Mid-Engine C8 Corvette Breaks Down At Fuel Station, Gets A Tow
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Prototypes aren’t production ready for a reason: they have quirks, issues and qualms that engineers sort out ahead of full-scale production. The mid-engine C8 Corvette isn’t safe from such issues.
Photos of a mid-engine C8 Corvette prototype surfaced on Corvette Forum on Monday, which show the car completely covered up at a gas station. But, as readers scroll through the thread, it’s clear something went wrong with the car. Engineers and a support team showed up soon enough and kept the C8 Corvette covered as much as possible while, we assume, attempting to diagnose the issue at hand.
Strangely enough, the group pops the front hood compartment, which leads us to believe this could just be a dead battery. If so, the battery may be housed up front, or at a minimum, jumper leads reside there. The support crew appeared to try and jump the C8 Corvette at one point as well.
Photo: Corvette Forum
Ultimately, things didn’t work out and a tow truck was called, as the photos depict. Again, another interesting bit: the mid-engine Corvette receives a rear tow with the front wheels rolling on the ground. We can assume this particular Corvette variant is rear-wheel drive. The latest rumor suggests an electrified C8 Corvette hybrid model will eventually join the ranks with an all-wheel-drive system and around 1,000 horsepower.
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I am surprised they did not call a roll back.
I am going to assume the issue was an inability to freewheel (stuck in gear or park?) and they did not want to drag it onto rollback.
Or a steamroller…….
Most modern vehicles have battery jumper posts in the hood area, even if the 12 V battery is in the trunk.
Yes but it is also common to put the battery in the front trunk on Mid Engine cars to protect them from heat and to better balance the car.
Low and in front is the prime spot for handling. Heat also kills electronics.
Any one noticed the 2019 pickup That’s trying to jump start the C8?
I would have thought GM would have had a covered hauler nearby for just such an occasion.
Bad press to have their yet-to-be-released $150k supercar hanging from a hook.
“Bad press to have their yet-to-be-released $150k supercar hanging from a hook.”
As apart from, say, when Audi’s A7 prototypes caught fire and burned to the gorund. At least this C8 will drive again.
Source: https://www.autoevolution.com/news/2019-audi-a7-prototype-burns-to-a-crisp-during-testing-in-alps-118320.html
Not an uncommon issue.
This is why they drive prototypes. Just most times they are in such remoter areas and they are cars no one is really watching.
Toyota killed their top test driver in a crash of the LFA. the ZL1 hit the guardrail last year. did not hurt them.
Drug off on the hook! Not an auspicious sign!
I did notice the photographer was driving a Ford…
As did I which night account for the jumper guy’s sneer.
It was just a planned towing test, to ensure that even the towing hook (which would normally never be used) is working as designed… :). The 2019 jump-start truck was also tested, to ensure it’s up to its task in a dead-battery mission.
C’mon folks there is no such thing as bad press. The purpose of GM driving these mules to 100,000 miles in all sorts of conditions is to create real life vehicle stress. Simulations can only return so much data. I think its a good thing to see the mule broken. This could have been something as simple as a fuse or as major as ECM malfunction. Maybe GM just found out the car needs a bigger battery or stronger alternator. Who know’s, I’m still buying one. My `16 Z06 2LZ will be paid off. #LETSGOGM #MIDENGINEZ06
So the C8 isn’t AWD.
I work in service @ a Chevy dealership just 3-4 miles away from this gas station…our question was, where did they tow it to? It’s another 20-30 miles to the next closest dealerships in either direction. Where’d they take it? Lol
The last place GM engineers would take a dev prototype is to a dealership.
Could they tow it (as pictured) if it was actually an AWD vehicle?