Chevy Says No To Mid-Engined Corvette C7, Maybe To Hybrid

By | August 12, 2010

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Corvette C7The other day we reported on speculation that the upcoming Corvette C7 would be a turbo’d six-cylinder American with an engine in the middle. Over-zealous, perhaps? We admit the thought was enticing but we weren’t the only ones intrigued by this news. When this rumor surfaced from AutoCar, the entire world of automotive journalism went haywire.

Now Chevy has decided to kill the buzz by not only saying that the engine in the next-gen C7 ‘Vette will remain in the same place but revealing that the engine will be a turbo-less small block V8 (not a bad thing though).

Then Chevy decided to put out all hopeful speculative fires by hinting towards a hybrid version of the most iconic American sports car ever. That’s right- a hybrid drivetrain in a big, mean, petrol drinking Corvette. Chevy’s justification? “Because the market is moving that way.”

Booooooo.

Ok, ok- we don’t blame them for wanting to stick with an old recipe for their outstanding sports car (hybrid crap aside). But if so many people were excited over a mid-engine sports car with a turbo V6, don’t you think Chevy would be smart enough to listen? Or how about any other manufacturer? An all-American package set up like a performing European would surely gather more than just attention. It’d likely gather sales.

[Chad Waite, AutoBlog]

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  • Tyson

    I want to coin the nickname “braceface” for this at right now. Thanks.

  • http://www.facebook.com/smartimart Martin Sturrock

    Boooooo indeed! US car manufacturers need to stop catering to what the market thinks it wants and dictate for a change. Risky, yes…but imagine the possibilities of an American car styled by 1 person who is a stylist and not a committee and moronic focus group. Most people are clueless about aesthetics and I don’t want “Joe the plumber” deciding what looks good and what doesn’t…some people just need to be told.

    All of the most beautiful and brilliant machines in the world were designed by 1 person or a small group of like-minded people. There has never been and never will be a beautiful and brilliant car designed by committee or focus group.

    So GM, if youre listening, throw away the mold and let 1 insane person design the next corvette.

  • http://www.facebook.com/thedesigngirl StephAnn Knotts

    I think it’s probably a smart move in the long run to stick with what they’ve been doing all these years in order to appease the Corvette-loving/lusting masses…. But the hybrid thing? That just hurts my feelings.

  • mgillilan

    hybrid a bad thing? Go and compare laps time of the Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid vs C6 Corvettes, Vipers, others at this years Nürburgring 24 hours…it’s not a direct, 1:1 comparison, as they were in different classes, but you get the general idea..

    There is also the, still in testing(?), BMW X6 hybrid. Reported that it is getting HUGE amounts of torque and HP.

    The BMW and Porsche are two cars off the top of my head that are using hybrid tech for MORE power and MORE performance… I’m sure there are others…

    Point being, there is more to a hybrid engine/drive train then just gas savings..

  • Tyson

    This *car right now