GM Executives Squash Latest C7 Corvette Rumors

By
Keith Cornett
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8
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GM Executives Squash Latest C7 Corvette Rumors

I figured it would only be a matter of time before someone got hold of a GM executive for comment on the recent rumors of a mid-engine C7 Corvette equipped with a V6 and a wet dual-clutch transmission. Vice President of Global Vehicle Engineering Karl-Friedrich Stracke spoke with Automotive News and Autoweek on Tuesday and said the next-generation Corvette C7 will not be a mid-engine sports car and no V6 is planned or being tested.

Stracke’s comments come on the heels of multiple outlets (us included) reporting rumors of a twin-turbo V6 powered mid-engine Corvette complete with a dual clutch transmission. While most of these stories have been floating around the web for a year or two, they were pushed back into the forefront by Autocar.co.uk who claimed an unnamed engineer for Saab said the Swedish automaker had developed a wet dual-clutch transmission for a V6 powered mid-engine Corvette. Autoweek then put out the twin-turbo V6 story again just one day before its meeting with GM’s Stracke.

Stracke was also asked if the Corvette will ever be offered with a hybrid powertrain:

“That is an interesting idea.” Stracke added “Porsche has announced a full hybridization for their complete lineup. What can they do? They need it” to meet CAFE standards, he said. “The customer always wants power. That will not go away.”

Karl-Friedrich Stracke has been head of the GM’s global engineering since December. GM Spokesman Dan Flores was asked about Stracke’s comments and said he “is quashing those rumors” while adding “The rumors and speculation about the Corvette are just that. There is no mid-engine in the plans.”

Thanks for the tip, Mario!


Source:
Automotive News via Motor Trend

Related:
Autoweek Calls for a Twin Turbo V6 Powered C7 Corvette
[RUMOR] UK Blog Quotes Saab Engineer: Mid-Engined Corvette Confirmed
Motor Trend: C7 Corvette to Debut with New 5.5L 440 hp V8 Powerplant
[VIDEO] Tadge Juechter Talks About the C7 Corvette; Calls Out Automobile Magazine for Misinformation

 



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8 COMMENTS

  1. …next-generation Corvette C7 will not be a mid-engine sports car and no V6 is planned or being tested.

    And in 2006, at Road Atlanta, I asked Steve Wesoloski about a supercharged Corvette seen taking laps at the Nurburgring. He replied the Chevy was more than pleased with the power of normal aspiration small blocks and there were no plans for supercharged or turbo engines. Amazingly, the ZR1 was introduced less than 2 years later. You cannot tell me he didn’t know anything about that. They keep their cards close tho their chest. So I guess we will see.

  3. well i wouldn’t agree on a vette with less than V8 engine …. no matter mid of front engine it is … the glory of this wonderful Sport Car is with its powerful V8 engine, well okay this would be more economical ,,,, but vette isn’t an economical one …. it is a Super Sport Car ….

  4. I love Corvettes and high performance cars as much as anyone else. However, there are several unpleasant facts.

    2009 sales were terrible. 2010 sales slipped even more. The economic recovery is not happening and isn’t likely to happen anytime soon. If the Corvette posts sales in 2011 and 2012 that continue to slide, those infamous bean counters at GM that we all love to hate will pull the plug. It’s got nothing to do with the car not being a world-class sports car, it’s JUST BUSINESS.

    How can GM justify the huge capital expenditure for a totally new platform that will likely not be shared with any other GM car? They won’t. Don’t get me wrong, the Corvette is THE best performance buy on the market. PERIOD! But “business is business” and past laurels won’t last forever.

    I sincerely hope that I am wrong.

  5. In your article “GM Executives Squash Latest C7 Corvette Rumors
    by KEITH CORNETT on AUGUST 12, 2010”, pictured below the headliner is a black, what appears to be mid engine Corvette. Though it looks like a real car, we live in the days of photo shop wizardry. Can you or anyone lend some insight on this cars origin and current disposition? Thanks, Russ

  6. Russell

    I’ve seen that photo floating around for sometime. Not sure of the origin although we picked it from the Corvette Forum. Funny, I’ve gotten more email about that photo than any of the others we’ve posted.

    Keith

  7. Hey guys,

    Just wanted to shed some light on that picture. I happened to search “c7 corvette” on google to see if there were any recent spy shots or anything, and I couldn’t believe that that picture was one of the first results. I photoshopped that roughly 4 years ago on the digitalcorvettes forum. I’ve got some other pictures of that car and a silver one thats got from a little different angle.

    Original (lowered with slightly larger wheels):
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/SS396TN/slammedcopy.jpg

    Mid engine with original wheelbase:
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/SS396TN/MidEngcopy.jpg

    Shortened wheelbase:
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/SS396TN/MidEng4copy.jpg

    Comparison:
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/SS396TN/Blend.jpg

    Silver original:
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/SS396TN/Mvc-004s.jpg

    Mid engine:
    http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e192/SS396TN/silver3copy.jpg

    Thanks for the interest, hope that clears things up a bit!

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