Stop the presses! Mid-engine Corvette in development; confirmed by Saab engineers?

Before things went all tipsy in the auto market, the engineers at General Motors were apparently hard at work on some pretty interesting projects. How interesting? How about an actual mid-engine Corvette? Autocar says that an unnamed Saab engineer confirmed that the Swedish automaker had actually been charged with developing a transmission for such a beast when the company was still under The General's wing. Evidently, the cog box used a wet clutch setup and was built to handle up to 590 lb-ft of torque. If you're keeping score at home, you'll likely note that those twist figures are just south of what the ZR1 puts to the pavement right now.

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http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/05/mid-engined-corvette-development-confirmed-by-saab-engineers/

What do you guys think?

As for me..

This would destroy what the 'Vette is known for and has come to deliver for the past 50 or so years.

Do not want. Vettes are RWD in my book. Call it something else, and I'm willing to take a look..

Change is good. It's not like anyone is going to forget what the Vette has been for 50 years.

I don't see it happening in my lifetime if GM listens to the Corvette fans.

Anyone else remember how pissed people got in the late '80's/early '90's when Ford wanted to reinvent the Mustang as a 4/6 cyl fwd import fighter? It was instead introduced as a seperate model and named after a rectal thermometer.

Anything is possible. The only thing I don't want to see is the V6 turbo. While I imagine the thinking behind that is to cut costs, the Corvette just isn't a Corvette without a V8. Don't have anything against it, though.

You should really add a poll to settle this.

First the Epsilon-II Impala, then the pig of a Z28 and now a mid-engined Corvette? Man, GM is trying to piss everyone off, aren't they?

Sort of want. I love the Corvette in it's current format, big, front engined V-8, but I can't see it as a bad thing when they do almost inevitably switch to a mid engined platform.

Flerbizky

Do not want. Vettes are RWD in my book.

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But... it doesn't mention drivetrain?

It'll probably still be RWD, with the engine shifted.

speed157

Anything is possible. The only thing I don't want to see is the V6 turbo. While I imagine the thinking behind that is to cut costs, the Corvette just isn't a Corvette without a V8. Don't have anything against it, though.

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Except... The Corvette was introduced with a straight 6.

StigNumbers

but I can't see it as a bad thing when they do almost inevitably switch to a mid engined platform.

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Really?

Rotary Junkie

Except... The Corvette was introduced with a straight 6.

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QFT. 👍

ROAD_DOGG33J

Really?

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If they want to continue fighting the Europeans on their own turf, they'll either need to seriously iron out the issues they have with the current Corvette, like the heavy shifter and the touchy rear end, or start with a platform that already has good dynamics, like an MR. And to be honest, I've never known GM to refine things very much.

StigNumbers

If they want to continue fighting the Europeans on their own turf, they'll either need to seriously iron out the issues they have with the current Corvette, like the heavy shifter and the touchy rear end, or start with a platform that already has good dynamics, like an MR. And to be honest, I've never known GM to refine things very much.

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The Merc SLS seems to be getting good reviews, and it does it with a solid stolen-Viper FR platform.

There are advantages to both, and there have been rumours and prototypes every single generation of mid-engine Vettes running around.

I'm sure we'll see a mid-engine Vette for public consumption right around the time we see a 911 with it's engine anywhere other than the arse.

I'd be more interested in a mid engined Saab with 590lb-ft of torque.

YOU KNOW ITS TRUE.

If they're developing such a car, I'd want it to be a Cadillac, if GM are going to have an exotic mid-engined supercar it should be a Caddy like the Cien concept only with a more modern look. I'm pretty sure the C7 will still be front-engined, it's not like the C6 Corvette isn't one of the best FR cars around even if it's been starting to show its age for a short while now.

They tried to do it before in 1973 with this mid-engined Rotary powered ( this concept was build on the chassis of a Porsche 914 ) smaller Corvette which they wanted to aim at the Ferrari Dino/Porsche 911 market.
But the Oil Crisis actually killed the plans to build it.



And even 3 years before that in 1970 they made a mid-engined concept, both these car are called Corvette XP followed by a number ( XP possibly meaning experimental ).



So there's some history ( so I'm not shocked ) to it I guess and it actually makes a lot of sense to me to broaden the Corvette range a bit and include a mid-engined car above or below the traditional 'Vette's market segment.

Yumm the aerovette.....MR sports car from GM eh? Cadillac Cien anyone?

So... Why don't they make an FR and an MR 'vette, aim them to different audiences?

They could put a V6 in it and call it the Fier....

Oh, wait. Pontiac's dead.

mustangGT90210

So... Why don't they make an FR and an MR 'vette, aim them to different audiences?

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Would you like your FR European sports car fighter made in America with price ranges ranging from $50,000 to $100,000. Or would you like your MR European sports car fighter made in America with price ranges ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 which doesn't handle any better and is considerably less practical.

Quite frankly, there is no reason for an MR Corvette to exist. In the 1970s, when Corvette's had suspensions like wet sponges with acid on them and plodded like Cadillacs? Sure. In 2010 now that we have a Corvette that can meet and/or beat nearly every single car in the world in handling? Why, aside from intentionally attempting to make the few people who still like GM not?

Jim Prower

They could put a V6 in it and call it the Fier....

Oh, wait. Pontiac's dead.

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If they were going to make a V6 Corvette, I would rather they put the engine in the front and call it a Bansh...

Oh yeah. Pontiac...

I don't like it. It looks old, and to me at least, strongly resembles a Jag XJ220.

I'd much rather have this, another concept Corvette I've heard about. It's a new Stingray split window.

Adamgp

Anyone else remember how pissed people got in the late '80's/early '90's when Ford wanted to reinvent the Mustang as a 4/6 cyl fwd import fighter? It was instead introduced as a seperate model and named after a rectal thermometer.

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Which car was this?

Ford Probe.

Can anyone tell me how to add a poll? I'm still kind of new around here..

Talon

I don't like it. It looks old, and to me at least, strongly resembles a Jag XJ220.

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You know the picture in the first post is a Corvette concept a couple decades old right, and not some new proposed Corvette?
I'd still much rather Cadillac do the MR supercar.

Er...uh...yeah, sure, I knew that...

I really need to start reading more.

My point still stands though, I would rather have a new Stingray Split-window than a European supercar wannabe.






Thanks Terronium.

Talon

Er...uh...yeah, sure, I knew that...

I really need to start reading more.

My point still stands though, I would rather have a new Stingray than a European supercar wannabe.

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Bad choice of words there, buddy.

Very bad choice of words.

Rotary Junkie

Except... The Corvette was introduced with a straight 6.

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Oops, fail on my part.