If you know Corvettes, then you know the name Zora-Arkus Duntov, the man regarded as “the father of the Corvette”. He is credited with creating the first V8 powered Corvette and years later, in an attempt to stay competitive with the rear engine sports cars from Ford and Ferrari, the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle II (CERV II). Now the CERV II can be yours when it crosses the auction block this week at RM Auctions in New York.
The CERV II, which was completed in 1964, fueled rumors that the next Corvette would be mid-engine, but the engine layout wasn’t the biggest advancement hiding underneath the body cladding. The CERV II is the first known example of torque vectoring all-wheel drive. The car never went racing like the Ford or the Ferrari, but in 1969, Chevrolet engineers used the CERV II to test a new 427 cubic inch, 700 horsepower V8.
Now the car boasts about 550 horsepower and a lithe curb weight of 1,848 lbs. Like what you see? The car is expected to fetch between $1.4 and $1.8 million when it crosses the block on Thursday. Bring your checkbook.
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