Rumor Round-Up: The Most Popular Mid-Engine Corvette Theories
11
Sponsored Links
Following the most recent batch of spy shots showing off a decidedly mid-engine Corvette, Autoblog took to detail some of the most prevalent and popular rumors surrounding the revolutionary Corvette. Absolutely nothing has been confirmed on this top-secret project, so anyone’s guess is valid at this point.
Without further ado, here are a few of the rumor highlights:
The pushrod V8 is dead
This isn’t so much a rumor as it is reality. There will come a point when the old-school pushrod V8 will simply not support more sophisticated VVT systems. Rumors peg the mid-engine Corvette to arrive with a pushrod V8 at first, but then an overhead-cam will follow to take its place. We’ll also add the rumor of a twin-turbocharged V6 engine appearing at some point in the mid-engine Corvette’s lifetime. That little rumor has yet to fade away, either.
The new Bowling Green assembly paint shop is really the mid-engine Corvette’s assembly line
It’s plausible that General Motors could be hiding funding for a new assembly line within the announcement of $439 million for a new paint shop at the Corvette’s Bowling Green assembly plant. The new paint shop will check in at 450,000 square-feet, which is nearly half the size of the entire plant currently. It’s also a pretty damn expensive paint shop for just one vehicle…
Corvette will be spun off as its own brand
There are arguments for and against this move. We’ve detailed them in the past, but it stands as an ongoing rumor to this day. Corvette could be spun off as its own brand to allow a fuller lineup of vehicles in the spirit of what Porsche has done. It could mean a front-engine Corvette sold alongside a mid-engine one, a hybrid and more. But, it’s likely Chevrolet will keep all the goodies for the foreseeable future.
It’s not a Corvette, but instead a Cadillac
Another long-running rumor is the idea that this is not a Corvette, but instead flagship Cadillac super car. There’s really no concrete evidence to suggest Cadillac will be gaining a mid-engine sports car, but the platform on which this rumor exists is solid. It would give Cadillac a true Audi R8 fighter (which launched under de Nysschen’s tenure at Audi) and the Corvette would retain its front-engine layout.
Sponsored Links
I just hate that there won’t be a front engined one. The Corvette is a bang for the buck supercar. It’s better than any car in its price range and better than a lot that are more expensive than it. The Camaro won’t be able to fill the gap once the Corvette goes ME.
Also hate that pushrod engines will get phased out of other parts. OHC is weight and complexity that is unnecessary for a pickup truck.
The new car will come with a push rod but at some point it will go DOHC because they just can not meet future emissions with a limited variable timed single cam. they really have no choice but they will stretch the push rod as long as they can.
Also with mid engine the cowl height is no longer an issue to clear a DOHC engine.
Yes the money is for a new paint section. It just has an assembly line attached to it. I suspect this is because they will keep the Stingray C7 in production for a while longer till a lower cost mid engine arrives a few years later along with convertible.
It is not a Cadillac plain and simple. There are food odds Cadillac will get one but in the words of JDN they have much to do now with the core product and could not bring one to market till 2025,
Brand. As long as it is made it will remain a Chevy in North America. At some point I can see it being branded as a Corvette overseas and sold by any GM dealer. Holden, Opel etc could all sell and market them.
Do expect several models of Corvette Sports cars like we have now. But do not expect an SUV or sedan.
Cadillac is here to address the performance sedan and SUV segment once they get their core product set. V Sport and V series will play a big role in the future of Cadillac and will the needs.
What shocks me is how so many just assume mid engine means $400K-$1M, It does not cost more to move the engine to the back. Many cases these cars are low volume models that have to use some very exotic materials to justify the price they have to charge for such low volumes.
Today Audi R8 and the new McLaren are both priced at $156K and $162K. This is in line with the rumored price of the Enzo at $170K. Keep in mind this would be the top end model of the Corvette and other non supercharged models and standard brake packages could be built and sold for as low as $70K which is about the average price of a Stingray.
The present Vette already is a trans axle. They can easily remove the Torque tube and move the engine back and cab forward. That does not add to cost other than two stainless water tubes and some longer AC lines.
Even if you wanted to add some carbon body parts the Z06 today is at $100K give or take a few thousand along with a Supercharger and even the large Brembo Brakes.
In the past there have been many mod engine cars that did not cost a lot. The key is the Corvette sells many times the volume of the average sports car. Where others sell only 3,000 units because they want to remain exclusive they have to charge a premium price. Chevy can move 30K units a year and not have to worry about exclusive because even at high volumes the Corvette has always made the owner special even with 3 in the same parking lot.
Just because we are going mid engine does not mean this can not still be the biggest bang for a buck. If anything the bank will only get bigger due to the physics of better weight placement along with better aero.
why corvette will go mid engine. it is to win races not rule the streets.
O’Connell is similarly mindful of the mid-engine cars and thinks the ATS-V.R will be at a slight disadvantage, but with his experience at the track, he just might be able to pull out a much-needed win for the Cadillac camp.
“From last year’s results Sonoma seems to favor a car with a mid-engine layout,” O’Connell said. “Those cars that are rear or mid-engine should have a big advantage getting off of Sonoma’s three very tight corners,” O’Connell said.
Well winning races is a part of this but no the priority.
There have been some very valid points made by Bob Lutz and Tadge on the Corvette now and in the future.
#1 getting younger buyers involved. The age of Corvette owners has gotten higher and higher even with the many Dot Com rich young millennial’s. The younger buyers like more exotic and more technically advanced.
#2 The car is going to have to see some major changes due to emissions. This means DOHC engines, turbocharges and hybrid systems that are all easier to package in a mid engine.
#3 The present car is limited traction wise. This is why there is so much down force in the body work. It is a way to get the car planted but it hurts the over all MPG of the car. I think it was Lutz that said the present car can go around 750 HP but we have already seen where the Z06 suffers longer lap times even with more power to put down. This is why they are making one with a big wing.
Note Lutz said when he delayed the Mid Engine when at GM. He said they lengthened the C7 wheel base to center the engine mass as much as they could. They can not make it any longer so the next step is to move the engine.
#4 Many of these sports cars are now getting cheaper. McLaren is now offering a car at $155K and Audi R8 can be had at $162K. Ferrari I expect will enter with a cheaper model also.
I expect Chevy to challenged these cars at and below the prices of these cars.
I also expect that since they will go hybrid that an AWD version would be in the offering.
While not confirmed there were reports the Corvette team was testing at over 1,000 HP. As we know with the turner cars the Z06 can easily do this so it is easy to believe. The un named Corvette member said that they can make the power but will not put in more than the car can use. Big numbers mean little if you can not put it to the ground. That is why the 1LE V6 Camaro is able to lap the track only 4 tenths off a lap of a Hell Cat.
It is not how much power you can make it is all about how much can you get to the ground and use.
So you are correct as for racing as Pratt and Miller will welcome this layout but there is much more than just that to consider too.
A twin turbo V6 is in the works
they already have a twin turbo V-6 in these race cars. a good friend is in charge of the engine project at GM. I believe the mid engine corvette will use this TT V-6 . http://www.cadillac.com/v-series/racing/driver-car.html
One must remember also that BM had (a few years back) a prototype mid-engine corvette with a twin turbo v6 diesel. Audi and Peugot ring a bell???
A Cadillac , no , they have other things to focus on right now . Nobody knows for sure what GM is up to but my guess would be that Chevy holds on to the front engine car and the mid engine would be a Huracan fighter selling both cars until the Corvette crowd gets used to having such a huge change .
Good chance both are around for a while. While the Vette will be formidable to most super cars the million dollar cars like the Veyron and Huracan will remain off the target list.
The only time a 90 degree dohc V8 is viable is when it is installed mid engine. The engine is simply too wide to be installed over the front suspension. The exhaust ports and manifolds can be designed for ultimate flow because of the extra width of the engine compartment on a mid engine car.
I also like the thought of a mid engine Corvette because it provides the ultimate front-to-rear weight ratio balance.
Well front to rear weight ratio is not an issue even in the present car as it is a near 50/50,
That is part of the issue the truth is with a mid engine you move the weight to the center of the car. Moving the mass as centered as possible creates less weight to be moved in a polar moment.
The best way to describe this is like this.
If you take a bar bell and place the weight out at the end then take you wrist and place it in the center then try to twist it up and down it takes a lot of force to move the weight and then once in motion it take a lot of effort to stop it even with the same weight one each end.
Now take that weight and place it near the center where your wrist is and then twist. It takes less force to move it and it is much easier to stop as less force is placed on your wrist.
50/50 weight balance is a must but the more centered it and low it is the prime factor in making a car handle much more stable and not need all sorts of computer programs to keep it all in line.
It is pure physics and weight management. We deal with this in the race car all the time.
While the present C7 is a great car and a high point for a front engine car it owes a lot to the computer to keep it all in the right direction. The car needs more grip as the mass over loads the tires now. The addition of the rear wing and front down force is because of the mass at the ends of the car. Move that more in the center and you can remove all these wings and spoilers and reduce them to a much smaller down force count.