New Corvette Variant Will Likely Be Absent From 2017 North American International Auto Show
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If you were holding your breath, you may breathe. GM Authority has it on good authority (see what we did there?) there will be no Corvette news during the 2017 North American International Auto Show next week.
Previously, it was thought Chevrolet and the Corvette team would utilize Detroit, Motor City to introduce the 2018 C7 Corvette ZR1. Spy shots of said vehicle have popped up in numerous places for weeks, leading many to believe a reveal was in store next week.
However, we have learned whatever the Corvette team is planning will not show face. At least not yet.
Recently, leaked General Motors documents and trademark filings brought about the confirmation of a 6.2-liter LT5 DOHC V8 engine heading to the Corvette for the 2018 model year. Per GM coding, it aligned exclusively with the C7 Corvette. From that, we can gather it’s quite likely the 2018 C7 Corvette ZR1 will reintroduce the LT5 designation. It was last used on the C4 Corvette ZR-1 on a DOHC V8 developed with Lotus.
Since this engine is poised for 2018, we can expect the 2018 Corvette ZR1 to show face sometime in 2017, but it won’t be next week.
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Sad news….I was looking forward to this.
Why do you say this? I don’t understand why they wouldn’t unless they weren’t finished developing it yet… I will be extremely disappointed if there is a no show at Detroit. It’s pretty much expected that they would debut something. This is news to me…
Debut will be at IMSA Daytona 24 Hour, in front of the people who have the money and motivation to buy this amazing car.
Can I quote you on that? Lol
GM has of late not been using Detroit for all their performance introductions. The Camaro was done in Detroit at the Grand Prix. I had friends that were part of the event where they first showed the 6th gen.
They may do something similar here as the Z is not going to drop for a little while year as a 2018.
I agree Daytona could also be a place but the problem there is Cadillac has the new prototype and they will get the bulk of the media there and will not want Corvette stealing the thunder.
Sebring or even Le Mans to make it an international intro?
You can quote me on this. LOL!
Also I have not heard the Indy pace car being announced yet. They have had a lock on the pace car and they could intro it there as part of the 500 since Chevy is pouring in so much money into Indy cars and so few people even know it. What better way to attract attention to the Indy program.
Roger Penske may race Fords in NASCAR but he has often been seen behind a wheel of his own personal C6 ZR1.
Peoples common misconception is that there’s no money here. But people forget there’s more disposable income in cities like Detroit and other major cities in the Midwest to but 2nd homes, sports cars and pay obscenely high car insurance?????. Reason being is because the cost of living is so much cheaper, if you really think about it most corvette buyers are not paying cash anyways and there’s a way to finance anything nowadays.
this is last year. Sorry
I would guess that is no announcement is forthcoming at the NAIA, there is a strong possibility that it will be made at the National Corvette Museum’s annual Birthday Bash in late April 2017.
I hope they hold off to see what Ford and Dodge have planned to counter it
NY autoshow or Geneva.
I don’t know that any of this makes any sense at all. Why would the Tadge and the Corvette Team go through the effort and expense to develop an LT5 front engine ZR1 with a mid-engine “ZR1/ Zora” coming soon. I might be completely off base, but I’d say if, in fact, the team is developing a front engine ZR1 for 2018, there will not be a Mid-engine ZR1 for several years, maybe many years. It is possible that the mid-engine mule, we’ve seen, is a Cadillac in Corvette clothing. In my opinion, a mid-engine Corvette that would compete with the Ford GT, Ferrari and McClaren would be GREAT, but if the price is in line with the others, it will be an unattainable dream for many current Corvette owners, myself included.
Unveiling in Wisconsin at Road America and bringing back LT5!
I wonder if GM will again be using Mercury Marine for assembling the engine?????