Posted By Nicole Wakelin
The rumor mill is once again working overtime with speculation about a mid-engine Corvette looming just around the corner. Those rumors got a little more solid thanks to recent comments by General Motors Executive Vice President of Global Product Development Mark Reuss, who said that the next-gen ‘Vette is already in process.
The 2017 Corvette Zora ZR1 is allegedly that next-gen car and it will, according to the October issue of Car and Driver, be a mid-engine car. This will be the top of the line Corvette with a low volume of 1500 units annually, but a high price estimated at around $150,000.
The engine on this new ‘Vette won’t be changing, with small-block V8s hanging around for the foreseeable future, but its placement is changing and that’s the big news. The Zora ZR1 will have her engine tucked right in front of the rear axle.
The mid-engine will also require some tweaks to the aluminum frame, which GM can easily accomplish by reprogramming its robotic frame fabrication processes. The doors will likely also be changed from fiberglass to a more lightweight carbon fiber.
As for the chassis, that will be in need of a rework, too. The control-arm suspensions, composite leaf springs, and adjustable magnetic dampers, as well as the Brembo brakes, will all be getting upgrades worthy of Corvette’s most high-end model.
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