 |
| Photo: insideline |
- This is the first time a prototype of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette has been caught on camera.
- The final production version is expected to debut at the Detroit auto show in 2013.
- The Corvette will retain its traditional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and feature a small-block V8.
KAPUSKASING, Ontario — Spy photographers have caught a glimpse of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette undergoing cold-weather testing in Canada. It's the first time that the seventh-generation Corvette has been spotted in public.
The heavily camouflaged prototype reveals a few minor details about the upcoming sports car. It will clearly retain the classic long-nose, short-deck configuration of its predecessors, but the profile of the car will feature a more distinct wedge shape. There are two different prototypes seen here, each with its own wheel design. Not sure if this is indicative of two different models or simply an easy way to try different tires in the snow.
Shooters on the scene described an exhaust note that was most definitely of the V8 variety. Although our earlier Corvette Intelligence report suggested that a small-displacement turbocharged V8 might be used, the sound of this prototype was more in line with a more typical normally aspirated, large-displacement V8. Most speculation suggests that this Corvette with get a roughly 5.5-liter V8 that uses direct injection and variable valve timing to develop around 500 horsepower. Sources have told Inside Line that the C7 Corvette will also feature a seven-speed manual transmission.
The official unveil of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is expected at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show early next year.
Inside Line says: This is yet another chance for GM to show that it's serious about building world-beating cars. The Corvette has always had the performance; hopefully the C7 will have the refinement, too.
Source: insideline
