Why did Chevrolet put the 2020 Stingray’s engine in the middle?

IT IS not the first Chevrolet car with an engine that is not in front — the 1960s Corvair had its air-cooled flat-six in the back — but the 2020 Chevrolet Stingray is the first Corvette (although the carmaker mostly refers to it only as the Stingray) to have its engine mounted amidships.

GM president Mark Reuss explained the eighth-generation Corvette’s shift in engine placement is because the “traditional front-engine vehicle [has] reached its limits of performance, necessitating the new layout.”

“In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history. Customers are going to be thrilled with our focus on details and performance across the board, the executive said.”

Chevrolet lists the advantages of having the 2020 Stingray’s engine in the middle:

 

• Better weight distribution, with the rear weight bias enhancing performance in a straight line and on the track.
• Better responsiveness and sense of control due to driver positioning closer to the front axle, almost on top of the front wheels.
• The fastest 0-100km/h time of any entry Corvette ever — under three seconds when equipped with the Z51 Performance Package.
• A racecar-like view of the road due to lower positioning of the hood, instrument panel and steering wheel. Excellent forward sightlines throughout the vehicle for both driver and passenger.
• An enhancement of Corvette’s traditional utility strengths, with dual trunks for a total of 357 liters of cargo volume, ideal for luggage or two sets of golf clubs

 

Besides these, what other advantage the shift in engine placement has allowed the 2020 Stingray is styling; Chevrolet said the new car looks bold, futuristic and exotic.

“As America’s most iconic performance nameplate, redesigning the Corvette Stingray from the ground up presented the team a historic opportunity, something Chevrolet designers have desired for over 60 years,” said GM vice president of global design Michael Simcoe. “It is now the best of America, a new arrival in the mid-engine sports car class. We know Corvette can stand tall with the best the world has to offer.”

What the upcoming Stingray also has is a supercar-level of craftsmanship, premium materials and attention to detail, with the engine shown through a large rear hatch window. The car’s cabin boasts premium materials like leather with thick, press stitching, steel speaker grilles for the Bose Performance Series audio system, and plenty of either carbon-fiber or aluminum trim on the console and door panels. Carbon-fiber competition sport seats are optional.

Powering the 2020 Stingray is Chevrolet’s next-generation, naturally aspirated, 6.2-liter small block V8 LT2 engine. It will produce 495hp and 637Nm when equipped with performance exhaust; Chevrolet said these are the most for any entry Corvette.