The 40th anniversary issue of R&T celebrated the Corvette with two articles- one of the current ‘Vette which gained a drop-top model, and another of a futuristic, technologically laden ‘Vette.
First,read about the future:
Now read the convertible’s road test:
A mid-engined Vette. Like THAT would have flown, without an NSX badge.
The Corvette is over 60 years old, with this article appearing at almost the halfway point of 30 years. As a “part-time” reader of Road & Track since 1966, there have been numerous hints that a future Corvette could be mid-engined. There was even a mid-engined, Wankel-powered prototype.
I think there are more than enough Corvette faithful who are keeping that future at bay inside and outside GM/Chevrolet.
The Corvette will ditch it’s front-engine RWD, when it ditches the V8….in other words, never.
It would be interesting, though, if Chevy did a sort of Cayman-like model: 6 cylinder power in a mid-engined layout.
The earliest rear-engine Corvette prototype/design study is probably the XP-880, Astro II. The Wankel-powered prototype was dubbed XP-895. The engine was later swapped-out for a V8 and it got the name Aerovette. This came close to production.
The Corvette Indy always reminded me of the Pontiac Banshee and the Oldsmobile Aerotech. An era of memorable GM concepts.
And it is true that throttle by wire and active suspension both did see production, with one being rather more common than the other!
I know that Indy interior is silly and impractical.
But I still love it.
The nose/ front and the rounded sides remind me of 90’s Firebirds. I wonder if GM didn’t take that part of the Indy concept and decide to use it in an actual production car.