The mid-engine Corvette C8 is undoubtedly the most hotly anticipated new model to come from the Bow Tie brand in decades. But beyond the hype, there’s decades’ worth of history to this thing as well. Internally at GM, the mid-engine Corvette C8 carries the codename ZERV. While this not officially confirmed, these four letters are likely a nod to the “Father of the Corvette,” Zora Arkus-Duntov, and to his early CERV concept vehicles.
For those who might not know, Zora Arkus-Duntov was a Belgian-born American engineer and race driver who joined GM in 1953 as an assistant staff engineer. Given his racing background, which included several class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, it’s no surprise that Arkus-Duntov was an immediate fan of the Corvette. However, while he found the sports car visually attractive, he also felt as though the Vette’s underpinnings could use improvement.
Zora Arkus-Duntov. Image courtesy of General Motors
During his tenure at GM, Arkus-Duntov helped to broaden Chevrolet’s motorsport offerings and performance catalogue, and was eventually promoted to director of Chevy’s high-performance vehicles. Unsurprisingly, the position included extensive work with the Corvette.
In his new position, Arkus-Duntov helped to usher in the application of the Chevy Small-Block V8 to the Corvette platform in 1955, and he launched the Grand Sport program in 1962 with the intention of creating a lightweight C2 Corvette capable of beating all challengers in GT-class racing.
1963 C2 Corvette Grand Sport
Throughout it all, Arkus-Duntov sought to move the Corvette from a front-engine layout to a mid-engine layout. As a racer and engineer, Arkus-Duntov knew firsthand the benefits of a mid-engine platform, but his push to build a production-ready mid-engine ‘Vette was met time and again by problems and setbacks.
1960 CERV I
However, that didn’t stop him from building prototypes. In 1960, Arkus-Duntov created the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle, or CERV, which mounted a 500-horsepower small-block V8 in the middle of a single-seat, open-wheel, Indy 500-style racer. The CERV also provided suspension development for the 1963 Corvette C2 Sting Ray.
1963 CERV II
In 1963, Arkus-Duntov created the CERV II as an answer to the Ford GT40. This time around, the racer came equipped with a 7.0L Big Block V8 and a shorter wheelbase, but the project was canned after GM management decided to back Chaparral Cars for a run in Can-Am racing.
1990 CERV III
The CERV III arrived in 1986 as a Corvette-based Indy prototype concept, and evolved into a second concept in 1990 that came with a mid-mounted LT5 5.7L twin-turbo V8 producing over 650 horsepower.
Sadly, Arkus-Duntov passed away in 1996, and never saw his dream of a production mid-engine Corvette come to fruition. However, his legacy will live on in the new eighth-generation of his beloved sports car.
Hence, we imagine that ZERV stands for “Zora Engineering Research Vehicle”, or something to that effect.
As a refresher, the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette will move the engine from the front-mounted position of the first seven generations to a new mid-mounted position thanks to an all-new platform and engineering approach. The mid-engine layout is ideal in terms of weight distribution and handling balance, and it is expected to help the mid-engine Corvette C8 achieve new levels of performance and driving enjoyment.
Specs are unknown at this time, but the mid-engine Corvette C8 is expected to be powered by a series of engines, including a new version of GM’s Small Block V8. An electrified powertrain is also possible, as is a higher-output DOHC V8 engine. The mid-engine Corvette C8 will debut this summer on July 18th.
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Comments
The C8 should focus on performance first and foremost!!!
The people who buy these cars these days , including hypercars, also want reliability, comfort and luxury. A one trick pony won’t cut it as you have to have it all.
Hence why McLaren thought that it was necessary to come out with their GT.
https://cars.mclaren.com/new-mclaren-gt
i’m not worried about performance. i’m worried about what is under the camouflage at the rear.
A big fat booty…
if that big fat booty has the camaro’s brown eye, that’ll be a huge disappointment.
I’d venture to say most Vettes never see a track, and are mainly cruisers. The C8 needs to be configurable to do both.
True enough. A greater percentage then ever before are taking their cars (not just vettes) to tracks as more and more tracks become available and affordable. I might take my C6 to the track about the time I need to put new tires on it. A couple of days at the track can be mighty hard on brakes and tires. A set of Michelins for a Grand Sport ring up around 1700 bucks. That is a lot of money to destroy just to experience a couple of days at the track.
I would say 10% or less track their cars on a regular basis (at least that is what I see from the club I belong to).
Focusing on making the C8 look great in a parking lot for a car show is the wrong approach. This Corvette should destroy every car in its wake!!! Both in performance and price.
My question is will the new Camaro get the top of the line engines in the future? The ZL1 is amazing but if it had the LT5 instead of the LT4 its rivals would be in serious trouble. I mean it beats it now!!!
Not going to invest in a new engine when the car isn’t selling.
The engine is already developed
It’s not like a guy dropping in an engine in his garage. The entire car needs to be adapted, re-certified, launched… The ZR-1 is just not an engine but a completely re-engineered car.
Then it would cannibalize the ZL1 but regardless, no business case could justify it. And people would b!tch that the price is too high.
For the Camaro to succeed, it need a complete new (smarter) design. GM knows it and the sales reflect the failure of this generation.
Wrong, it fails because real performance are buying these cars. People who want them to be family cars are not buying them. Which is the way it should be. If you have a family go buy a minivan, it’s what you deserve.
Dont change the Camaro for them.
Receritfing the Camaro with a different engine is no big deal. LT4 was done in both the ZO6 and ZL1.
The ZL1 would still sale, it would be a cheaper alternative to the ZL1 with a LT5.
What do you thinks going to happen to the Camaro when the Corvette moves up market? A higher price Camaro will take its place.
Bob Lutz said that the Mustang had won the race the first time he saw the Camaro design.
It fails because it’s a bathtub with horrendous visibility and poor headroom.
There will be a higher priced Camaro in the next generation.
Visablity is not a issue!!! Maybe for people who can setup a cars mirrors properly. Or expect the Camaro to be a sedan
You’re obviously biased. It’s the most common issue with the Camaro and the main reason sales are in the tank.
I sure hope GM fixed the wheel flaw we are suffering through on the C7 GS and Z06’s!
Ugly wheels aren’t a flaw….just a deficiency! New mid-engine Corvette will cater to the elite while trying to be America’s sports car, but the poser image will neuter it to both customer groups. After years of wanting a Corvette, the new mid-engine layout really turns me off, and I’m just really not into any Corvette anymore as a result. Then again at 36, I’m older than those at GM lust after, and after being a “Free Agent”, as they called us Pontiac fans/owners during bankruptcy, I know they don’t want me to be a customer…at least until I quit buying GM! Then it’s a game to get us back as they love to call us “Conquest Customers” But as an enthusiast, when I stop being interested, it’s too late, I’ll have moved my loyalty to someone who does appreciate it! And as of this point, I’m leaning on a gently used S-Class over anything GM. Sad considering how I’ve never owned anything but GM, and defended GM to a point of a very heated argument on an airplane once. There was once nearly two dozen GM vehicles I pined over to various degrees, now there is none!
What did I profess, that once the C8 debuts people cut it down every chance they get. Instead of praising GM for finally build a mid engine Corvette. People will find one thing about it they dont like about it call the C8 a failure.
I guess I can predict the future!!!
This is just pathetic, you are bashing a Corvette that is not even available to be looked at in person.
As for you being a GM fan, your not. Face it!
I think its important to realize thought that what’s made Vette fans up to this point might be the thing that alienates them with a mid engine car. Current and previous buyers likely bought the car because its a half decent GT car. In high gear you can get decent mileage, you can fit enough gear in it for an weekend away and if you want to take it to the track you can do so and still have quite a bit of fun. Many purists have loved the front engine rear drive layout because that’s what it’s always been. Its been something GM hasn’t messed with until now. I think it’s unreasonable to bash someone who thinks that they will likely not be interested in this car because of it’s new layout because people can think whatever they like. Realistically the new C8 will cost more, likely have less cargo room and likely be more expensive to service/maintain. Those things still remain to be seen, but personally I wish they would keep the front engine car out for 90% of buyers, but have a boutique car that’s mid engine to compete with others in the same class. I’ll be the first one to admit that the Vette has never really got me excited for other reasons, but to say someone isn’t a GM fan because they’re not a fan of the C8 seems a little silly to me.
Remember the huge amount of crap that was thrown at the C7 when it was released? A lot of it coming from so called Corvette purists. Expect more of the same here with the C8.
It’s like that with EVERY Corvette generation.
The same bunch didn’t like the C4 because of it looked too European and didn’t have a T-top.
The brand new platform dispensed with the old technical challenges and structural weakness of the C3, and reintroduced the convertible.
The same bunch didn’t like the C5 because of the notchback.
Then the Z06 model dropped.
The same bunch didn’t like the C6 because it didn’t have pop-up headlights.
The aerodynamics were better, and we were all happy.
The same bunch didn’t like the C7 because it looks like a GTR and the tailights were square and looked like the 5th gen Camaro’s.
The C7 ZR1 is the highest and greatest expression of the Corvette in history, and nobody is going to say that it was a limp-wristed exercise in design and engineering.
Now, the C8 is 56 days away.
I already know the complaints will come, and I already know they won’t be heard forever.
My ONLY issue with the C8 is the cost. It appears it will run about $100k with the options most of us typically add. I’m afraid that will price a lot of traditional buyers will be priced out of the market. We’ll see.