General Motors has denied plans it is considering a mid-engined layout for the next-generation Corvette.
Karl-Friedrich Stracke, GM’s VP of global vehicle engineering, also denied it was testing a V6 engine for Corvette, but said hybrid power “was an interesting idea”.
Last week, a senior Saab engineer revealed the firm had developed a dual-clutch transmission for a mid-engined Corvette and only the credit crunch prevented a mid-engined layout being used in the current car, which was launched in 2008.
Read the full story on the Saab engineer's Corvette claims
The revelation increased speculation of a mid-engined layout being used for the next Corvette in 2014. Stracke denied this and said, “I don’t know who made this public. I think it is wrong.”
A GM spokesman backed up Stracke’s comments, which were made to reporters in the US. “The rumours and speculation about the Corvette are just that. There is no mid-engine in the plans,” they said. The dual-clutch transmission was also ruled out for use in a Corvette.
Stracke says hybrid sports cars will never fully replace models with conventional powertrains, but believes hybrid power can improve both performance and economy.
“The customer always wants power,” he said. “That will not go away. You could keep a normal powertain configuration for a small amount of very excited car enthusiasts and turn 80 to 90 per cent of your sports car portfolio to hybridisation.”
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Re: GM denies mid-engined Corvette
The Corvette is a car that should not be messed around with. It is a combination of engine and layout and even styling that has kept it an icon for such a long time. Just like porsche should never produce a 911 that isnt re engined or aston ever make anything that isnt front engined and luxurious, or even without a v8/v12 engine. I think id be physically sick if aston annouces the new mid engined twin turbo v6 vantage. Its wrong. And its the same with the corvette. The corvette always and always will be a front engined v8 coupe with wedgey styling!
To mess with things like that is really a crime against nature.
Re: GM denies mid-engined Corvette
Like the 911 the Corvette can only ever really be associated with a certain engine and layout, because so long have they been made like that. There's nothing wrong with the next Chevvy sportscar being mid-engined and having something other that a V8, but it'd have to be called something other than Corvette in my book! Just C7 maybe?!
Re: GM denies mid-engined Corvette
I doubt i will ever drive one, but the world is a better place with the Corvette in it. And a Corvette wouldnt be a Corvette without a decent size V8 in the front, and power going to the back.
A Hybrid version would be better still, as long as it doesnt add much weight, and keeps the option of a manual box