Since 1953, Corvette has been Chevrolet’s sports car, fighting for customers against competitors like Ferrari and Porsche. For the last few years, Corvette sales have been trending in the wrong direction, as the average age of its buyers has increased by three years. In an attempt to appeal to a younger demographic and take back some of that market from other sports car manufacturers, Chevrolet is poised to launch a mid-engine model, called the C8, by 2019.
If you’re interested in pursuing an auto mechanic career, read on to find out all about the new mid-engine Corvette, what it will contain, and what it means for the company going forward.
Students Taking Auto Mechanic Training Know the C8 Might Have an Electric Option
Recent technological advancements in car manufacturing have allowed for electric cars or hybrid electric/internal combustion cars. Following this development, Chevrolet coming out with a mid-engine Corvette opens the door to speculation that there might be a hybrid model coming out as well. This is due to the location of the engine, which makes it possible for a plug-in hybrid mid-engine model with electric motors that drive the front wheels. This car would be a direct competitor to the Acura NSX and Porsche 918, as both of those cars are mid-engine hybrid sports cars.
As anyone who’s received auto mechanic training could tell you, having any electric capabilities would be a game-changer for Chevrolet and its parent company, General Motors (GM). It would help the Chevrolet Corvette become a more appealing option to younger, more environmentally-conscious drivers.
Those with an auto mechanic career may know that the mid-engine Corvette might have a hybrid option
Those With an Auto Mechanic Career Know the C8 Was Originally Approved in 2007
The reason that the mid-engine Corvette is news is because there’s a tentative release date attached to it, which helps buyers prepare for the possibility of purchasing it upon release. There have been reports that some prospective buyers have already put down $2,000 deposits in order to be first in line when it comes out. Chances are that these buyers have been waiting for a mid-engine Corvette for quite some time. Up to a decade, even.
Bob Lutz, who was the former head of product development for GM, originally got approval to develop a mid-engine Corvette way back in 2007. That project was shut down two years later when GM—Chevrolet’s parent company—went through bankruptcy restructuring.
Now that that project is back on with a release date in three years, future auto mechanics should prepare to work on a type of Corvette that they’ve never seen before.
The Mid-Engine Corvette May Pave the Way for A New Cadillac In The Future
If you wish to have an auto mechanic career in the future, you may have heard rumblings that this shift to a mid-engine Corvette may pave the way for a new model of Cadillac in the future. There is a difference in the markets that each of these two cars cater to, with some people believing that a mid-engine model would be better served if it were a Cadillac—a company that is currently trying to reposition its brand to sit back atop the world of luxury cars. Even Cadillac’s president has acknowledged that it’s possible a future Cadillac will be built based on the architecture of the mid-engine Corvette.
In 2019, Corvette will release a mid-engine car upon the world, one that might have hybrid capabilities, has been in production for a decade, and might be the springboard upon which a new Cadillac is built. With so many potentially exciting cars coming to market, the future is bright. If you’re a car lover who wants to work as an auto mechanic someday, there might never be a better time to start.
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