Today’s the day. For the first time in it’s 66 year history, the Corvette will no longer be front engined, rear wheel drive. It is now going to be a mid-engined car. Lots of spy photos, speculations, etc have all led up to this reveal party. The stream can be viewed live on the link below.
It’s going to start at 10:30PM EST.
Just to be pedantic, technically the Corvette has been mid-engined for a long time, or more precisely front-mid-engined, because the engine sits behind the front wheels rather than over them. But yes, I know mid-engined had pretty much come to mean rear-mid-engined nowadays.
moreso because in a rear-mid-engine car, the transaxle is aft of the engine and thus the engine is further forward of the rear axle than a front-mid-engine vehicle’s engine is rearward of the front axle.
I think.
This Mopar guy doesn’t like to admit it but the last few Corvette bodies have been liquid hot sexy. I’ll bet this one is also amazing.
I’m very curious to see what they come up with. I’ve always loved Corvettes and my dream rich-guy car is a vintage '63 Split Rear. I often blaspheme by imagining outfitting it with a modern drive train and creature comforts, so I guess I’d probably be happier tooling around in a Aston Martin, sue me.
The C8s were really amazing cars but I could never get over the royally shitty interiors they stuck in them relative to what you get in a comparably priced Porsche or Jaguar. I’m hoping that them taking this massive leap, abandoning the traditional architecture, goes along with them also quitting with the bargain bin retro interiors they use to appease the “common man” sensibilities of the baby boomers buying these things. Fingers crossed.
Whatever happens, I’m sure the traditionalists will howl.
Open question, this will certainly be a very different looking car than the last few generations. What traditional Corvette design elements are “must haves” in this new evolution of the model?
Round tail lights seems like a no brainier. Beyond that, I’m not sure.
No engine in front? Give me those front wheel flares back and run that hood low, like McLaren is wont to do.
To me, what makes a car a Corvette is the curve of the fenders. For a while there, those curves were smoothed away, and a 'Vette just looked like any other sports car. I was glad to see them come back.
none, and it doesn’t have to. The original Corvette was a slow. plodding, tiny roadster. Which didn’t have round taillights. and the 'vette dropped round(ish) tail lights in 2014. This is meant to be something new, not a toy for Boomers who belong in nursing homes.
Some images of the new Corvette have apparently leaked.
H’m. The hood area looks similar, but from there on back it looks rather different to me. The need for engine cooling, I suppose, among other things.
“Let’s stick on as many puckered creases, ridges, furrows, and lines pointing in wildly different directions, as we possibly can!” It looks like a kid tried to fold a paper airplane, fucked it up, unfolded the paper, folded it again, fucked it up again, and then gave up.
Not a fan of this thing whatsoever. Nor of the growing trend of sports cars being offered with a mandatory automatic transmission.
Thank God the classic car restoration industry is as strong as it’s ever been and there are enough parts and smart mechanics out there to keep the old warhorses going forever.
It’s a shame that GM didn’t do this a long time ago. Zora Arkus-Duntov tried to make this happen in the early 1960s and they had a golden opportunity to do it when they unveiled the Corvair. Having spent the money to develop a rear-engined car it would have increased economies of scale to make another car using a rear-mid-engined layout, an all-aluminum engine, and independent rear suspension. Instead, GM being GM, they botched it on both ends in favor of style.
Instead of the Stingray they really ought to call this the Zora.
A dual clutch transmission is 800 million times better than a slushbox, even if they are both “automatic”. just sayin.
OK, that looks like a cool sports car, but it does not look at all like a Corvette.
Jalopnik article on eveything they know officially. Looks pretty complete.
Starting under $60k, will be available in right-hand drive…interesting.
I think it’s fucking sexy. Most supercars to my eye always end up feeling overwrought. To many nooks and crannies. To many seams and facets. This one doesn’t. The front and sides are sleek and seem like they have purpose, they aren’t just a design flourish. The rear view gets a bit busy but that’s not uncommon with these kinds of cars, looking forward to seeing one in person.
The interior is a bit of an wildcard. Looks like the materials are respectable, but will have to see how it looks up close and how it feels, but I don’t see a bunch of shiny plastic and cowls which is an improvement. The big strip of buttons seems like a strange choice and the touch screen looks a little small for a 2020 vehicle. The center console is awfully beefy, not sure why it needed to be so wide. I like the cockpit style setup but perhaps they took that a little too far to the point that it’s downright cramped. Hope to be able to sit in one soon.
I certainly think Corvette will definitely be standing tall next to the rest of the supercars out there. I’m sure the most elite brands that go for $300K and up will walk it down, but I bet it puts up a hell of a show against Audi, BMW, Porsche and even the more mainstream Ferraris and Lambos.
The ugliest piece of shit wanna-be Viper I’ve ever seen. Corvettes have been dead for years. This model proves the fuck out of that. Wake me when they lose the pussy red and the “I Wish I Was Yellow” yellow paper cars. I’m only 185 pounds, but if it hit me in 6th gear (if it HAS that), it’d be totaled. Shit, Kias look more solid than that piece of American crap.
Kinda looks like a Camaro. I suppose that’s just the redesignof the brake lights, but I wonder how many Corvettes I’ve seen in the past few years and assumed it was a Camaro. I didn’t realize they got rid of the big round lights and large flat back that, to me, is the main thing that makes a Corvette look like a Corvette.
that’s out of left field.
oh, and last I checked the Viper has been dead for a couple years now. What killed it? The C7 Corvette.