The last time we caught a glimpse of the mid-engine Corvette interior, we noticed that the steering wheel had a flat top and flat bottom. Today, a new round of spy shots confirm our initial assessment while also giving us our best look yet at the cabin of the upcoming C8 Corvette.
Our spy shooter managed to get a shot of the future Corvette while it was undergoing testing at the Nurburgring in Germany. Taken right outside the passenger-side window, the pictures show a heavily-cloaked cabin. But despite the extensive use of camouflage, we still get out best look yet at the general layout of the interior.
Zooming in on the shot reveals a few noteworthy elements, including silver paddle shifters on the steering wheel, a chrome-tipped turn signal stem, and the beginnings of the center stack screen, which in the photo has a blue background. A look from the front reveals some more noteworthy details.
The general shape of the mid-engine Corvette’s dash is clearly visible from this angle, and is reminiscent of the unit found in the current Corvette C7. Right below the windshield on the driver’s side is the Head Up Display (HUD) projection unit; the defog duct for the windshield is located more toward the center. This angle also confirms our earlier suspicions that the future Vette will have a steering wheel with a flat top as well as a flat bottom, a feature that was likely inspired by the race-going Corvette C7.R.
Corvette C7.R Steering Wheel
A close-up view of the front also reveals a pair of traditional “parallel” windshield wipers. Pay no mind to that big red button between the driver and co-pilot. That’s for testing purposes only.
Recently, a person who claims to have seen the mid-engine Corvette interior recreated the layout of the cabin. The drawing is located above.
About The Mid-Engine Corvette
The mid-engine Corvette, commonly referred to as the Corvette C8 (for eight-generation Corvette), is an upcoming sports/supercar from General Motors’ Chevrolet brand. Expected to launch for the 2020 model year, the model is expected to deliver the first overhaul (redesign and re-engineering) of the Corvette since the 2014 model year, when the current, seventh-generation model was launched.
The most notable change for the Corvette C8 is the switch to a mid-engine layout, which represents a significant departure in engineering compared to the first seven Corvette generations, which had a front-engine layout. The transformation is believed to be a result of engineers wanting to deliver an even better driving experience and handling than the current model, especially at the limit. In that regard, a mid-engine layout delivers allows for a greater performance envelope than the front-engine layout.
The mid-engine Corvette is expected to be powered by several new gasoline engines mated to a dual-clutch automatic transmission. An electric or electrified variant is possible, potentially called Corvette E-Ray, which GM has already trademarked. One of the models will likely be called Corvette Manta Ray (also trademarked) and another Corvette Zora (trademarked as well) as a tribute to the first Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov. Nicknamed “Father of the Corvette”, Arkus-Duntov is credited with pioneering the idea of a mid-engine Corvette.
We expect the mid-engine Corvette to launch some time in 2019 for the 2020 model year. It will be made at the Corvette factory in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The current, Corvette C7 will likely remain in production for several years alongside the new mid-engine model.
Discussion
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News
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Comments
And great to see this will be Made in USA supporting American workers, unions, local economies small mom-and-pop shops and services, pensions…
Hope they nail the details.
Even Qanon.pub had a comment on it yesterday about Bowling Green and the new Vette. Weird!
We all know the down votes above are from a few butthurt Canadians and anti-American types…That NAFTA deal isn’t turning out so well for them these days…lol
what nafta deal?
Exactly! Remember when Sean was trying to tell us that a new NAFTA deal was “right around the corner”?
NAFTA IS DEAD. The Mexicans outsmarted the Canadians and reached a bi-lateral trade deal with President Trump and the U.S. lol Art of the Deal in action, folks. Now the Canadians under the oh-so-amazing “leadership” of little boy Trudeau are scrambling to save face.
ok … what mexico-us deal?
Mexican Secretary of Economy Ildefonso Guajardo said in a statement. “Mexico will participate in the negotiation of trilateral issues, while continuing to promote an agreement to which Canada is a party.”
so mexico wants canada part of any deal. seems like trump might’ve jumped the gun there.
also, congress would need to approve of any changes to nafta.
I don’t care what anybody thinks i think the interior design is cool I’m cool with a f1 gear changing steering wheel or even a paddle shift automatic as long as it’s user friendly and don’t have no self driving crap like a Google mobile
Nah. I downvoted him because I don’t see how a $70K sports car marketed to the top 10% of the consumer market, and made with world-class performance engineering is going to somehow benefit a mom-and-pop feed and seed store in rural Wisconsin.
The two are so far removed from each other that to connect them would require unbelievable mental gymnastics. Not even the ancient ‘trickle down’ economic theory would work because, by and large, the people who have the disposable income to buy a Corvette and other luxuries don’t own an independent retail store, nor have any reason to buy from them.
Q anon? LOL.
First thing that pops to mind of the steering wheel with all the buttons is that C8 Corvette designers are taking a page from F1 cars and in some ways are probably easier to understand the current steering wheels.
you think the skittles steering wheel will appear on the non-racing version of the c8? i doubt it.
Yep it has an interior, steering wheel and Turn-signal.
I do not expect a ton of surprises inside. Square wheels, hud and dial or button shifters are becoming very common today.
The real thing I am watching for is the quality of materials.
The devil in the details of the interior as to the buttons for the performance systems will be the eye openers. Adjustable suspensions, active aero settings, the touch screen size and how it is used and for what.
“touch screen size and how it is used and for what”
Care to elaborate?
Will they intergrate some of the systems into the screen or will it be a button?
Will it have 360 cameras to see. Ferrari has on on the air dam to see it it will hit.
Mid engine cars have blind spots. I know as I already own one. I can look se a semi there ven with good use of the mirrors.
In other words what technologies will they employee and will the screen be used to set up programming.
Many of the imports set up things on the steering wheel for traction etc. they press this button once and then this one three times.
GM can add it to the DIC in the center of the dash and do it with the wheel buttons or even the HUD so you know what mode you are in.
These detail wiill be the greatest changes we will see.
How easy will the GMP be to set for the air dam adjustable heigh?
“The real thing I am watching for is the quality of materials.”
Based on GM history with their “top of the line”, EuroSport competitor my expectations are very low. Corvette owners always espouse how ‘cheap’ or ‘cost effective’ their cars are, compared to their Euro counterparts. Well boyo, there’s a reason for that – it’s called cheap plastics and low cost materials.
The Euro competition is higher priced because of technology and materials. Oh, and they’re faster too 🙂
I hope they don’t cheapen the interior for the Halo car, but GM beancounters and all that…. Oh and GM switchgear is so 90s too. Time for a major switchgear overhaul.
I am not expecting a interior from a Veyron.
But I do expect an interior fitting of a car in its price range.
Let’s face it the ZR1 came out with $120k price and had the steering wheel from my HRR SS in it. That sends a bad signal.
I am not looking for off the chart but let’s do better than parts bins.
Cadillac suffers the same thing too with parts bin parts on things that people see and touch.
I cant believe people pay attention to what kind of steering wheel is in a car! The steering wheeling is meaningless to the eye! In my opinion.
I have posted this before and people refuse to listen so I’ll post it again
If you think the interior is important on a sports car and you wont take my word that the interior is not important. Then at least take Jay Lenos word on the subject. He said if you get into a ZR1 and the thing you pay attention to most is the interior or you complain about the interior. Then you purchased the wrong car!
I believe people have their priorities backwards, a performance sports car should be judged on just that performance. Not what the buttons or dash feels like.
Brian we have read it before and chose to ignore it just being polite.
Brian you need to understand today’s consumers are looking for a complete package.
You can sell a purist a gutted out car and they would be happy with it even with no roll up windows or roof. But what would you do with the remaining 30,000 Corvettes?
On the other hand you sell the car as a complete package and it sells to everyone be it a purist, enthusiast or poser. In the end the better the car the easier the Sale, the higher the profits. Then when you go to make a new business case you have ample proof to get a new one approved.
The bottom line Brian this is about more than just you!
You really need to start looking big picture at the real world and then you will at least understand. You don’t have to like it but understanding would advance your credibility to at least give you some.
No I don’t expect Veyron levels of refinement either, but a $120K sports car/”supercar” (thinking ZR1 levels obviously) SHOULD have its own bespoke switchgear, not something stolen from the $29K Silverado Custom parts bin. I think we on on the same page there.
The way they implement the man-machine interface with the on board technology is crucial – at least to my way of thinking. If they have awesome tech, let the driver interact with it and adjust it to their preference. If it’s all hidden and driven by on board computers with no human interaction it loses some of the excitement. Showing your mates how to lower the aero with a push button/touchscreen control is all part of the image IMHO – especially when it’s burnt out a $120K hole in your back pocket.
Oh, and cheap plastics are still cheap plastics no matter what way you look at them or touch them,
Why do people give a dam about what type of materials the interior will be made out of? Will the type of materials make the Zora go faster? Handle better? Stop faster?
Nope, spend all of the time and money on the exterior and and drivetrain!
People give a damn because they aren’t buying actual race cars, they’re buying street cars. The interior of an ACTUAL racecar is anything but a pleasant place to be. A street car needs to fulfill multiple roles, not just one.
Proof that you’re not Corvette material.
You may not think I am Corvette material! (Which you would be wrong. Like you normally are) So would you consider Jay Leno as a guy that is Corvette material? Do you think his opinion matters? Most people! And it’s funny that we seem to have the same opinion on this issue.
You either like sports cars or you dont! Jay Leno does, I do as well, what about you?
I don’t have to hear of someone’s opinion. They either have the money to buy a Corvette, or they don’t. That goes for Leno too.
And for an off-brand independent mechanic with a 40 year old CK as leverage, EVERYONE knows you’re not Corvette material.
Because if bitching were flying, this place would be an airport……
And that kind of simple minded acceptance brought us Corvettes with Vega Steering wheels and or C4 models with failed dashes and broken seats.
Speed is worthless if the car is in the shop or the resale is in the tank.
Even worse if the seat is not designed to let you use all the handling because you have to use your knees to hold yourself in the seat because they used a seat that will not hold you in.
I am sure they will have good seats but will the bolster hold up or the material tear?
It matters.
The lack of a manual option is upsetting but I’m still excited to see this car. At least it’s a dual clutch and not the 8spd in the current corvette.
I can’t believe, well…. I can believe because the girls here are already complaining about an interior that they cant see….but I can’t believe that no one has pointed out that this looks to have a double HUD, I’ve seen some past proposals where GM has shown a HUD that can go across the whole windshield, this isn’t that, but it does look like there will be a HUD in the center of the car, this could be the first car in the world with that feature.