- Based on the upcoming mid-engine Corvette
- Spotted at Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
- Chevrolet plans to roll out the production-spec C8 Corvette at Detroit Motor Show in 2019.
Much has been talked about the upcoming mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette in the recent years. The test mule of the C8 Corvette was also spotted on the streets on many occasions. But this time, while following the IMSA race at the Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, our spy sleuths caught an interesting race car test mule for the first time. Seen here is the endurance race-spec version of C8 Corvette which is likely to be called the C8.R.
Compared to the road going test mule, the race car had less cladding on it. This provided us with a better view of the mid-engined American supercar-killer. The prototype had some race-spec add-ons such as the massive wing and diffusers sticking out at the back and the racing slicks from Michelin. But now we know about the glorious silhouette the streetcar will bear. Although it loses its Corvette styling, the mid-engine layout will give the C8 a design to lure people away from Ferrari 488.
One important element that noticeable is the aerodynamic design. The mirrors look production ready with a very modern styling. There are sharp intakes on the side just behind the doors. All of this will help feed a huge amount of air to the engine sitting behind the driver. Talking about the engine, there are still no concrete details of the road-going C8’s s powertrain. So we aren’t sure what will be powering the race car.
According to reports, the street-legal version will get three engine options. The V8 plonked at the back of the Corvette Zora could produce anything between a modest 450bhp to a tarmac-ripping 850bhp. This race-spec Corvette might get a homologated race engine with a specific output tailored to the class it will participate in.
We expect the Detroit-based car to reveal the production-spec C8 Corvette at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in early 2019. The race-spec version, on the other hand, can be seen in action at the Rolex 24 at Daytona.
