For some time now, rumors, renders, and whispers in the night have circulated regarding an upcoming mid-engine C8 Corvette. If the claims ring true it’s suggested to arrive in 2017, retain eight cylinders, and elevate the heady ‘Vette from sports car to veritable supercar.
Despite the rumors, Chevrolet hasn’t officially discredited the mid-engine Corvette claims. Rather amazingly on November 12, Cadillac president Johan de Nysschen may have even confirmed its existence.
In an interview with Motor Trend, de Nysschen was asked if a halo car based on the mid-engine Corvette could permeate the Cadillac lineup. The following is his response.
“It has to be one of the options that we consider. In the future there are going to be some architectures inside the corporation that will remain purely Cadillac, but then there are others where it just isn’t economically feasible to enter segments by trying to do a unique Cadillac,” said de Nysschen. “Then you look at what’s available in terms of corporate assets. And I’m sure you’d agree that a new, very advanced Corvette platform wouldn’t be a bad place to start.”
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If you hear muffled cries of joy ringing outside, that would be the sound of millions of General Motors fans collectively losing their minds. Us included. It would appear the mid-engine Corvette is indeed in the works…and could spawn a Cadillac sibling.
In recent years the Cadillac and Corvette gene pools have mixed, most recently with the Corvette Z06-engined 2016 CTS-V sedan, as well as the older Corvette-based Cadillac XLR roadster. But a Cadillac/Corvette halo car would take that corporate cooperation to another performance strata altogether.
However, it may not happen. The Cadillac boss continued, “considering particularly our heritage, I could also imagine a very luxurious, very indulgent, very sophisticated four-door convertible being a good play that draws on our heritage.”
This type of vehicle would arguably be more in line with Cadillac’s current brand direction and its historic “Standard of the World” claim to fame. It certainly doesn’t get more luxurious than an opulent four-door convertible. If one arrives, expect the 2011 Cadillac Ciel and 2013 Cadillac Elmiraj concepts to anchor its design.
Either way you look at it—a mid-engine Cadillac supercar or a super-luxe four-door drophead—the future of Cadillac looks pretty brilliant.
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