A new report from Automobile might clear some confusion about the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette. After decades of rumor and speculation, America’s sports car is all but confirmed to finally make the switch to a mid-engine configuration (about which we have mixed feelings). We’ve seen some pretty telling spy shots of the mid-engine ‘Vette, but we’ve also seen (barely) camouflaged versions of a new, current-generation (C7) Corvette with a big wing and some other aggressive-looking aerodynamics. This, we believe, is the C7 ZR1, which will sit atop the C7 food chain. Automobile speculates the new ZR1 will make over 700 horsepower, and we already know it does pretty damn well on the track.
So, what do all of these Cs and Zs mean? It means the current, C7 Corvette is likely to be sold alongside the upcoming C8 “Zora,” named after the father of Corvette performance, Zora Arkus-Duntov, who was also a proponent of putting the Corvette’s engine behind the driver. Both cars are expected to be sold together as 2019 models, and possibly continue for a couple model years before the C7 is phased out.
The C7 ZR1 could be the last hurrah for the classically configured front-engine, rear-drive Corvette that has soldiered on for over 60 years. While a beloved sports car—and arguably already the best car in its class for the money—Chevy has decided it’s time to move the Corvette upmarket and take the mid-engine plunge. The C8 Zora should have what it takes go toe-to-toe with the likes of the Audi R8 and the McLaren 570S while finally out-handling the next-oldest name in premium sports cars, the Porsche 911.
A rumor that’s almost as old as the mid-engine Corvette gossip is the notion that GM will spin Corvette off from Chevy, to become its own brand of performance cars. Could two different Corvettes sold side-by-side in the same model year be a hint that the second-hottest Corvette rumor could also come true?
The Automobile report suggests the 2019 Corvette(s) will go on sale in mid- to late 2018. The C7 ZR1 is expected to start at $105,000, while the mid-engine C8 Zora could start anywhere from $65,000-$95,000. Which car would you rather have?