1st GM Corvette ME

[John]

Re-remembering the Corvette XP-719, even referred to in the GM archives as “first mid-engined Corvette proposal.”

Chevrolet Experimented With A Mid-Engine Corvette In 1959

• BY SEAN SZYMKOWSKI
• — AUG 21, 2018

The mid-engine Corvette cometh, and over the years, we’ve highlighted many times where a mid-engine Corvettenearly came to exist. But, we didn’t know the thought first came to light way back in 1959.

Feast your eyes upon Experimental Project 719, or XP-719 for short. SuperChevy discovered the photos buried in the Petersen Photo Archive, which depict the first mid-engine Corvette. In fact, a handwritten note on the back of the photo confirms this reading, “the first mid-engined Corvette proposal, 1959.”



The GM Heritage Center was able to shed more light on XP-719 and provided additional photos of the experimental Corvette, which clearly took many cues from the Corvair. According to GM, the project began in 1959 as a rear-engine V8-powered car and designers went through a series of mockups before XP-719 was smoothed over to the photo above. One design included an air scoop design that (thankfully) never saw the light of day. For all its function, it lacked form.



It’s unclear what became of XP-719, but it wasn’t the last time engineers and designers flirted with a mid-engine Corvette. Decades later, the C8 Corvette will finally realize the dreams of many.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2018/08/...vette-in-1959/

[John]

So if the 2020 ME is revealed at NAIAS in January, wow, the Corvette ME dream would be then 60 years old!

Wow, the realization of a 60 year dream is getting closer!

[JB]

Sixty years of taking about a rear mid engine corvette and it finally coming to fruitition is pretty cool. For tjat fact i think we will see a lot of c5, c6 and c7 owners get off the bench and buy a new corvette..

there is little chance of a corvette enthusiast saying to himself....this new c8 corvette is evolutionary ....

Yes there will be avery vocal contingent that speaks of the attributes of the front mid engine corvette they own and if the c8 is initially offered as dct only the manual lovers will initially hold off purchasing ...but if not the first year......soon after when sales begin to peak in the eighth generation at the latest...that manual transmission will be offered..

from a marketing standpoint it would be an easy way to get 20 percent greater unit sales...

enthusiasts of all sports car brands would gravitate to the rear mid engine corvette for that feature alone as its quite highly regarded in preowned ferrari and lamborghini sales these days...

[John]

I have some friends in an economic strata way above mine. Good for them, just pointed that out to note that those who own Ferraris and similar, know that every mile they drive their exclusive cars, it costs them big time when they sell them.

With some exceptions (who are forum members), most would never before have been caught dead even being seen standing next to a Corvette. The 2020+ ME Corvette will attract those buyers, initially so their new car would become a daily driver while their ultra low-mileage pristine exclusives (yes, I would love toown one of those), sits in their garages.

This as was happened to someone I know, who dared to be different, and his C7 became his drive of choice.

The C8 ME will be a new purchasing avenue for such folks. This is exactly what GM has envisioned, that to compensate for many traditional Corvette buyers who are retired/just retired, have lesser income and thus some not be able to buy a new Corvette again, that the ME will now attract a whole bunch of new buyers — keeping our Corvette brand viable for the next many decades.

[OnPoint]

It really is stunning how long they've contemplated making this move.

Of course it probably helps that tech has finally caught up to the point of making it more feasible. But still. 60 years. Wow.