Another day, another mid-engine Corvette sighting. This time, a fellow Corvette driver happened to stumble upon two C8 Corvette prototypes cruising in the wild and he followed them while recording a brief video.
The video doesn’t show us much, but it does reiterate the fact that development seems to be plugging along on the next-generation Corvette. Most of the mid-engine car’s testing has occurred at night to avoid bountiful amounts of spy photos, though the car hasn’t escaped the camera’s eye altogether.
While the car’s design has remained a mystery, its powertrain has been discussed at greater length. Last year, a CAD drawing allegedly showed the car’s forthcoming LT7 V8 engine, while a previous report detailed the familiar 6.2-liter LT1 V8 engine as a potential base mill and another 5.5-liter DOHC V8 engine. The information also referenced a 4.2-liter DOHC V8 engine and even a Cadillac sports car.
Unlike the Ford GT, the C8 Corvette should remain relatively affordable and stay under six figures. However, a base price increase seems inevitable as the Camaro now clips at the Corvette’s heels in performance and price.
As for a reveal, the 2019 North American International Auto Show seems like a good bet, but it’s far from certain.
Comments
Maybe the base and the next package up will be under 6 figures, but the higher packages will be in the low 110k – 120k which still would be a Helluva Crazy Deal… ?
I expect there will be several levels. Possibly 3-4 at some point.
The base will be $69k and a top all out mode that will be $150-170k
Mid models will fill in between.
Base will be fast and the more you spend the faster it will get.
How much faster will a base corvette be compared to the base c7
Depends on if you opt for the flux capacitor or not.
Whatever the base level Vette car is GM better not put a V6 in it!! Corvette and V8s are synonymous with each other. Roll on 4.2L V8 i say, particularly if it allows GM to lower the production costs per Vette unit.
One has to imagine that GM engineers will use all of the knowledge they’ve learned from their Chevrolet C7.R and Cadillac DPI-V.R programs to create an architecture that will allow their new C8 Corvette to be capable of out performing Porsche’s 911GT2 RS all the while keeping the price below $150K for the top tier C8 Corvette ZR1.
Considering the exotic materials (carbon fibre panels, magnesium roof) & tech applied to the 2018 GT2 RS, I can’t for one second see GM making a track-worthy competitor for less than $200K.
Look at the retail of the outgoing Viper ACR (quickest American metal around the N-ring) and it still can’t keep up with the GT2 RS.
Hold on a second there before you make a blatantly short sighted comparison like that. The ’18 GT2 RS is the current number 1 on the Nordschleife lap board, which makes it makes it faster than more exotic metal than the Viper ACR. (It’s 10 seconds faster around than Porsche’s own 918 hypercar)
Rank Vehicle Driver Time PS / KG
1. Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991) Lars Kern 6:47.30 700 / 1496
2. Radical SR8LM Michael Vergers 6:48.00 455 / 650
3. Huracán Performante Marco Mapelli 6:52.01 640 / 1574
4. Radical SR8 Michael Vergers 6:55.00 363 / 650
5. Porsche 918 Spyder Marc Lieb 6:57.00 887 / 1665
6. Modified Subaru WRX STI unknown 6:57.50 – / –
7. Aventador LP750-4 SV unknown 6:59.73 750 / 1683
8. Dodge Viper ACR (Mk V) Lance Arnold 7:01.30 654 / 1536
9. Nio EP9 unknown 7:05.12 1360 / 1735
10. Nissan GT-R Nismo (R35) Michael Krumm 7:08.68 600 / 1740
http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/nordschleife