Yesterday a report from Motor Trend surfaced indicating the eighth-generation of the Chevrolet Corvette would adopt a mid-engine layout with the motor sitting behind the driver and in front of the rear axle. The news of a mid-engine Corvette is certainly exciting, but some might think it is a move done in blatant disregard to Corvette tradition. That’s why instead of offering only one Corvette when the car moves to the C8 generation, an entire family of ‘Vettes will be on offer.
Motor Trend says Corvette is “obviously strong enough to stand as its own brand,” and we’d have to agree. We even think the Corvette could be sold at separate dealers away from other GM dealerships to help further differentiate it from other Chevrolets, but that’s a topic for another day. GM’s strategy for implementing a “family” of Corvettes will be similar to what Land Rover does with the Range Rover. They offer the standard Range Rover, the smaller and sportier Range Rover Sport and the even smaller and more stylish Range Rover Evoque.
For the Corvette family, there will be a front-engined car (maybe called Stingray again?) which would serve as the entry-level model and would be based off of the existing C7 Corvette. This car would appease Corvette traditionalists and ensure the car stays affordable, which is a large part of what has made the Corvette so successful.
The C8 ZR1 or “Zora” would be the second model in the Corvette model range. This will be the mid-engine car, which will ride on an all-new platform separate from that of the C7 Corvette. Motor Trend points out it is possible to do a front and mid-engine car on the same platform, but it would be difficult and “freakishly expensive.” The Zora Corvette will get the most powerful engines on offer, possibly with an output north of 750 horsepower. All-wheel drive is a possibility, but that brings us back to the topic of staying true to Corvette tradition. A hybrid drivetrain may also be on offer, an idea which seems very likely to happen given the recent trend towards hybrid super sports cars.
What Chevrolet is allegedly planning to do with the Corvette family can be compared to what Porsche has done. They still offer the 911 in multiple variants to please those that appreciate the long-standing tradition of the rear-engine sports car, but also offer cars like the 918 which allows them to go head-to-head with Ferrari and McLaren while not completely desecrating the 911 name. Granted the difference in price between the C8 Corvette and the C8 Zora Corvette will not be as steep as that of the 911 and 918.
All this talk about mid-engine, hybrid and all-wheel drive stuff sure sounds expensive, doesn’t it? Well, it probably will be. If GM does go through with the plans, expect the mid-engine Zora Corvette to cost around or more than $150,000. The front-engine car should retain a $60k starting price to stay in line with conventional Corvette practices. We were just graced with the C7 Corvette last year, so the C8 is a long way out, but thanks to these rumors we already can’t wait for its arrival.
Comments
Part of what has made the corvette so successful is its price. It’s an affordable sports car for blue collar folks, GM needs to quit trying to take it into Ferrari territory and try to keep it what it is, an affordable sports car, if a rear mid engine car where to be made, it should be a zr1. If I were to make it, the base model zr1 would have a slightly tweaked version of the lt4 with 750hp and at least 720 lb ft. The top of the line model would debut a hybrid power train. Obviously aero tweaks are a must.
An “affordable sports car for blue collar folks” is called the ‘Camaro’.
I don’t know where a starting MSRP of $53K is relative to the average blue-collar persons wallet, but when every generation of Corvette is out doing the previous AND standing toe to toe and nose to nose with comparable Ferrari’s, $53K will not get the same measure of performance that we’ve seen of the Corvette in the last 15 years.
From one blue collar worker to another, owning a hi-po Corvette or a luxury product can only come about one of three ways:
1) You work your ass and save lots of money to get the finer luxury products out of life while avoiding all obvious the wastes of time, energy, and money. Be thrifty, resourceful, and live well within your means.
2) You go back to school and get a degree in something you love/something in high demand in 4 years. Climb a corporate ladder or master the art of open heart surgery.
3) The statistically improbable windfall of money that just comes out of nowhere. Lots of people are hanging everything on the death of an elderly relative who they think is loaded and willing to leave behind huge sums of money.
Yeah, but the Camaro is really freaking ugly these days.
I’m hoping the 6th gen brings back the wedge styling that I loved about the 2nd – 4th gens, but from the spy shots I’ve seen, I’m probably going to be hanging on to my 4th gen for the foreseeable future.
Come on man wake up and smell the coffee. If you don’t have the cash for a “new ” vette buy a good used low mile one especially the Z06 . I see so many for sale on car sites and local cruises all the time. Your ranting comments seem kind of BORING! Hell, I have a gorgeous 1995 show vette and it only cost me $15k with 28k miles on it. Its what you want and can afford. Blue collar my ass.
It would be great if they could make a Corvette that was inexpensive to OWN. Every generation has had expensive repair issues resulting from either poorly engineered ideas or just plain cheap parts or both. There has never been a year of Corvette that was trouble free. Ever. They LOOK GREAT. And that’s where the “hooker party” ends my friends. GM should be ashamed of themselves. I feel sorry for all the Vette Kool Aid drinkers that believe it’s worth pampering a mechanical nightmare just because of a great style and head turning pleasures.
This will work out great globally, in tandem with Caddy as a 4C fighter.
If there is a mid-engined C8 Corvette, I’ll be in line to buy the very first one.
I’ll park it next to my Fiero 😉
This is what I was explaining in the other thread.
They are looking at two cars. They had at one time wanted to do both on one platform but I had never heard anymore about it.
They have a difficult issue here as they would like to expand ability of the product but in a way some of the traditional customer have held this up. The only fix is two cars that can better define each customer pro exotic and the more traditional buyer.
Like stated this is similar to the 911 and 918 philosophy of doing this. In other words they want to have their cake and eat it too.
This also does not preclude other special models that we may see. I still expect a Z/28 track like car too in the C7.
Now start to watch about crazy HP from some kind of engine. I keep hearing 1,000 HP but no details. Could this be the Turbo we have gotten hints of?
I think GM knows the Corvette staff has a lot of ability and after Lutz backed them a few years back they have convinced others at GM they can make a statement for the company as a whole.
This also opens the doors for a wider acceptance of technology in all Corvettes. As time goes on the traditional people will see things in the high end car and find they do value and wants some of what the folks got in those cars. This can help transition the Vette in the future to help it be able to deal with future regulations and public demands.
We also have seen the same thing at Harley Davidson. While there are some out there who like the traditional bike they have taken the V rod and help transform the entire line with improvements.
They have even given the traditional type bike some of the improvements that have been well accepted. Sure you still have the guy out there that demands nothing but a Hard Tail or die but not much you can do for the people who like back pain.
This is much like the thinking on the Z/28 that you would not have seen at GM 10 years ago. This is the new think of people like Mark and others willing to let their staff stretch their legs and show just what they can do.
Now lets hope it works as If it fails then the people who are the problem with in GM will gain the upper hand again and we do not need that damaged culture again.
The mid-rear engine Corvette has been a rumor since the 60s. Every time the rumor pops up, it eventually amounts to nothing.
I wish and hope Corvette is broken away from Chevy as it fails to match the brand image. Also, Impala and Camaro are it’s halo cars.
Corvette should either bee merged with Cadillac given the autos high quality. Globally, Vette isn’t seen as “the Plummer’s car” and could do very well broken of from vehicles like Orlando, Sail and Corsa Classic (Brazil), Impala Classic (USA)
With Pontiac gone, Corvette could do well as a niche brand.
(I love GM giving us “more for less” in the US (Vette, BUICK, SS, Camaro) here in the US s the try to regain share. This makes for poor global plan, though. Taking risks like this is how GM will match VW)
Well, GM could take the Corvette away from Chevrolet.
But after 61 years as a globally recognized nameplate inextricably tied to the marque, it will be very, very, VERY difficult to disassociate the two. Chevy’s in too deep to let go.
You know what? Corvettes were successful as Chevrolets, why the hell can’t it stay as a Chevrolet. Further, Corvette will continue to improve the Chevy’s image. So I say, let Corvette continue its association with its family, even if their are expensive variants of Corvettes available.
Look,Chrysler tried to disassociate Viper from Dodge, and look what a sales success that was. Bottom line, Corvette was born a Chevrolet, and in 2014 it is outselling even the cheaper Nissan 370 Z as a Chevy.
I think this could work very well, as I said in another post
Base Corvette NA engine front, and also front engine Turbo Corvette
Central motor for Z Saga and the new legend “Zora”
Corvette has love and appreciation of USA history to do so, and GM has the means, the Corvette is sold by itself, and now more than ever
Now or never
Regards from Spain
Everyone agrees with you; they disagree with me: This is a site for GM loyalists with emotional, not business, interests, and a majority of posters are above 50.
Corvette needs to woo Gen X & Y aiming for status—the sort of shopper who shuns Chevy and this site.
Viper is a poor example considering it was SRT only original product. (Ram would be a better.case study in specialization.)
How will GM steal BMW/Benz/Fer/Porche shoppers? What is GMs answer to the Alpha 4C? Is the Corvette program worth it to GM with little global impact as well as lower end blue collar shoppers in the US?
General Motors has yet to build a brand like Audi or a true Benz rival. Would GM make more money killing Corvette and selling these cars as Caddy Sports Cars, a highly important segment currently ignored.
Chevy has Camaro, SS and should have a small inexpensive Berreta like starter coupe.
Corvette needs fully global penetration given the high quality & expensiv R&D. GM needs 1) a reliable dealer network for Vette (Chevy dealers are too focused on Cruze) 2) Another luxury brand should Caddy fail to truly rival German auto brands 3) Global sales channel that avoids the negative value image surrounding Chevrolet–No upwardly mobil young professional wants to be linked with value.
GM should buy Equus Bass & merge it with Corvette. US automakers have has bad luck with European brands but EB Super Car is a perfect match.
We are living in an era where luxury brands matter far more than value for profit: VW sums up 2014.
How about a luxury Corvette? Powerful yet comfortable? They always look cool, but then reality sinks in and you have a small uncomfortable car with parts that wear out too fast.
Does anyone remember the proposal GM did a few years back internally of the Corvette and a Cheaper Sports car:? That was one they called a Stingray at that time. They said the Stingray would help keep affordable sports car for GM and the Corvette would go on to bigger and better things.
Could we be seeing this now? We just assumed the Corvette would continue and that they would have taken the Solstice and converted it to a cheaper sports car. It may be the present Corvette could remain as the cheaper and the more expensive car lead on the Corvette name with a Sir name.
The fact is to really do a good sports car you are not really going to get all the things you want for the average price of a car at low volume at $35K. It is just not going to happen. A car like that would be like many sports cars before it and last about 5 years and die.
Keeping the present car around $50K and up would keep this in the hands of most people and then advance the brand over all with a more expensive model.
The truth is the Youth years ago could afford Corvettes in the 60’s but they also could afford most any car. Today few young people can afford new car accept the most entry level at best. You will never see a Corvette for a 25 year old again. Even if they can afford it new they will struggle with the insurance. It is a wonderful dream that time and inflation has removed from our society.
The entire market is hurting to sell products new to anyone under $30K anymore unless they really got a good job with little debts from Collage or unless helped by the family.
I drove a sports car after Collage but I had help and no debt.
I am a bit younger & never saw a student with a Vette. It was the last mid to late 80s, and Vettes were by then popular with guys who used too much hair gel as well as rural buyers.
They weren’t viewed as cool by my peers.
You’ve got a great memory, I remember the rumer, too. It came out about one year after GM considered ending the Corvette program due to low sales; I remember a GM suit suggesting the money could be better spent at Caddy.
Stingray is a deal for the quality. Corvette is as good add Porche. I’d live to see GM make up three difference on volume but that isn’t possible.
At this point, Camaro along with Charger and Mustang are the “people’s” sports cars.
I think a down level Corvette branded 35-40k base, sized in the Miata / BMW Z car / TT Audi range (aka Solstice, as an above poster writes) would be a great idea, but probably too far-fetched to make a good business case.
I would go base transportation, low electronics, with tons of boutique accessories like the Mini Cooper and Harley do, for those who can afford more in upgrades in performance and visuals.
I am not on board with a separate facility as GM has a history of abject failure with this idea (think GEO and the Billion Dollar Saturn Mistake)
In 2004, during the Camaro hiatus, I went to the dark side and traded my year old SUV for the new retro V-6 Mustang Convertible for my ‘Stang loving wife, who had two Mustangs prior to this. I wished there was a new Camaro at that time instead of the 220 hp wheezer I got, but with two teenage drivers, and college tuition for both of them shortly thereafter on the horizon, it made sense at the time.
Now, exactly 10 years later, I have 130K on the pony drop-top, and I have taken it over, as Dads often do, so my wife can drive the ’14 Malibu with all the safety and high tech gizmos of the day.
AS everyone on this forum knows, there’s something great about a smaller, base drop top without all the doodads and driving aids that guts the soul from a car.
Maybe a entry level Corvette can bring that back to the masses.
THE CORVETTE C6 ZR1 IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
THE CAR CAN SMOKE THE MUSTANG SHELBY GT 500 THE HE’LL CAT HAS NO CHANCE .THE C6ZR1 IS IN A CLASS OF IT’S OWN PRICE SAYS IT ALL.99 PERCENT OF ALL COMMENTS HAVE NEVER AND WILL NEVER SIT OR DRIVE A C6ZR1.THE NEW VETTE DOES NOT HOLD A CANDLE TO IT NOR WILL THE NEW 2015 OR 16ZO6 OR ZO7.
THE STYLING OF NEW VETTE IS AWFUL.
THE C6 IS MUCH NICER.
ONCE YOU GET BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A C6ZR1 YOU HAVE REACHED NIRVANA.
THE SENSATION IS INTOXICATING.
STEP ON THE GAS YOUR IN SEVENTH HEAVEN.
How fast are we going to go.The roads in the Dallas Metroplex are not maintained they resemble those of a 3 world country.As horsepower increases the need for better quality roads should take utmost importance. WHY WERE SCHOOLS EVER BUILT ON MAIN DRAGS.ALL CITY ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISIONS DESERVE A BIG FAT F.WHY ARE SOME ROADS 70 MILESTONE PER HOUR AND OTHERS 60 WHAT A JOKE.IT’S ONE MORE WAY FOR THE CITY TO SUCK DRY MORE MONEY FOR THERE UNKEMP ROADS AND BRIDGES AND DO NOTHING.Try and drive your new C7 CORVETTE IN DALLAS TX THE STREET ARE IN SUCH DISREPAIR YOU MIGHT AS WELL RIDE A JACK HAMMER.IF YOU DRIVE AN OLD DUMPER WHO CARES ABOUT THE ROADS. YOU DRIVE A NEW CORVETTE YOU CARE.THE ROADS HAVE NOT KEPT UP WITH THE NEW CAR TECNOLOGY.THE ROADS OBVIOUSLY ARE NOT CONSIDERED HIGH PRIORITY.WITH THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT AN ALL TIME HIGH.COMPANY’S NEED TO MOVED FASTER SO RAISE THE SPEED LIMITS.BUILT BETTER ROADS TO ACCOMODATE THE NEW FASTER CARS.THE CITYS ARE LIVING IN THE DARK AGES WAKE UP.