Corvette Generations:
C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8
Corvette: Year by Year
1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 19631964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
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1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996
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2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Corvette C8 Mid Engine
A Brave New Corvette World
The New Performance Standard
Introduced to the world on July 18, 2019, the introduction of the Corvette C8 represented the most revolutionary Corvette in the 68 year history of the Marque.
Ever since the mid 1950s, the Corvette was first and formost a performance car. It is a reputation that GM and Corvette owners take seriously.
The most important change to the C8 is the chassis configuration: What used to be a front engine car is now a mid engine car. The significance of the switch cannot be overstated.
As first conceived by Bill Mitchell in the early 1950s, the Corvette was a front engine sports car featuring a short rear deck, minimal two seat passenger area and a long impressive hood.
That philosophy changed with the C8. Putting the engine behind the driver has changed the driving postion, moving it forward about 16 inches. From the driver's viewpoint, instead of looking at a hood, they now see the road. Forward visibility is much improved.
The justification for the change was simple. In order to advance and keep competitive the performance of the Corvette it was necessary to go mid engine. This was the route taken by race cars since the 1960s. In recent times, the Ford GT, Acura NSX, McLaren and most of the Italian exotics had adopted the configuration. Overall handling and better track times comes with the new layout.
As with the C7, all C8 coupes feature a Targa roof.
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2025 Corvette
C8 ZR1
Introducing the Vette Spotter app for the iPhone.
The Vette Spotter app can identify the year of any Corvette.
All years and generations are covered, from 1953 to 2014. Over 350 photographs and detailed text are included.
2025 Corvette
C8 ZR1
Introducing the Vette Spotter app for the iPhone.
The Vette Spotter app can identify the year of any Corvette.
All years and generations are covered, from 1953 to 2014. Over 350 photographs and detailed text are included.
Comments (3)
WAITING FORMY S51 STINGRAY TO BE BUILT.
Hi Felippe:
Thank you for your comment, but I will disagree. Corvettes typically have not had a real mid-front configuration.
I to am disappointed at the lack of a manual transmission but there is some justification. Also, they were never practical and are being made with traditional Corvette materials.
~paul
It always was mid engine, never heard about mid-front? Until 2019 it was too 50-50, and now is 40-60.
I really can't see the advantage: Don't drive as a Corvette anymore, don't looks like a Corvette, don't have the practicality of a Corvette, don't use the materials of a Corvette, don't have stick shift like every single Corvette and in the Z06 version don't even sounds like a Corvette anymore.
What is this? a Ferrari 458 replica that GM made and named a "Corvette"? This is just a mistake.