The Chevrolet Corvette.
One of the all-time most recognizable American sports cars
and notorious scene-stealers in the history of cinema.
But even as its supercharged versions,
ZO6 and ZR1, continue to crank up the horsepower,
the Vette hasn't quite slipped its way into
the same class as the high-priced, high-speed
supercars offered by automakers
like Ferrari, Lamborghini, or McLaren.
That is, until now.
For the 2020 model, Chevrolet may have
finally closed the gap with one crucial design change.
And it's created an entirely new car
that can definitely hang in the big leagues.
Since its introduction in 1953,
the Chevy Corvette has undergone a number of changes,
gradually transforming from a slick street cruiser
into a high-powered race car.
In recent years, the car has even ventured into
supercar territory with its high-performance ZO6 models
that gave luxury-sport-car owners a run for their money.
For crying out loud, the 2019 ZR1
packed a 755-horsepower engine under its hood.
However, the Corvette's current design
was holding it back from performing at its full potential.
So, the automaker's team went back to the drawing board
and completely redesigned its iconic sports car.
The company finally took the plunge
and gave its fans a mid-engine Corvette.
So, what's a mid-engine car?
It's actually quite simple.
It just means that instead of the engine
sitting at the front of the car under the hood,
it sits in the middle of the car,
typically in the space right behind the driver.
It's a layout found in some of the most
popular exotic supercars, because of how much
it can improve a vehicle's performance.
So, how exactly does a mid-engine design
result in better performance?
First of all, it improves the car's handling and braking.
When the engine is placed in the middle,
its weight is more evenly distributed
between the front and rear wheels,
allowing the vehicle to change direction
more easily and rapidly.
In a rear-wheel-drive car, like the new Corvette,
this added weight to the rear also increases traction
and lets the rear brakes do more of the stopping.
A mid-engine design can also provide
a boost in acceleration.
Generally speaking, adding horsepower and torque
to an engine means increasing its mass as well.
However, in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle,
if that hefty engine is sitting on top of your front axle,
putting far less weight on the wheels
all your power is coming from,
there's only so much faster you can make your car go.
This is exactly what happened to Chevrolet
with its monstrous Corvette ZR1 that,
despite its beast of an engine,
wasn't performing much better than
its previous-generation models.
The solution?
Finally slide that engine back
and see what this baby can do.
But a mid-engine Corvette wasn't
some brand-new, foreign concept.
In fact, Chevy had been testing it since the 1960s
with its series of Chevrolet experimental-research vehicles.
However, these prototypes remained concept cars
because of issues with engine cooling,
their limited passenger and luggage space,
and an overall unbearable loudness.
Fast-forward to 2019, and advancements in engineering
have finally given us a mid-engine Corvette
that many have already labeled a supercar
due to its comparable design and performance
to a number of exotics.
So, what does this mean for those luxury automakers
selling high-performance cars
for hundreds of thousands of dollars?
It could spell trouble.
Let's take a look at Ferrari.
One of the Italian company's popular choices is the 458,
a mid-engine supercar produced from 2010 to 2015.
As holder of the last naturally aspirated V8 engine
Ferrari produced, the car remains a favorite.
Particularly with purists who despise
its turbocharged successors.
Now, a quick look, and you'll see that
the new Corvette's base model
and Ferrari 458 are extremely similar,
both mechanically and performance-wise.
The real difference? Price.
At its release, the 2015 458
started at a cost of about $240,000.
The 2020 Corvette?
Try just under $60,000.
While the next-generation Corvette
appears to be a Ferrari cousin
with the lavish addition of modern tech
throughout the interior,
there are still plenty of questions about the car
that will only be answered when it hits showrooms
at the end of this year.
But whether you're a traditionalist unhappy about
the Corvette's complete reconstruction
or can't wait to get your hands on an exotic supercar
for a fraction of the price,
there's no arguing that the leap of faith
Chevrolet has taken with its legendary Vette
is the most radical change to happen
in the American car industry in a long, long time.