2020 C8 Mid-Engined Corvette Confirmed

In reply to carguy123 :

Sounds like you want a Lotus Evora 400, not a Corvette.

End of Cayman production is 3..2..1......

I also can't wait to see what the bodykits end up looking like, midengined GMs make for the best kit car starting point. 

I can't wait to see the crazy driveline swaps start once they're out getting totaled. Whole new game for the Pro-Touring crowd. Your LS swapped ponycar/musclecar is now outdated, have you seen the mid engine Vette swaps into XXX cars.

Infinite troll points if the body kit makes it look like a Fiero.

NOT A TA said:

I can't wait to see the crazy driveline swaps start once they're out getting totaled. Whole new game for the Pro-Touring crowd. Your LS swapped ponycar/musclecar is now outdated, have you seen the mid engine Vette swaps into XXX cars.

I'm hopeful but also a little hesitant.  Only because the newer ECMs and TCMs require hacking before you can play with them, and/or require a lot more credits to tune with HP Tuners.  IIRC the 10-speed auto needs to be sent in for modification, and then it costs something crazy like 4 or 8 credits (ant $50 a pop) to register.  Nothing like the old PCMs where two credits got you access to the engine AND the trans since it was all in one controller.

On the other hand, mid engine twin clutch transmission with a "Chevy" bellhousing pattern.  Who cares what engine it CAME with, let's see what we can attach TO it.  Anybody want to make a 500ci big-block Can Am replica?

captdownshift said:

I also can't wait to see what the bodykits end up looking like, midengined GMs make for the best kit car starting point. 

My first thought was an FFR GTM. Pretty much completely solves the transaxle sourcing issue and could completely replace the custom built unit they're currently selling. That alone makes the kit significantly more attractive.

In reply to MTechnically :

Nope, don't like the Evora that much.

I was quite clear about what I want

In reply to carguy123 :

Yes, you were pretty clear that what you want doesn't fit the description of a Corvette, but instead described something much closer to the current Evora...

If this is really going to show up in a similar price range as the current model, I might have to forego my ludicrous plan of buying an Alfa Giulia QV. 

captdownshift said:

I'm shocked and somewhat impressed by GMs plan to eradicate boomers. I wonder how much they got from Pzifer to hold off on this plan until after Viagra went generic. 

Are you saying that Medicare is actually funding the engineering of this car so they can dodge expensive last two years of life cases?

In reply to Robbie :

I’d rather crash in a ‘vette than fade away in a hospice. 

Knurled. said:

Anybody want to make a 500ci big-block Can Am replica?

Yes.

Even though numerous auto journalists have proclaimed that the Corvette needs to go to a pure mid-engine layout to accelerate mid-corner, I disagree. The Viper ACR didn't have any of these issues that the C7 Z06 or ZR1 had, with the same front-mid engine layout. I think that the engineers at Chevy saw that the FRS/BRZ are fun RWD cars because they're real tail happy, so they made the C7 handle like that. However, with a minimum of 450 hp, it's a vastly different driving experience, and it doesn't help with track times in head-to-head comparisons. Also, the journalists rave that the 911s feel excellent when hustling them around a track or a back road, not just that they handle really well. The GM engineers could have just spent a little more development time making the Corvette feel closer to a precision driving weapon like the 911, and it would work as a front-mid engine layout. Either way, the new layout should help it handle better, but it won't magically fix the problem.

Mr_Clutch42 said:front-mid engine layout.

"Front mid engine" is a marketing term that Mazda's advertising agency invented.  It's not an actual vehicle layout, it's just a happenstance of where the front axle centerline is.

When I see "Front mid engine", I think "Corinthian leather" or "road-hugging weight". 

(The irony:  No front-engined Mazda actually had the engine behind the front axle centerline)

My annoyance at people inventing their own terminology for nonexistent standards aside...

Driver position within the wheelbase is shockingly important as far as handling is concerned.  Ultimately, vehicle control is down to where the driver's inner ear is located, and there's something magical about that being roughly centered in the wheelbase.

I'm thinking of the MkII Escort vs. the Capri.  People who've driven both in similar states of tune will tell you that the Escort feels a lot more controllable, moreso than the 3" or so of wheelbase difference would suggest.  The difference is that the Escort driver is sitting a little more balanced within the wheelbase.

With a heavily set back front engined car, your head is much closer to the rear axle.  With a mid engined car, your head is closer to the midpoint in the wheelbase.

Sorry, front mid engine was a term being used by the likes of Lotus and Marcos back in the 50’s and 60’s. It’s a real term applied to and by race teams for decades. Modern marketing speak it ain’t. 

In reply to Adrian_Thompson :

When the SAE accepts it as a  vehicle layout classification and adds it to their standards, I'll accept it too.  Until then, it's bullE36 M3tium.  Moving the axle centerline to redefine the chassis as a different layout is like AMC extending the bumper to make a car "larger" so that it fit into a different emissions classification.

If the base price really does stay close to the C7, this looks like a hell of a weapon for the money. Lack of a real manual is definitely disappointing though.

I'm interested to see what this does to used Vette pricing...

HIn reply to Knurled. :

lets agree to disagree.  If it was good enough for Colin Chapman, it’s good enough for me  

Will it have a DOHC engine is the bigger question.  Car looks good as far as I can tell.

If the base base base car comes in under $60k, and it doesn't weigh too much, it will be one hell of an intriguing car. All this time I thought it was going to be a premium version that would sell for nearly exotic money. I'm glad the'll make a version that does that too, but a 400ish hp version for loaded Silverado money is pretty sweet. 

nimblemotorsports said:

Will it have a DOHC engine is the bigger question.  Car looks good as far as I can tell.

Yeah because GM hasn’t really been able to do anything with pushrod motors.  

I don't see why a mid-engined car should cost as much as a front-engined one.  Yes, they'll have to have a new platform and gearbox after 23 years, but losing a driveshaft, a coupling, half of the cabin heat insulation, and a foot of width in every car should pay off if the sales numbers are good!

chaparral said:

I don't see why a mid-engined car should cost as much as a front-engined one.  Yes, they'll have to have a new platform and gearbox after 23 years, but losing a driveshaft, a coupling, half of the cabin heat insulation, and a foot of width in every car should pay off if the sales numbers are good!

I was thinking the same thing.  We expect it to cost more simply because we associate mid engine with high end exotics.  Given the maths of large number efficiencies, this is still roughly the same quantity of raw materials and parts as a C7, and as noted could even be seen potentially as a reduction in parts.  

I understand there's a lot of R&D and engineering going into it, but most new platforms would require similar amounts of testing and design regardless of layout.  

I'm not in the market to buy one, but I think it's neato.