Car and Driver Dishes New Report on the Mid-Engine 2017 Corvette ZORA ZR1

Despite the world-class reviews of the C7’s Corvette Stingray and the coming main attraction, the 650 horsepower 2015 Corvette Z06, you would think we would be content to focus on the most advanced Corvettes ever produced. But as always, there are rumors afoot about a next generation Corvette and the main question on everybody’s minds is will Chevy finally bring a mid-engined Corvette to market.

Even though the C7 Corvette Z06 has yet to start production, it’s never too early to start speculating on the next generation Corvette, the C8. After last month’s rumors of a mid-engine super-Corvette dubbed either the Zora or ZR1 from Motor Trend, Car and Driver follows up with their preview of the next King of the Hill Corvette in their October 2014 issue.

In their cover story report, Car and Driver says the C8 flagship model will come in 2017 and will be known as the Zora ZR1. The car will be a mid-engine design potentially powered by a small-block V8 and will feature weight savings in the form of an aluminum space frame and lightweight carbon-compostite panels.

Car and Driver believes the volume of the Zora ZR1 will be fairly low with 1,500 units produced per year and its price will come with a hefty premium over the C6 ZR1 – potentially around $150,000.

GM’s head of global product development, Mark Reuss has confirmed that a next generation Corvette is already in the works and that’s a good thing if Car and Driver’s target of the C8 making its debut as a 2017 model will be coming up pretty fast.

There was no mention if Don Sherman and the editors of Car and Driver’s believe that the next generation will follow a dual production plan of building front-engined Corvettes for the masses and the mid-engined Corvette Zora ZR1 for the well-heeled. It’s a strategy that we believe is worth pursuing.

Check out the cool renders and read all about the rumored 2017 Corvette Zora ZR1 in Car and Driver’s October 2014 issue which is on newsstands now, or visit their website for more Corvette info.

Source:
Jalopnik

Related:
The Rumor Mill Heats Up Again with Talk of a Mid-Engine Corvette ZR1
GM’s Reuss Confirms the C8 Corvette is Already in Development
GM Trademarks the Iconic Name of Corvette’s First Chief Engineer “Zora”