New spy pictures of the upcoming mid-engine Corvette reveal that the sports car will feature a removable roof panel. Tell-tale signs of the feature are the cut lines at the top-end of the A-pillar and fore of the B-pillar.
The coupe body style of the current C7 Corvette features a removable roof panel that’s made of carbon fiber. Removing the panel enables occupants to enjoy an open-air experience without having a soft-top convertible, while the use of the exotic material is intended to decrease the center of gravity. To make things even better, one can store the roof panel in the C7’s cargo area, which features recesses for the panel to sit in place.
The roof panel in the cargo area (trunk/hatch)Â of a Corvette C7
So, it would appear that the mid-engine Corvette will continue offering the much-appreciated feature whet it launches in the 2019 calendar year as a 2020 model year vehicle.
Discussion
Discuss the mid-engine Corvette in our Chevrolet forums.
News
Follow GM Authority’s exclusive coverage of Corvette news and mid-engine Corvette news.
Comments
Of course the removable roof panel is a Corvette tradition that must remain. I’m am glad to see it will with the C8… I just wish the rear cut line would have been in line with the forward most edge of the B-Pilar. I feel like the remaining roof the juts forward of the B-Pilar will look awkward. Hopefully Chevy designers will make it work visually… Or maybe the rear cutline is a rouse meant to keep everyone guessing.
Might be an aero/ safety issue.
Let’s just hope this car’s styling is exciting and exotic level.
It looks more like some sort of retractable hardtop to me with those lines.
The motors and mechanisms associated with a retractable hardtop would add a lot of “unnecessary” weight, no? Not to mention, if rear engine, where would it retract to?
Same place it retracts into in mid engine Ferraris and McLarens
That could be very interesting… perhaps the rear cut line is a hinge point. If that were the case the top would be removing more roof, instead of less. It would also eliminate the section of the roof that juts forward of the B-Pilar…which could be a potential hazard for knocking the back of someones head when they enter the vehicle with the top removed/down. I hope you are right Mr.R!
Really, was anyone in doubt that the targa panel wasn’t going to be available on the C8?
We’ve seen some doubt about it in comments prior to these shots, hence the reason for the story 🙂
I suppose it’s better to have photographic evidence now rather than have GM completely stun the entire world and reveal the C8 was actually a 4-door coupe all along that was in deep cover for years, and that the above car was in fact the cornerstone of a revived Oldsmobile brand; the 2020 Olds Aerotech.
I’m not just reaching, I’m going all out.
Yes the targa has been reported for a while.
What has been missing is the roadster that accounts for over half the sales. I expect the C7 roadster to continue for a year or two till a mid engine spider arrives.
More people need to Targa their coupes. I rarely see vettes with the panel off
Mine is taken off in April, does not go back on till November!
To me, this looks more like a folding retractable hard roof with where those panels line up.
I Really hope You are Correct in your assessment Mr.R! That would be so Bad ^$$!
Looks like a retractable hard top to me! Check out a Ferrari 488 spider. Split in the same location. That would be AWESOME if true!!!! Other pictures of the C8 don’t appear to have a split making this an option and probably slightly heavier than the standard C8. On the 488 the folding hardtop version is 110lbs more than the coupe.
May just be a folding roof to fit storage.
GM has enough on its plate than to deal with a power top on the first model. Even Ferrari does not do this.
Imagine the added cost.
One has to assume that Chevrolet has done the engineering work for the C8 Corvette to feature a removeable top and possibly a convertible because the days of trying to add such features after the car has been designed is extremely expensive.
Might also note it looked like the miles have a camera over the rear window. This leads me to expect the mirror will have the reflective mirror and or camera image available since this car will see less visibility out the back.
That too would negate the hard top folding. For now.
Expect a low camera in the nose for checking clearances. GPS can also be set for raising the nose in places you travel where it might scrape.
Continuing the tradition of many previous vehicles that needed various parts removed, such as tires or motor mounts, to change the spark plugs, a mid engine car that you start the job by removing the roof………………………………