There’s Simply No Way The Mid-Engine Corvette Is A Cadillac
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Since whispers of a mid-engine sports car from Chevrolet, and specifically Corvette, came about, theorists have long thought this is actually a mid-engine Cadillac supercar. While we won’t rule out the idea of an ultra-exotic supercar from Cadillac in the future, we’re calling it: this is no Cadillac, it’s a Corvette.
The most recent spy shots of what is presumably the C8 Corvette offer plenty of clues to back up our judgment. Specifically, if you look closely enough, the rear end and taillights scream Corvette. Not a single design cue this early on points to Cadillac.
Plus, Cadillac is quite busy itself as it continues to develop a slew of crossovers in a dry portfolio of sedans. A supercar simply isn’t on Cadillac’s radar at this point in time.
And there’s too much evidence that points to a Corvette as well. Trademarks have listed Corvette associated names for years, pointing to revolutionary changes afoot. In contrast, nothing has been filed to conjure thoughts of Cadillac. The mid-engine prototype has also kept close company with other Corvettes during testing.
Could we be completely wrong? Absolutely. But, we don’t think we are. The real question is how the Corvette team will approach a mid-engine car. Will the front engine Corvette live on alongside it? Or, is it mid-engine or bust in the near future? Those are questions we will likely have answers to in the coming years.
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I wish they would do both. I am also not too excited about the styling. Hopefully when the covers come off it will look much better.
They are doing both. All you have to look at is Johan De Nysschen track record. He is taking his playbook directly from Audi. The cornerstone with Audi was the R8 halo car. If you want to look even further, the fact that the new “villain” in the The Cars squeal looks just like a Cadillac supercar is no mistake. The brake lights are identical to the new IMSA race car. Simply smart marketing from a new age of Cadillac which we are just beginning to see…
That Caddy tendering SCREAMS R8!
Poor Bill Mitchell….spinning in his grave…tbe day has come when America’s sports car is derivitive of a car from a stodgy German outfit.
2025 Cadillac ME supercar. Corvette C8 ME spy photos.
What are you talking about? What styling?
So Sean you just figure this out?
You should really pay more attention to the posters.
Cadillac 2025 approximately.
Scott3,
No, I haven’t “just figured this out”. But, this conversation seems properly timed following the most recent round of spy shots. I don’t do this for my benefit, I do it to open up conversation for you all. As for a 2025 date, there’s absolutely no inclination we’ll see a Cadillac supercar by then. But we sure can hope, can’t we? Thanks for reading and engaging as always.
Cheers,
-Sean
Sean it was pretty clear what was coming accept for web people looking for click bait. I am not accusing you.
Note JDN spoke on the Cadillac option and said he would love it but could not consider it.
Sorry but I am just tired of the stories that have been clear or just way out in left field. There has been clear info out there and do many miss it. Not again a critique of you but many web and magazine reporters.
“… it was pretty clear what was coming …” (you are stupid)
“I am not accusing you.” (you are not stupid)
“… clear info out there and do many miss it.” (you are stupid)
“Not again a critique of you…” (you are not stupid)
These flip-flop accusations are a well known technique which intends to position the other person as wrong no matter what decisions that person has made, it’s called the “double bind”, and is very often used in “gaslighting”. Look them up, they are extremely interesting insights in psychology.
My comments were what we call sarcasm due to the fact we have already discussed this many times on this site. Also the many web stories that are created as click bait on the web.
But you appeared to be too stupid to under stand that. I generally ignore stupid but I made the accepton here in your case.
See it easy to call stupidest when it is there.
An accepton? I think you mean exception? That’s fairly ironic in that sentence.
Just the phone taking over and not proof reading. Same on stupidest below it.
The “sarcasm” manipulation – again with the double-bind. You are saying “either the thing I accused of being wrong about is true (you were wrong in fact), or the thing I accused you of being wrong about isn’t true and I was joking to poke you into defensiveness when you should have laughed instead (you were wrong in intent).”
See? Either way, to you Szymkowski is wrong – in fact or in intent – and you get to assume this superior position of the “decider” about who means what AFTER they have said it. Classic double bind.
What, Sean is not writing sneaky anti-Trump propaganda masquerading as an “auto story”?
Then again, we all know well all that crap Sean wrote before the election turned out. He thought he was right then too.
A lot of down votes for an editor. Might be all those excuses and never admitting you are wrong.
Cheers? What are you, a Canadian trying so desperately to be British?
Just because the styling cues point to Corvette does not mean that a Cadillac model is not an option for GM.
It makes more sense in price point for Cadillac to do one.
It would be a truly ‘halo’ vehicle for the brand.
Two mid-engined models can work;
The Corvette model more track focussed, the ulitmate speed demon. All business inside
The Cadillac version more GT and very luxurious. Slightly softer driving dynamics.
I think a Mid Engined car will alienate current Corvette owners and enthusiats, a very loyal group of consumers. We love our Corvettes because they’re beautiful, fast and relatively inexpensive…or shall I say reasonably priced compared to the competition and the performance level. If the current front engine, rear wheel drive configuration goes away, I’ll probably keep my 2011 Grand Sport for ever, because I probably won’t be able to afford a mid engine Super Car even if its made by Chevrolet and wears crossed flags on its flanks.
Problem is, that generation of corvette buyer is getting older. If they want to compete with other companies for the younger buyer, they have to evolve with technology.
I can’t argue with you on the point, Mike, but I’d like to think that us Baby Boomer Corvette Enthusiasts still have a few good years left. Maybe the answer is to offer both a conventional front engine “Stingray”and a Mid-engine “Zora”. Porsche and Ferrari offer both configurations, why not Corvette. At least until us Baby Boomers die off or get too old to drive.
cadillac is cadilllac, vette is vette and so on. but cadillac must have its own mid engine sportcar. but the title is funny and sad, like children
I guess the author of this article has never heard of ‘test mule’ as a car company can build their test mule to look like a different car than whatever the production vehicle might look like especially if the car company doesn’t want the public to know what they’re doing as while it is unlikely that the prototype seen in pictures with the upcoming C7 Corvette ZR1 could be a Cadillac if you listen to Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen and the direction he wants Cadillac to take, a mid-engine sports coupe just doesn’t fit.
No Sean knows what it is as the evidence is clear this has been and always was a Corvette from the start.
Also JDN has been brutally honest and open on the future of Cadillac and has made it clear that he would be interested but they could not consider this till 2025.
This statement was made about a year ago.
For now people just need to let go of the Cadillac and let the Vette team finish the car.
The old school will have some that will piss and moan but in the end they will hit another home run.
The internet is abuzz about this mid-engine Corvette . The last article I read is that both the mid-engine car and the front engine RWD car will be sold at the same time for a few years . And I think that sounds about right , Chevy wouldn’t want to upset the Corvette crowd by not building the original Vette . Its a car for the average Joe that wants a somewhat affordable sports car . And the article on GMInside News states that some parts would be inter-changeable which will hold down cost of the 2019 model .
With prices starting at 55 grand and approaching 100 g’s on the top of the line it was suggested the mid-engine car could go for anywhere from 150 – 185 grand .
It also said that is why Bowling Green is going to be down for a few weeks to install the presses needed and that the new car won’t be fiberglass but carbon fiber and aluminum .
Anyone that thinks it’s a Cadillac may need to see an eye doctor or read older posts and articles on the subject .
Although in the future Cadillac may build a supercar it would be well into the future , they are busy with other more important vehicles at the moment .
A name for the mid engine Vette ( from many sources ) thinks it will be called ” Cadillac Zora ” which is a cool way of remembering the designer from years ago that wanted the car .
The duel line is possible but it was only planned for about 3 years till the lower priced model appears.
It has also been stated the fully loaded car in the 170-180K range but they also have stated a base mid engine will at some point be offered starting at $80K.
Moving the engine does not add $100K to a car. Keep this in mind moving forward.
Bowling Green is putting in a new paint shop and a new line. This could be an indication of a duel line for a while. Then they could change that line to a Cadillac later on.
No panels are made in plant and no carbon is produced there. It is all shipped in. This is an assembly plant not a stamping or molding plant.
There may be some limited interchangable parts like a Trans Axle but look for most of the cars bits to be new. You may share a seat steering wheel and dash but suspension will be to this car as will the space frame that will be all aluminum not carbon.
Expect the Zora name to be used some where with the Cerv 1 being bought by GM two weeks ago for $1.3 for marketing. It was Zoras first Mid Engine.
While not a cheap car it will not be nearly as expensive as some chose to believe it will cost. I Even Mclaren has cars below $200K now and GM for sure could get lower priced than their car at $170 with volume and buying power of a large corporation.
It for sure will be interesting and not just another evolution of the car.
Note they had considered building both the C7 and 8 on the same platform. I am not sure this is true any longer and they will move to a proper platform to do this right.
Huh I wonder if its the reason for the recent trademark request for CheVette.
The rear view is very Audi R8, any chance GM will be the next sponsor for the New Iron Man movie,
Well,well,well
Love the styling
All I can say is good! At least we know the so-called flagship they are working on won’t be a super mid engined car. This is the last thing Cadillac needs in the lineup in their current state.
The Cadillac rendering is beautiful. I would endeavor to own one. But it seems an artist’s fantasy, not an engineer’s. why would it have a grill and hood vents with a rear engine?
I have to admit that I have not been a fan of any of the mid-engine Corvette talk to date, because that just isn’t what the Corvette represents to me. The current Stingray is what a Corvette is supposed to be, and has been for the past 60+ years. I keep hoping that the final product will indeed be a Cadillac for that reason, but also to elevate Cadillac with a halo car, and give buyers a more premium sales and service experience vs. getting your car serviced alongside a $12k Spark. That is looking less and less likely though.
Lately, I have been thinking that it might make sense for GM to create a separate performance brand to expand on the Corvette name and legacy. Corvettes have always been the one GM car that even people that don’t like Chevy/GM still like and respect. They would ideally need to be separated from the Chevy sales and service network. Sell the Stingray and various higher performance variants (like now), this new mid-engined car as the halo of the brand, but also a cheaper entry level car, and even performance oriented SUV’s and sedans. I’m thinking of Porsche primarily with this idea. It could be a profitable endeavor into territory that GM isn’t currently covering, and would be hard to fit into any of their current brands. GM has nothing to compete with the Panamera, Macan or Cayenne. Just as they have nothing to compete with Rolls Royce and Bentley, which is where I hope Cadillac can end up eventually.
While everyone screams that the test mule is a mid-engine C8 Corvette, seeing Cadillac’s DPi-V.R Prototype win the 2017 24 Hour at Daytona makes you think there is a possibility that the mid-engine test mule could be a Cadillac, imagine it being called the DPI with a high performance variant the DPI-V; further, Cadillac owners have deeper pockets to afford the potential price of $150-225K.
This is one of the nicest bold mid engine designs I’ve seen
Would seem rather odd if GM got rid of the Front Mid engine layout for the Corvette. That’s like telling Ferrari to they should have made the F12 or to stop making the 812. The Front engine rear wheel layout provides a specific driving experience that is different from mid engine layout.
Many prototype cars will use body cladding from whatever will fit in general. Much like how the Viper at one point was running around with SL500 front body components. Doesn’t mean anything other than they either don’t want to spoil the surprise on the looks or they don’t have the body panels ready for testing.
They also might be testing it back to back with the Corvette because that is one of their benchmarks. Could you imagine selling a mid engine model that was slower than your previous front engine offerings?
I think Cadillac is strong now and a new Halo car would really help them. I think a Audi R8, NSX, i8, etc competitor from Cadillac will definitely help further improve their market branding.
Rumor has it , a gm mid engine will debut at the 2018 Detroit auto show