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Report: Mid-Engine C8 Corvette To Boast Near Six-Figure Price, Arrive In 2019

Everyone’s favorite topic, that is the mid-engine Corvette, has been spun on the rumor mill yet again. This time, Wheels has divulged potential details surrounding the C8 Corvette, which is poised to be the most revolutionary iteration of the sports car ever.

To start, the C8 Corvette is tipped to become a truly global car. That means Bowling Green, Kentucky—which will suspend public tours to get ready for something— will be churning out right- and left-hand drive variants.  More importantly, the C8 Corvette will make an appearance down under as Holden’s long-rumored flagship sports car.

The report goes on to state the price tag will climb higher than $120,000 AUD (roughly $89,000 USD) and debut as a 2019 model year vehicle. The price is highly debatable, but sources claim the C8 Corvette will offer Ferrari-beating performance at one-third of the cost. The model year, though, falls in line with previous intel stating 2019 will be the C8’s time to shine.

The report divulges details on the powertrains as well. Specifically, a “base” C8 Corvette is rumored to arrive with a 502 horsepower small-block V8 engine with the latest lightweight and aerodynamic technology. Shaving weight from the car is said to be a high priority to help make the C8 Corvette the quickest, fastest iteration of the nameplate ever. Interestingly, the report states the small-block V8 will retain an OHV configuration. We’d beg to differ, but suppose anything is possible.

In regards to additional variants, an even hotter ZR1 model is said to arrive early next decade with a DOHC V8 engine producing around 670 hp, while a C8 Corvette E-Ray employs hybrid systems to push power even further. General Motors has already moved to trademark the “E-Ray” name and a Corvette mule has been spotted at GM’s battery facility, too.

2018 C7 Corvette ZR1 Prototype At Laguna Seca

In the near term, the 2018 C7 Corvette ZR1 will become the hottest Corvette ever produced, but GM is said to have been toying with a reveal of the mid-engine Corvette at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. The report states executives may have canned the plans in order to keep building hype closer to the car’s launch. We’d agree—LA is much too early for this car to show face and Chevrolet has a history of saving big surprises for Detroit.

While the idea of a mid-engine Corvette may be one of the worst kept secrets in the business right now, all we can do is let the rumor mill churn away until we get some truly concrete information. We’ll take the report with a grain of salt in the meantime.

Former GM Authority staff writer.

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Comments

  1. I expect this new Corvette to be as superior as GM is planning for such a high price. But the better news is that whatever advanced features GM engineers add to this 2019 model, we will see it flow to the other future Chevrolet models.

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    1. There is going to be a lesser model sharing the same mid engine platform. Possibly a Cadillac, which will be more affordable.

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  2. Lets get it right this time

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  3. I’ve been a vette owner now sense 84. First 1 was a 1970 LS7 hardtop convertible 4sp 4:11 Got my 2nd in 2000 it is just a coupe LT1 sport package kauto w/259 gears. 30+ mpg on the highway wich blew me away and that’s my driver. My oldest son got the 1970 after college and a good job and garage!!! My youngest son is 32 and still waiting on the 92 because i’d have withdraw without the vette. I can only dream of having a new mid engine C8. Howvere my oldest is high up at 1 of the biggest chevy dealers in the nation and just north of indy on 37 ? he does show me and take me for rides in some new and used special vettes from time to time so i’m hopefully i’ll at least get to ride in 1.!!! Can’take wait

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    1. Chevy did not build an LS7 Corvette in 1970. It was listed in the catalog but never built. I don’t think any Chevy had an LS7 From the factory Untill 2006 MY. The original 454 LS7 was sold as a crate engine.

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      1. I can verify that a big block LS7 was never offered in a Corvette or Chevelle, it was only available as a crate long block.
        I have been a Corvette owner since 1966 and an Aficionado since the first one hit my town in the mid-50’s. I have owned quite a few and bought and sold Corvettes for a number of years in the late 60’s and early 70’s, and briefly owned a 68′ L88 and still have a 93′ ZR1.

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        1. Tre Deuce… maybe you’re right on the LS7 but even a self proclaimed Afionado like yourself can make mistakes. If it’s a1993, it’s a ZR-1. Current models from 2009 -2013 were ZR1’s.

          Congrats on being a Vette fan all these years but with so many years of production, it’s pretty hard to be an expert on every generation and model.

          🙂

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      2. You are half right, they never offered or sold any. However they did run a very few for testing and they were never sold. A few got out from executives. We did see the blown motor and #’s Also as I said my son is high up at Hare Chevrolet and there is a original LS7 create motor that a co-worker of his has, and promised it to him for the 70. He is my stepson but raised him sense he was 4. His dad passed at an early age and he and I were best friends. I went with him when he bought the 70. He was a body shop worker for the local Chevy dealer at the time. That is how he got the info and the complete buildetails and ensembly manual. Every page had a big red discontinued stamp on it. He passed shortly after tearing the car down and repainting and rebuilding everything. You are not the first people to say it was never built but it was. There was 1 back in 1997 that went up for auction at 1 of the big collector cars auction sites and it had just under 60,000 miles and went for $86,000. Back then. We never found out how many were built and who got them and how they got out. My son ,earned to drive a stick and the vette was the first car he ever drove at age 14. He was very tall for his age and could reach the clutch and see over the wheel with seat up all the way and a cushion to get him high enough. Was a great day and memory making day. It was his prom car and was allowed to drive it with me in it as much as he wanted. We did everything ourselves on it. We rebuilt motor, Muncie 4 special tyranny, rear end and replaced rear leaf spring just he and i.. My wife and i gave him the car after he was out of college and had a nice house and garage.. 9Thanks for the response and it’s all good, but they did make a few..

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      3. I’ll try and see if i have an old pic of the info on the console buy the shifter. It is listed on there and 454 ci 460hp, 4?? foot lbs of torque. There also was a write up on it in a hot rod or car craft magizine back then and said they had tested it stock and put 2 in headers on it and it pulled over 570hp he has the magizine too.

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  4. Mid-engine? Been doubtfully waiting for that pie in the sky since the early 70’s. I suspect it is actually nearing form and function, soon. I doubt that the Iconic pushrod Small block V8 will be used, more likely a variant of the Cadillac ATS-V V6 will be offered in the base model with a DOHC V8 engine in the higher performance iteration. I would welcome an EV-Vette over a Hybrid and that would probably be my choice over the fuel engines. No matter what, a significant addition to GM and American performance options and a historic one.

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    1. Five(5) Thumbs down? Must be a lot of children visiting this site or adults suffering from cognitive dissonance or some other mental issue. A thumbs down is a gutless immature act. If you differ with a comment, reply with a counter

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      1. 23 cowards disagreed.

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  5. Cool, although I’d be able to afford one I think the msrp should be much lower,

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  6. Here is what we will see.

    The base Vette will start at $75k to $85k. It will still use the present engine.

    We will see over time several models with varying price and performance as we see today but over a wider range.

    The performance will be on the level of Mclaren and Ferrari in the $300k range.

    We will see the new car in 2018 as a 19 .

    Over time a convertible will also be available.

    We will see a DOHC engine and hybrid. Version also in the future.

    None of this really has been much of a Seceret as much of the values have been there to those who really have been watching.

    I can remember the first mule photoed in NY with a Malibu with a mid engine set up sporting Corvette wheels and Ferrari tail lamps.

    Many refused the clue but the Cirvette team has a long history of Easter eggs of clue just as this. We will see more soon.

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    1. So they’ll be making the same money producing half

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  7. Given that the 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will be $70K, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the base price for the C8 mid-engine Corvette which will feature a base 502 horsepower V8 engine in a ‘lighter’ platform would be about $89K with a top teir C8 Corvette costing as much as $120K especially as a C8 Corvette Z06 may be developed to kill the Ford GT which cost in excess of $450K.

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  8. Holden Corvette?? I hope they don’t call it that. It’s the 1 thing that’s been a Chevrolet exclusive since 1953. It’s a Chevrolet Corvette…. If Holden wants to sell a Chevrolet Corvette then by all means do so. But please don’t insult the intelligence of literally the entire world by sticking a meaningless Holden badge on it. Things like swapping out the GMC badge on the Acadia and sticking a Holden badge in it’s place is insulting enough. Not only to Genuine Holden, but to the entire world wide auto community. It reeks of Old GM. Like taking a Genuine Holden Monaro and calling it a Pontiac GTO via a Badge Swap.

    To call the iconic Chevrolet Corvette a Holden Corvette would be pure blasphemy. It would also IMO ruin the value and damage the legacy of the Chevrolet Corvette.

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    1. It’s just a name at the end of the day, but “Holden Corvette” sounds weird (cf. pre-October 2017 Holden Commodore SS = Chevrolet SS).

      Also it almost goes without saying they will have to be right hookers in the Aussie/NZ market, or they’ll just end up collecting dust on the dealer yards.

      Gotta say the Chev Camaro ZL1 1LE is my preference over a Corvette anyway. Make them RHD and send them over GM!

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    2. I think you will find the Corvette in North America will be a Chevy Corvette but globally will be just a Corvette. I do not expect the Holen lion to be added to the crossed flag.

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    3. Not to worry, mate. Holden is no more. Shutting down their last plant this year.
      Hope the C8 has a smoother looking rear than the spy and concept pix suggest. A 1500hp car for “regular” factory production would be insane. No firm market, no reason to do it, and too expensive. Not financially viable for the company. Been waiting for the Vette to go mid engine for 20 yrs.

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      1. I honestly hope they keep both platforms. A mid engine car and a front engine car. If someone told Ferrari that they should only do mid engine cars people would be up in arm rioting.

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  9. I can’t see how a Mid-engine Corvette will have a price point under six figures, it just doesn’t make logical sense. It would surprise me if it is under $175,000.

    And C8? Not likely the designation, as that nomenclature will be applied to the next front engine Corvette.

    They are going to have to build both a Front and Mid-engine Vette, or they are going to alienate and walk away from a lot of Vette buyers who can only manage the usual price point of the long running front engine configured Vette and the mid-engine Vette will be of limited production, not an amortized regular production product.

    It is all speculation at this point.

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    1. i hope they keep the front-engine vette too.

      if that is the case, i think you are right about the price. who is going to pay for the front engine version if the mid-engine version only costs twenty thousand or so more? buyers will gladly make that stretch.

      i think we are looking at acura nsx money.

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    2. What C8 front engine program? Can you show us were they are doing this?

      Also why would it cost $175k just yo move the engine? The Corvette has volume the other mid engine do not or can not support and help keep priced down.

      The only front engine may be a continuation of the c7 that in time will go away if they do anything.

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      1. I really wish they kept both

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  10. $89,000 seems a bit low considering a Z06 already sells for around that and above the six figure mark.Not to mention the ZR1 which will moat like start around the six figure mark.

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  11. Is there any definite proof that this mid engine car will really be a Corvette? It just seems silly to make this huge price gap between the Camaro and this future Corvette if it went mid-engine. It would nearly double the base price. It seems like a concept car like this should really go into the Cadillac brand. I also imagine the MR layout will not make the Corvette very practical since as it stands it’s such a great GT car with easy to pack luggage space.

    I imagine with the performance that this new MR car will be able to produce it would put it far above the leagues of a base 911 or an Evora of any sort. So if draped in Cadillac clothing they could more than likely sell for $150K

    A few base MSRPs for comparisons.
    Non-Luxury
    Porsche 911 $91K
    Lotus Evora $89K

    Luxury Models
    Acura NSX $156K
    Audi R8 $160K

    Can ask yourself, if Ferrari still likes to produce Front Engine cars for their Grand Tourers then wouldn’t it makes sense that GM would keep a winning platform that took a very long time for them to polish into what it is today?

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    1. Well, there is some common sense on this blog. Thanks for a little light in all this lame darkness.

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      1. Thanks, either way still excited to see GM make another MR car.

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    2. Just because you are in denial is not going to change a thing.

      The key to the Corvette since 1984 has been to be a car that cost as much as an entry level sports car but deliver super car performance. Chevy has always played the Corvette to be more for less.

      This will be a car that will turn the table on the others.

      To make ”tis car a Cadillac is just utter ignorance at this point when Cadillac has yet to put the core product of luxury sedans and SUV on the market yet. Once they get their house in order then they can experiment with a Luxury version.

      But keep in mind that Cadillac has already failed twice with a sports car and if you fail on the third it is done for another try.

      Yo be honest a large low volume front engine coupe would be a much better play for them in this segment. Or better yet a small BMW convertible roadster not even based on a Corvette priced under $60k to make it less of a risk to buy vs a $150k car that may lose its value and sell for $25k in 5 years.

      Also priced in this segment it. Would replace the Corvette C7 but in a more luxury kind of way.

      JDN also made it clear that any sports car would not happen till 2025. Too many other needed products need to be in place.

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      1. Denial about what? I’m not sure I completely follow and your response still follows inline with what I was talking about how the Corvette is a great bargain and more user friendly and that making the Corvette mid engine would take away that. I do agree it would be nice if Cadillac got a smaller roadster to compete with cars like the SLK, Z4 and the like.

        I guess the bottom line question is do you think a mid engine Corvette that starts out around the price of a 911 would sell well? Or would it even make more money than C7 is currently making?

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