Animation of a Hardtop Convertible Mid-Engine Corvette: How Would it Work?

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Animation of a Hardtop Convertible Mid-Engine Corvette: How Would it Work?


Although the design and engineering teams have made remarkable progress with how the C7 Corvette’s soft top convertible works and functions, a hard-top convertible has been on the wish list for Corvette owners for some time now. The reason it has never come to fruition is most likely the costs and the packaging of the roof and mechanics needed to open, fold and close while still providing adequate rear storage space.

But now that a brand new ME Corvette is being built from the ground up, could a mid-engine hardtop convertible be in the cards? And how might such a roof function on a mid-engine Corvette? Let’s dive in for a closer look!

Between the 50 or so Mid-Engine Corvette prototypes that are currently running around on the streets, some eagle-eyed sleuths have determined that there are two different body styles being tested right now, a coupe with a lift-off roof panel and a hard-top Convertible.

Here are the two examples of prototypes and you can see how the rear roofline falls in two different places. Look at the difference in spacing of the rear roofline to the back edge of the door windows on each of the examples:

The Mid-Engine Corvette Coupe:

The Mid-Engine Corvette Coupe

Photo Credit: Spiedbilde


The Mid-Engine Corvette Convertible:

The Mid-Engine Corvette Coupe

Photo Credit: Autoblog/KGP Photography


Although the mid-engine body styles are brand new to the Corvette platform, there are countless examples of other mid-engine sports cars that have been built over the years. Based on the convertible’s roof line and where it’s positioned, it seems that a close example may be the Ferrari 458 Spyder which also features a hard top convertible. Here is a quick youtube video showing it in action:


Pretty cool, right!

So here is an animation of the hardtop convertible that was done by a guy named FVS (FirstVetteSoon) who also did the mid-engine Corvette renders for our new ME website called the MidEngineCorvetteForum.com.

This design assumes that mid-engine Corvette doesn’t have a see-through rear deck to view the engine. Again, with some of the spy photos we’ve seen, it’s looking like the rear deck will have a vented design again much like the Ferrari 458 in our example above.

Animation of a Hard Top Convertible Mid-Engine Corvette: How Would it Work?

The Mid-Engine Corvette Coupe


As far as the coupe version, many are thinking that it will be a single lift-off panel that will either be stored vertically behind the seats or in the front trunk (frunk?).

Do you have any thoughts on how the different body styles of the ME Corvettes or a different idea on how a convertible top or lift-off panel may function? Let us know on the comments before our jump over to the new MidEngineCorvetteForum and make yourself at home!


Source:
MidEngineCorvetteForum.com
Renders and Animations by FVS

Related:
Introducing A New Home for Mid-Engine Corvette Enthusiasts
[VIDEO] The Mid-Engine C8 Corvette Performing Quick Take-Offs on the Track
[SPIED] Mid-Engine C8 Corvette Spotted in Southwest Florida

 



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4 COMMENTS

  1. If Corvette wasn’t wedded to the GM joint parts bins, the C7 coulda been a hardtop convertible, instead of a “borrow from the camaro” 3 ring circus contraption just to stow a rag top. Mazda made a beauty of a hard top convertible for the Miata, years before the C7 was introduced. And Mazda did it and sold the Miata hardtop convertible at half the price a vette commands! That and the Camro rear lights the Vette had to use for lack of any real convertible designers on the c7 team. yuck (I own a C7 vert, so I am eating this cooking, watching the fabric unravel, seams pop, and no admission to HDPE drivers days at tracks. still yuck.)

  2. I have been in love with the hard-top convertible idea ever since driving the SLK in 96. Sex on wheels. Corvette has been slow in fulfiling my dreams :-). Looking forward to more on this. Thanks for the article.

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