing and loose their
shirt. Drive a Corvette and its cheaper and you won’t go broke.
I’ve passed on quite a few sporty GM cars over the years because a manual couldn’t be had with the top engine. I’d certainly pass on a sports car that doesn’t offer a manual at all. I consider it a huge part of the pleasure of owning a sporting car. If you don’t understand that, you’re probably a member of the group of drivers who don’t know how to drive anything with a clutch. Can a machine shift faster than me? Probably but for the true joy of driving, I’ll take a curving road and a gear shifter over a Hydramatic and a Highway any day of the week.
I can and have driven every type of car and truck out there. You can fool yourself into think you buy a sport car for the pleasure of the car. Sports cars are ment to be driven fast! Finding the best way to go fast is what should be the focus on a personal feeling!
I am so glad GM is focusing on what matters with the C8! Time slips and the ability to walk away from the competition in both the straight line and threw the curves!
You sound like an idiot. And I bet you drive a wrung out Cobalt SS and carry on like a douche on the roads
So we are now allowed to call people names now? Alex please answer this!
No, I think you deserved that. It seems like everything you say is wrong, and not just wrong, but completely wrong.
You think I am wrong? Then answer this question, are automatic transmissions faster and perform better then manuals?
I think the answer to this is automatic transmissions. So my perception is correct.
You dont like me because I dont follow people around like sheep! I have my own opinions and I am not afraid to speak my mind. People like you just just agree with other members comments so people will agree with you, and people will like you!
I dont need people to agree with me to make me feel good about myself. My selfessteem is much higher then that, you not so much!
I never said a thing about transmissions (that’s you projecting again), and I believe that automatics are better than manuals.
But you’re STILL wrong about everything you say, and not just wrong, but completely wrong. There is something fundamentally wrong about you. You know this, and you mask it all with blind ignorance and zero tact.
I know you don’t like being wrong, but that’s what you’ve come to accept.
Believe what you want! You can say what ever you want I dont come on this site for your approval! You dont want to be my friend then just get in line because your not the only one!
Your opinion is not the problem. You are well within your right to like fast automatic transmissions. Many would agree with you. The problem is how you appear to denigrate other people’s opinions, like someone simply saying they like a manual. I mean, you literally told someone they were “fooling themselves” for liking a manual.
You mean like the people who tell me I can’t drive because I choose a automatic transmission over a manual because they are faster? Which is not true.
The people that tell me manuals are better because they feel better or are more engaging?
They ridicule me because of their opinions which are subjective when my viewpoints are based on actual facts!
So explain why it’s ok for the rest of the people on this form to tell me that their opinions on manuals are valid but my opinions are not?
They denigrate me for my opinion l, looks to me like it should be fair game. But you insist on taking the other people’s side when we are both doing the same thing to each other! I wonder why that is?
Remember I don’t participate in sites like this to make friends like some people do. Not here to be the most popular. I am here to inform myself about GM.
No manual? I’d love to see a reference for that. I highly doubt they will kill the manual.
The reality is today’s fastest sports cars are no longer manual. They are faster shifting and much more efficient than anyone can shift.
Also the emissions reps as well as mpg have also killed them. I have not seen it dead yet but I have yet to hear on in a Video.
Yes the new system in today’s cars are less engaging but it has happened even in race cars like in F1 where the driver just needs to be in condition as the car does over half the work. Same in fighters planes etc.
You want engaging buy a Miata you want the best performing car you are going to have a hard time finding a manual.
Who knows, maybe a manual may still be in the works for the “lowly” 500hp edition (or even the base flat crank just to hear that engine sing).
No one gets a manual for outright speed. But 500hp is still a beast on the streets — particularly in a mid-engine car. Why would GM dump that customer segment?
The most important thing I saw in this post is the FLAT-PLANE CRANK. This car is gonna sound like a ferrari and rev like a beast. Budget 488!
So glad new GM is technologically progressive.
Can’t wait to hear the sound of that 800 HP engine!!!
pecific output: 191.3 hp/liter
Engine: 3.8L/727-hp/531-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 32-valve V-8
Peak power engine speed: 7,300 rpm
Just imagine if the C8 engine could match this specific output per lither. That would be over 1,050 Horsepower without the need or weight of batteries and electric motors.
I will miss the 6.2 supercharged
Yesterday, I spent all day and 300+ miles enjoying my 2017 Grand Sport which has an M7 tranny. I’m in a unique position I guess because I also owned a 2017 GS with the A8, which GM had to buy back because of engine problems earlier this year… yet, I digress.
As I was topping a curvy road and the sound of my 460hp machine mated with the M7 growled with delight as I down-shifted (I actually prefer heal-to-toe by the way), I realized something very important *to me*, and perhaps to a lot of other Vette owners.
This car is not just about speed and track times. With the superior handling the C7 provides, open ended curvy country roads have just become a heck of a lot more fun, and the A8 will not do.
Having owned the A8, I relished the fact that I did not have to shift in traffic or when I was just wanting to go for a short drive. It was a great tranny and met most of my needs most of the time… it was lightening fast in the straights and no manual can shift that fast. It’s a fact.
However, on my winding road in the middle of God’s country I realized yesterday that the experience I personally enjoy most is shifting and precisely controlling engine power delivery in and out of curves… timing it with gear shift and clutch in sync, and feeling one with the machine. There is absolutely no way to replicate this experience with an automatic or even a dual-clutch. I have tried.
So, if the manual goes the way of the dinosaur, then GM will have cut off a dwindling segment of the market, but a passionate bunch of us who realize that to be truly one with the machine, only a manual will do.
………..and starting price of $100k! Eah sad enough with no manual transmission!