In a time where manufacturers are punching out new cars like tickets of a blockbuster cinema, there comes an icon every now and then, that is far removed from this daily automotive humdrum. An icon that is born of pure heritage, untarnished by takeovers, mergers and fallacious throwbacks to ancestry. The Chevrolet Corvette is undeniably one.
The car, last seen in its quad-tailpipe ‘Stingray’ manifestation in 2017, is slated to return this 2020, this time in a rear mid-engine format. While a mid-engine Corvette has been on the cards since as far as 1957, it is only until a few days ago that Chevrolet confirmed the launch dates.
Firepower is expected to come from a 6.2L V8 LT2 engine that will take churn at least 500 hp for the base variant. A Tremec 7-speed DCT gearbox will handle transmission duties, sending power to all four wheels. The car, a part of the ‘C8’ series will be hybridised to go up to the 900-1000 hp range, later in its product life cycle. Other mechanical modifications to be made to the hybrid variants will include a flat crankshaft, overhead cams and twin turbochargers.
Two other giveaways of something big happening are the patents Chevrolet applied for recently. One of them is the ‘Active Hybrid Spoiler’ with multimode adjustability to suit road and track purposes alike. The other is the copyright over the name ‘Zora’, the name of Corvette’s godfather, indicating that the top spec variants could bear the name as a tribute.
Apart from the road going version, prototypes of a track version have also been seen doing the rounds. The C8 mid-engine Corvette is set to be unveiled on July 17, 2019. It is speculated to retail at a starting price of $60,000 to – $70,000.
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