The cries from Corvette enthusiasts could be heard loud and clear through their complaints when the decision was made to make the Chevrolet Corvette a mid-engine sports car. The protesting purists felt strongly that the Corvette should remain a front-engine vehicle and anything other than that would be considered blasphemous in their eyes. At the same time, the godfather of the "Vette" is smiling down on his namesake vehicle knowing that this has always been the right direction to go in.
Zora-Arkus-Duntov has always been a major proponent of the mid-engine Corvette. Technology has evolved, and the Corvette brand has to evolve with it as well. With other supercars taking the forward plunge into the future, Corvette Making the transition to the mid-engine layout has always been something chief engineer Arkus-Duntov wanted to see, all the way up to his death in 1996. His first thoughts of the mid-engine Corvette came to him in the 50s and never left.
Now the benefits are obvious. Having a mid-mounted engine will distribute the weight of the car more evenly across all four tires and will allow them to hug the road at their top potential during accelerating, cornering, and stopping. The engine is the heaviest part of the vehicle and putting it in the center of the car will maximize the car’s performance, this is something that Zora Arkus-Duntov knew and believed in wholeheartedly.
What To Expect From The Upcoming C8 Corvette ZR1
Though plans are to go fully electric by the year 2035, General Motors will continue to manufacture and put internal combustion engines as well as hybrid vehicles on the road in the form of the Corvette. Mark Reuss, president of GM, announced that there will be two high-performance Chevy Corvette variants. No names were mentioned or disclosed as of yet but it was said that both vehicles will be built on the C8 chassis and will have the same architecture as that car.
If that is what Corvette drivers can expect, I’m sure they will be fine with it. The Corvette C8 can go from 0-60 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 194 miles per hour. The consumption of gasoline is not that great, but what do you expect from a super sports car. She’ll be able to give you 15 miles per gallon in the city and 27 highway.
In some more exclusive details about the two new possible variants derived from the C8 platform Muscle Cars & Trucks anticipate that the C8 ZR1 will be due somewhere between 2025 and 2026 and could possibly use the twin-turbo version of the 5.5-liter DOHC flat-plane crank V-8 that powers the current Z06.
It will kick out 850 horsepower with 825 pound-feet of torque with power doing to rear wheels. The latest Spyshots by Corvette Blogger show the upcoming ZR1 with a heavy camouflage, that shows off a center-mounted exhaust confirming the 5.5-liter V-8. The photos also reveal the test mule sitting on Michelin Pilot 4S tires, which come as standard on the base ZR1.
Zora: Best Of Both Worlds?
Meanwhile, the Zora, the other variant will combine the ZR1 twin turbo V-8 with hybrid assistance and all-wheel drive. The powertrain would make a ridiculous 1000 horsepower and the model of this car just might be called ‘The Zora’. A negative aspect would be the battery pack which is added weight to the vehicle and possibly give the Zora slightly worse braking performance than the Z06 or ZR1 which are much lighter because they only pack internal combustion engines.
The new variant will feature the best parts of the Corvette C8 and the new C8-E-Ray blending them together along with a twin-turbo system to create an insane Vette not only in name but in action. It will have an increase in performance, lower stance, and better handling. It will focus on aerodynamics to reduce drag and wind noise. It will also minimize noise emission and will prevent undesired lift forces and other causes of aerodynamic instability at high speeds.
The Next Chapter In The C8 Corvette Story
Though Reuss did not call this a Corvette, only that there would be similarities between these and the Corvette C8 and that it will put the entire world on notice. The C8 is already a game changer on the market offering world-class performance with the mid-engine layout.
With other factors playing into consideration such as the pandemic and Covid-19 crisis, it is more than likely that the Detroit-based automaker will be disrupted in launching the production and debut of their top two new variants. A delay in the unveiling is certainly inevitable but as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait”.
So, the much anticipated Zora will have to wait to be considered the flagship of the Corvette clan, and the awe-inspiring levels of driving dynamics, handling, and levels of performance will continue to be on the wish list of Corvette enthusiasts until they are able to experience it all first hand in the driver’s seat.