AutoExtremist: Mid-Engined Corvette a Reality?

[nadepalma]

I didn't see this anywhere and thought it was too good and too well put together to be just a normal speculation piece.

What do you fellas think?

SOURCE: http://www.autoextremist.com/index.shtml


1992 CERV III Mid-Engined Corvette Concept

Originally Posted by AutoExtremist

RANTS by Peter M. De Lorenzo

AN AUTOEXTREMIST EXCLUSIVE: The Mid-Engined Corvette is not only back on the front burner - it looks to be a certainty. ©2007 Autoextremist.com

Detroit. It was already supposed to be a done deal that the seventh generation of the Corvette would arrive in its current, front-engined, rear-wheel-drive configuration - albeit slightly smaller, lighter and with two engine choices. There was serious talk of an extremely limited production mid-engined "super" Corvette (fewer than 500 units), which would be built as an adjunct program to the traditional car, but that had not been decided. That's the way we reported it many weeks ago, and that was the assumption by many in the business as to how it was going to go down - until now. But after my conversations late last week with executives at the top of the company (who shall remain nameless for obvious reasons), I can tell you that the "idea" of a mid-engined "C7" Corvette has not only progressed far beyond the initial planning stages, the engineering on the car is well underway.

What brought on this monumental philosophical shift? Read on...

1. Cost. Up until this point, the argument that the Corvette's fundamental high-performance-for-the-money equation - one that has been a hallmark of the car since Zora Arkus-Duntov took over the program in the mid-50s - would be compromised with a mid-engined car has held sway over every future Corvette product discussion/decision. That's no longer the case, apparently. The two key stumbling blocks for a mid-engined Corvette that have always put a damper on previous discussions were the sophisticated, complex and highly expensive transaxle required, and the extremely difficult cooling challenges. The transaxle in particular has a heavy cost-per-piece price that cannot be subjected to shortcuts due to the engineering requirements necessary to accommodate the high horsepower output of a proper Corvette.

GM has found a way to solve these issues while still maintaining the Corvette's fundamental value proposition and while still delivering the kind of high performance expected of a car that wears the famed Corvette name. I have it on impeccable authority that as a result of the intensive engineering push on the C7 in the last five weeks, the new car will have a target base price that's very close to a loaded Corvette convertible of today, a number that will keep the future mid-engined Corvette well within reach of its core buyers at current volume levels. This would also obviously allow the Corvette to remain true to its raison d'etre - and continue to outperform cars costing thousands upon thousands more.

Judging by the digital images I have seen, the new mid-engined Corvette is sensational looking, which, given GM Design's roll of late, certainly shouldn't be a surprise. Futuristic, purposeful and bristling with exquisite "signature" Corvette design elements - with no "blades" and no bull**** gimmicks - the new Corvette is everything the Corvette faithful could hope for. But an interesting sidebar? Judging by the reactions of people I have spoken to who have seen it, the Cadillac XLR variant of the mid-engined car is drop-dead gorgeous too.

2. The Technological Imperative. There has always been a passionate group of True Believers within General Motors, Chevrolet and GM Racing that wanted to push the Corvette envelope further and aggressively present and promote the sports car as a technological showcase for the entire corporation. This group has always believed that GM has squandered the success of the Corvette - not only failing to use the power of the Corvette brand in corporate image advertising but failing to let the car's significant achievements in racing in recent years speak forcefully on behalf of the corporation in terms of technical ability. This is a belief I share, by the way, because in an era when GM - and the rest of Detroit - is literally and figuratively on the ropes and has become the favorite punching bag of the anti-car, anti-Detroit "intelligentsia" (and I use that term derisively) in the media and in Washington, here is a car that not only humbles cars costing thousands more on the street, it regularly competes and wins against the best that the competition has to offer on racetracks around the world. And its success goes largely unnoticed and unappreciated both within and outside the corporation.

READ MORE HERE

[flashisflamable]

is that a credible site?

[paul8488]

Meet the 2008 Cobalt... it's jammed in the rear end of a Corvette. I love the Vette and all, but it's just about perfect. As much as I generally try and support cool cars like this, does GM REALLY need to focus on this right now?

[nadepalma]

Originally Posted by flashisflamable

is that a credible site?

De Lorenzo is typically reliable for news and info -- but he's more of a commentator -- usually he doesn't speuclate about stuff like this unless he has a real bite. If he spoke to someone (he's really connected at GM -- his father worked for the company, he lived down the street from Billy Mitchell as a kid and he worked for GM too for a time), he must have a reason to be all riled up.

Just thought I'd post it to see what folks thought....

My question: is this truly gonna be the ONLY Corvette and all we'll have is a mid-engined car? Or will we have a "two-tiered" Corvette --- that is the normal Front-Engined/RWD vehicle will remain, but we'll also have more up-level Mid-Engined car as well?

Could this be the start of a more pronounced and multi-model "Corvette" brand within Chevrolet? It would fit the European strategy...

[supraracer]

I hope this is true. I remember seeing the CERV III Mid-Engined Corvette concept at a car show and it blew mre away; even had a poster on my bedroom wall. GM needs to show that they are as technically advanced as anyone out there. This car along with the Volt and the 2-tier hybrids will showcase GM's techincal ability.

[RWD60]

Originally Posted by nadepalma

My question: is this truly gonna be the ONLY Corvette and all we'll have is a mid-engined car? Or will we have a "two-tiered" Corvette --- that is the normal Front-Engined/RWD vehicle will remain, but we'll also have more up-level Mid-Engined car as well?

i think/hope this is what they'll do.

have the base/Z06 model as the current setup upgraded with a mid-engined "Blue Devil" type model. and have the XLR be based off of the midengined form to go against the R8 and such.

either way, this should be interesting to see.

[Al465]

Originally Posted by flashisflamable

is that a credible site?

There is no way GM is going to blow away money for a mid-engine Vette. The new Vette is just about as perfect as it can get. I've been a Vette fan all my life and I now own a 2007 convertible Z51 and believe me, it's will be hard to make it better.

[mikest00]

Originally Posted by paul8488

Meet the 2008 Cobalt... it's jammed in the rear end of a Corvette. I love the Vette and all, but it's just about perfect. As much as I generally try and support cool cars like this, does GM REALLY need to focus on this right now?

Why not? Isn't it the flagship of Chevrolet maybe even GM? And it's not like everything stops at GM to work on the Vette. Doesn't every project at GM has its own budget and engineers (especially when it comes to the Vette)? I can't possibly see this interfering with the Cobalt or anything else for that matter.

[Kappa113]

I am somewhat concerned with the price point. Right now a 2007 base coupe cost's $44,995. They said the C7 would be approximately the cost of a fully loaded convertible. I just priced one out on the Chevy website and selected all the options on a 3LT except for OnStar and the price was $65,800. That is a HUGE difference in price. I may be misunderstanding and I hope I am. That price may be good in terms of what you are getting and cars you can compete with, however that price tier is on a whole different level.

[paul8488]

Oh I know it's the flagship of GM... but it already does an amazing job of that! As a car enthusiast I love the idea... I just have a tiny twinge of practicality that tells me that GM's limited resources would be better spent elsewhere. But at the end of the day they'll do what they want... and a mid-engine Corvette will be awesome!

[trans am]

I think the corvette should stay front engine. I like the idea of a small, affordable, extremely fast, mid-engine GM car, I just think it should be a Pontiac and be called the fiero.

[asrapid]

In article there is also mention of mid-engine cadillac xlr.

[jbernie]

On one hand... taking the Corvette to the next level sounds great, on the other, a Corvette is a RWD front engine sports car.

This is one of those changes that can kill a brand. If the people like it, you are a hero and the media will worship you, if they walk away you are so screwed and even the most faithful Corvette fan will have trouble defending you.

I think GM should use this as the expansion of "Corvette" as a brand, continue to evolve the current vehicle, keep the rwd/front engine layout. Keep building a Z06. Then bring in this mid engine car as a new model.

The Cadillax XLR can change as it doesn't carry 50 years of heritage with it and it should be the hightech top luxury sports car within GM, the Corvette and variants is the top level performance.

Maybe Porsche can build us a front engine 911 as well?

[bcjohnso99]

IMHO, Corvette should be a brand, not a model. Given the general public's opinion of Chevrolet in the last decade or three, the Corvette must have lost some credibility for being associated with it - especially for those with money to afford more expensive cars, for whom image is part of the purchase.

Keep the current (and excellent) car as the entry model, a Z06 mid-level and a mid-engine semi-exotic (shared with Caddy ala Cien).

If the brand does well, consider a competitor to Lambo and Ferrari in a few years.

[Chaz_23]

As much as I like the front engine Vette, with the new Camaro, and with GM's tendency to dump the Vette's engine into anything that doesn't sell, it makes sense that the Vette be something above and beyond a Camaro. If De Lorenzo is so thrilled it must be one heck of a car. Plus, if midengine makes this thing perform even better, then go for it.