Mid-Engine C8 Corvette CAD Images Leaked

Well, well, well, looky here.

We have what appears to be screen shots of a desktop workstation depicting a mid-engine, V8 powered car.  Whether they’re of the upcoming Chevrolet supercar is up for debate, but assuming it is, it’s a very delectable update of what’s in store for Corvette fans.

The pics and posts have come and gone on the internet but they originated on CorvetteForum by a poster named Firebirdfan and wound up on Jalopnik with some interesting comments:

• Coil springs.
• Magshocks (or spool valve, either way, fancy shocks).
• Upper front arms look to be similar to C5/6/7 with trunions.
• Lower front arms look to be similar to C5/6/7 with camber eccentrics.
• Rear subframe is HUGE and is a very strange mix of cast parts and welded tube. Can’t tell if it’s welded or bolted together in the middle.
• Engine is an LT1.
• Looks like factory shorty headers instead of cast manifolds.
• Engine has alternator relocated.
• Not sure what the upper-right accessory pulley is for. Upper left is water pump, lower right is AC.
• Oil filter looks easy to get to.
• Oil cooler clearly shown above filter.
• Half-shafts look to be the “bolt on flange” style (no draining trans to remove shafts).
• That transaxle is BEEFY. Like, dear god. Can’t tell if it’s auto or manual. If I had to wager, that’s the automatic (guessing from shape of bottom of trans and what looks to be coolershanging around it).
• Giant flat space above transaxle is more than likely for intake box/filter.
• No turbos shown.
• Frame looks to be similar to C5/6/7 with giant hydroformed rails (probably still aluminum). Disppappointing. I was hoping for proper unibody. Hopefully with a fixed roof it’ll be stiffer.
• Brake rotors are 1 piece. Calipers are MASSIVE.
• Side skirts are mechanically fastened just like C5/6/7. Still going to be horrendously expensive to fix if damaged.
• Brake ducts clearly shown on front.

If these pics are indeed are the real deal, this is a quantum leap for Corvette and GM. If you add the crazy motor that GM just patented, we’ve got a future Corvette that will dwarf every model that preceeded it.

This blueprint would make a great high-end Cadillac as well, and seems like a spin-off with a Crest emblem would be a natural.  GM certainly has thrown in a boatload of money and sweat in doubling the size of Bowling Green, so we think two models of this mid-engine architecture are coming soon.