Hell freezes over: Autoextremist and mid-engine vette
#1
Hell freezes over: Autoextremist and mid-engine vette
As in, er, rear mid-engine:
http://www.autoextremist.com/index.shtml
Very interesting if true. Waiting for the howls from the purists.
http://www.autoextremist.com/index.shtml
Very interesting if true. Waiting for the howls from the purists.
#3
There has been talk of a mid-engine Vette since Zora was at GM. The supporters of that camp have been a small but vocal minority within the Corvette program. Rumors of a mid-engined car flare up every time the next-gen Vette is speculated upon.
I'l believe it when we get some more "official" confirmation.
I'l believe it when we get some more "official" confirmation.
#4
This gets even more interesting when you throw in the rumors of a Kappa based V8 Corvette "Stringray" from a few months back. Imagine a mid-engine V8 for the Vette enthusiats that have been pining for one for years. A few traditionalists would certainly consider it, after all, its still a Corvette. Those that prefer front engine would have the smaller Stingray as an option (which would also capture those sports car purists that think the Corvette has grown "too big"). Furthermore some might even consider the top dog Camaro as it would offer front engine, heritage styling and the extra space they've lived without for years all at a price tag near (hopefully slightly under) the current entry level Corvette.
When you throw all that into the equation, it seems more viable.
When you throw all that into the equation, it seems more viable.
#5
The article is probably BS, but if it's not the following people either are argumentative a******s, or wrong or a combination of both.
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...90#post4544290
GuionM
Sixer-Bird
Chrome383z
Good PH.D
SRFCTI
91 z28 4me
flowmotion
that is all
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...90#post4544290
GuionM
3. Corvette already gets exceptional fuel economy and is actually very light in weight, so why would you mess up the formula it's had for nearly 55 years?
4. Corvette is also the planet's best selling 2 passenger sports car, so again why mess with the formula?
5. And finally, putting the motor in the back wouldn't help fuel economy one iota, so one final time, why mess with it's formula???
But the thing is, with Camaro and ESPECIALLY Corvette, we are talking about vehicles that KNOW what they are, and stand by it
4. Corvette is also the planet's best selling 2 passenger sports car, so again why mess with the formula?
5. And finally, putting the motor in the back wouldn't help fuel economy one iota, so one final time, why mess with it's formula???
But the thing is, with Camaro and ESPECIALLY Corvette, we are talking about vehicles that KNOW what they are, and stand by it
I can bet there will always be a F/R Vette.
No.
Maybe for the next Fiero...not a Vette!
If someone is questioning the possibility of the Vette going rear engined then you can't assume they are being sarcastic
Bottom line is that the customerbase for the Corvette is extremely conservative. People were threating suicide over the loss of popup headlamps, don't expect any sort of radical change to "the formula".
Last edited by Aaron91RS; 08-22-2007 at 10:07 AM.
#6
I hear those who say that "this gets discussed every time the Vette is revised." But there's a LOT of stuff surfacing suggesting that this time it really is being actively considered inside GM, that there are engineering mockups etc... much more so than there was with the C5 or C6.
#8
They could charge $100K for the current C6 and it would still be a bargin compared to most of its competition...according to Scott S. at the last Gathering in Atlanta before the C6 prices were announced, some of the higher-ups at GM were seriously proposing an MSRP approaching six figures!
#9
Count me in with the "no" camp. I don't see the benefits, especially when it comes to price.
Why mess with a successful formula 55 years in the making?
EDIT: If true, good luck modding a mid-engined Corvette....and with your "Porschesque" $100, dealer-only oil changes for that matter.....
Why mess with a successful formula 55 years in the making?
EDIT: If true, good luck modding a mid-engined Corvette....and with your "Porschesque" $100, dealer-only oil changes for that matter.....
Last edited by Z28Wilson; 08-22-2007 at 11:22 AM.
#10
The article is probably BS, but if it's not the following people either are argumentative a******s, or wrong or a combination of both.
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...90#post4544290
GuionM
Sixer-Bird
Chrome383z
Good PH.D
SRFCTI
91 z28 4me
flowmotion
that is all
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...90#post4544290
GuionM
Sixer-Bird
Chrome383z
Good PH.D
SRFCTI
91 z28 4me
flowmotion
that is all
If someone is questioning the possibility of the Vette going rear engined then you can't assume they are being sarcastic when asking "what idiot put in a V8".
#11
I don't think Saddam Hussein needs to go out and buy a sweater just yet.
The article says the cost would be close to a loaded C6 vert. Depending on your definition of "close", we could be talking a base price of $55-60k. That's a whole lot higher than the current $45k (especially when new 1LT 08s can be had for about $40k) and puts it out of reach of a lot of the current target market.
DeLorenzo talks a lot about racing, but I don't get the connection. Why would GM need a mid-engined production Vette to go after the overall win at LeMans? It's not like the winning Audis are based on anything production. GM's free to make to make their own purpose built race cars just like Audi does, regardless of what a production Vette looks like. Besides, he already admits that GM doesn't pay much attention to the Vette's racing success so why would that be a major driver?
I also think most casual buyers of Vettes (i.e. not the hard-core performance guys) would be put off by a mid-engined layout. One of the nice things about the current Vette is how practical it is. Lots of room to throw in some luggage for a weekend trip. Easy to get in and out. Cheap and easy to service and mod (if you choose to do that). Most of that would likely go away with a mid-engined design.
With the added cost and reduced practicality, gone would be the days of 30,000+ sales per year. If GM is content to watch their sales fall by two-thirds or so, then maybe. But they'd be throwing away one of the greatest American automotive brands ever.
The article says the cost would be close to a loaded C6 vert. Depending on your definition of "close", we could be talking a base price of $55-60k. That's a whole lot higher than the current $45k (especially when new 1LT 08s can be had for about $40k) and puts it out of reach of a lot of the current target market.
DeLorenzo talks a lot about racing, but I don't get the connection. Why would GM need a mid-engined production Vette to go after the overall win at LeMans? It's not like the winning Audis are based on anything production. GM's free to make to make their own purpose built race cars just like Audi does, regardless of what a production Vette looks like. Besides, he already admits that GM doesn't pay much attention to the Vette's racing success so why would that be a major driver?
I also think most casual buyers of Vettes (i.e. not the hard-core performance guys) would be put off by a mid-engined layout. One of the nice things about the current Vette is how practical it is. Lots of room to throw in some luggage for a weekend trip. Easy to get in and out. Cheap and easy to service and mod (if you choose to do that). Most of that would likely go away with a mid-engined design.
With the added cost and reduced practicality, gone would be the days of 30,000+ sales per year. If GM is content to watch their sales fall by two-thirds or so, then maybe. But they'd be throwing away one of the greatest American automotive brands ever.
#13
Make the XLR mid-engine
The XLR doesn't have the rich history the Corvette has, so why not make the XLR mid-engine. If the still want to make a limited number of mr vettes they can, and the XLR will help absorb the cost. I can definitly see the XLR MR going against Audi's MR.
#14
"If the still want to make a limited number..." sorry for the typo, it's "If GM still wants to make a limited number..."
Also to add to what I said earlier, how bout also renaming the the XLR to the Cadillac Cien. Sound familar?
Also to add to what I said earlier, how bout also renaming the the XLR to the Cadillac Cien. Sound familar?
#15
I don't know if I believe it or not. People have been saying, "The next generation will be mid engined", for years now. I honestly don't know how the Corvette enthusiasts would react if it actually happened. All I know, if it does turn out to be true, I hope the "XLR variant" looks exactly like the Cadillac Cien concept .
David
David