The Corvette C8 is the realization of a dream that Zora Arkus-Duntov, largely regarded as the true father of the Chevrolet Corvette, had held for years. Arkus-Duntov pushed GM to move the sports car to a mid-engine platform during his time spent with the automaker and even though GM produced multiple mid-engine Corvette concepts over the years, it took until the 2020 model year for GM to finally greenlight a production-ready Corvette with a mid-mounted V8.
While many car enthusiasts are over the moon that the Corvette has moved to a mid-engine platform, there are some Corvette fans who maintain that a true Corvette has the engine out front. Among them is amateur car designer Pedro Ruperto Mallosto, who recently decided to use his graphic design talents to illustrate a theoretical, front-engine Corvette C9 coupe.
Despite the reversion back to the front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, Mallosto’s creation is undeniably contemporary. The front end is extremely futuristic thanks to a pair of narrow, angry-looking LED headlights and a large lower grille/air intake, while the sides take on a similar shape to the C6 and C7 Corvette. Meanwhile, the rear end features the same center-mounted, quad-tip exhaust as the C7 Corvette, but improves on the look with a pair of oval-shaped taillights that sort of remind us of the Ferrari SF90 Stradale.
While most fan-made renders are a bit unrealistic in their execution, Mallosto’s Corvette C9 rendering looks as though it could actually enter production. We have our doubts GM would ever go back to a front-engine layout for the Corvette after investing so much into the mid-engine Corvette C8 platform, however, so there’s little chance that Chevrolet will make the Corvette C9 a front-engine model.
We’re still waiting on the Corvette C8-based performance variants like the Z06 and ZR1, so we don’t want to get too ahead of ourselves thinking about the Corvette C9. For now, Chevy fans can let us know if Mallosto’s Corvette C9 rendering is a hit or miss in the comments down below.
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Comments
It’s called the Aston Martin Vulcan. Been don not impressive.
THIS LOOKS BETTER THAN (TRACK ONLY) VULCAN!!!!!!
Zora wanted a mid engine. Zora made the front engine. Zora is the father of the Corvette and therefor the front and mid engine designs are Both the genuine article. A Chevrolet Corvette purist who actually understands the Corvette and it’s history should appreciate both layouts equally.
One may preferred to another (personal preference), yet both are genuine Chevrolet Corvette to it’s very foundation. A mid engine layout isn’t the Corvette trying to be like somebody else, it’s being what it was originally intended to be.
Well said.
The Corvette finally has reached its destination.
Everything else was while good Just the journey,
“Well said.”
a few sentences down-
“Everything else was while good just the journey,”
replying to-
“A Chevrolet Corvette purist who actually understands the corvette and it’s history should appreciate both layouts equally.”
I see no connection.
The mid-front engine corvette had a good run, it has run it’s well acclaimed coarse and the Corvette team took it to heights beyond what at one time was probably thought to be unattainable.
It is time to let go and let it rest in peace!
The mid-engine Corvette was long over due, it’s just too bad Zora was never able see it happen or to see the C8 with everything that it is and what it’s about to accomplish itself and what it will lead to in the future.
It could be the base for a future “no-engine” electric (or “E-Ray”) Corvette.
Put what ever your considering into a C8 chassis also and which would you rather have?
As the owner of several late model GM performance cars (including a modified C7 Grand Sport), I can honestly say that the mid-engine platform was inevitable. The C7 was a perfectly balanced, front engine sports car. IMHO, the C7 ZR1 could even be labeled as a supercar. The C7 was just that good. GM had exhausted the front engine platform. It was engineered to the max and the Corvette was not capable of evolving anymore with the front engine setup. The mid-engine layout provides an entirely new design that elevates the model to a whole new level. The possibilities of the C8 are endless right now.
It was not inevitable. The original plan was for the C8 to be front engine. It would most likely look like a mix of C7 and this, with AWD.
One has to think that when 2035 rolls around and the Corvette is made into an EV; this design of the Corvette could be a possibility especially when front engine or mid-engine may not mean as much.
The mid-engine one is a performance beast. But I expected it to be better-design. The front end could be lower, the headlights are bulbous, grille is generic and boring.
I like the rear end, however. The interior is great too.
My problem with the C8 is that it shares no styling elements with the classic vettes.
What we’ll probably see in the near future is for Chevrolet to introduce a C8 Corvette with a wide-body to support larger tires as the tire wells of a C8 Corvette is a bit on the tight side and difficult to use anything other than the OEM size tires.
Shut off the stability control and just see what car is better naturally.
The C7 was like the F117. It needed the electronics to extract all they could.
Love the C9 rendering if it has a standard shift I would be first in line to buy one.
I could just hear the electric motor looking at that thing. If that’s what the all-electric future looks like, I won’t mind it.
The LS1 engine replaced the tried and true SB in ’97 because the old SB had exhausted its possibilities. The same is also true with the Y-Body platform. To progress to the next stage, the mid- engine location has to be the only option.
great drawing.that is what a corvette should look like