When it first arrived on the scene, the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE was thought to be a car that would be only suited to the hardcore track drivers that prowled the loops around the world.
Because of this, Chevrolet only offered this amazing sports car with a manual transmission when it first arrived. The thought was that you needed to be able to row your own gears in order to make this car the right one for you to have the drive and the fun offered by the most incredible version of the Camaro.

Because the Chevrolet Corvette is considered a supercar, it seems strange to think that this car has been around as long as it has without being one that has ever had the engine placed behind the driver. Even though Zora Arkus-Duntov, the father of the Corvette and its chief engineer lobbied for this car to have the engine moved to the rear, it hasn’t happened until now. The C8 model of the Corvette, which will arrive in 2020, will be the first one that has had the engine put behind the driver in a production model.

The Movement Began in the 1960s

In the 1960s, Duntov began to build mid-engine Corvette models that were deemed Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicles (CERV) and the CERV I and CERV II came to be prototypes that could have paved the way for a Corvette with the engine behind the driver. These two models had a focus on racing and eventually on potential production. During this same time, the R& D group built a Grand Sport II race car that was a concept model that eventually was improved and became the 1966 Jim Hall Chaparral race car.

The Astro II Arrives

The Astro II, which was originally called the XP-880, showed up at the New York Auto Show in April of 1968. This car showcased a mid-mounted engine that offered a rear that was not quite as extreme at the Astro I that was shown a year earlier. The aerodynamics were as smooth as any Corvette on the market and it could have easily become the perfect mid-engine Corvette which would have entered the market much earlier than the one that we will soon see offered, but there was something keeping this car from making its way to production.

The swoopy body of the Astro II housed a 400 horsepower 427-cubic-inch big block V8 engine that was mounted backward. The starter and ring gear were located under the seatbacks and the accessory drive was in the rear. The original transmission came from a 1963 Pontiac Tempest but it was found to be too weak for this engine and this system was redesigned. The car road on cast-aluminum wheels and it had four-wheel disc brakes that could make it possible for this car to corner and handle the road with ease. This was the car that nearly made its way to the GM showrooms around the world.

Employing an Old Philosophy

Unfortunately for the Astro II, GM chose to employ the old “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” philosophy to the Corvette. At the time, Chevrolet could barely keep up with the demand for this car which gave them pause to radically change a car that was already as successful as the Corvette. This led to the Astro II and nearly every other mid-engine model that was paraded out to be canceled until now. Thankfully, we will finally see the mid-engine Corvette on the market, and understand why this is as important a move as it will be for the Corvette.

The most lauded test track in the world is where the most sought-after American sports car has found its way for some tests. The newest version of the Chevrolet Corvette, one that’s not even on the market yet, has been spending a lot of time at Nurburgring testing its prowess on the track that tames even the most savage of automotive beasts. Even though we don’t have a Corvette lap time, and we probably won’t for a while, this car is ready to take on the track and make sure we know it’s going to be an amazing movement forward for the name it bears.

Catching Air in the Corvette

While we’re used to the European sports cars that call Nurburgring their home test track, Chevrolet is a welcome visitor as those that run the track have the opportunity to watch in awe as the Corvette turns some fast laps. Recent pictures that were taken show this car catching some air over a crest of the track, which is a bit out of the ordinary for sports cars at Nurburgring. Certainly, this was a gleeful experience for the driver behind the wheel.

Gone is the Camouflage

For several months, the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette was tested only wearing puffy and unappealing garb which covered everything that didn’t need to be open to perform. This car was trying to hide from us and not allow us to know what it’s going to be when it finally hits the market. Now, the loose-fitting camo is gone in favor of the black and white wrap that’s meant to hide some of the details of the car. This means we can see more of what the new Corvette will be as long as we have a camera that can capture it in motion as it races around the track.

Dimensional Changes to the Corvette

The mid-engine Corvette is just what it sounds like. The engine is now behind the seats, which means there’s no need for a long hood anymore. Even so, when we look at the testing model on the track, it appears to have a longer hood than most mid-engine cars. That makes sense though because the Corvette is known for its long swooping curves up front, which are easily part of the character that we love in this excellent sports car. It’s something we don’t want to lose just because the engine moved.

Still Questions to be Answered

We know this new Corvette will have the engine in the rear, and we’ve got a pretty good idea of what it will look like when Chevrolet adds it to the market. What we don’t know is what transmission will be used or what size the engine will be. There are plenty of rumors of what this car may be and how it will be powered, but none of them have been confirmed as of yet. As much as we already know about the new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette, we also don’t know even more.

The 2019 Chevrolet Bolt is one of the first EV models to actually allow for a full day of driving. You can charge up and take on your day, all day.
For several years, the thought of an EV was cute and somewhat humorous. Most electric vehicles were built for those who were city dwellers only and offered a short range that took several hours to recharge. The Chevrolet Bolt EV has come along to change this and offer us the range we need for a full day of driving, even if the commute is a long one, and make it easier for us to enjoy the benefits of driving a car that’s able to use electricity instead of gasoline for the drive.

General Motors (GM) has been able to maintain profitability in the wake of several recent shake-up causing concerns within the automotive industry.
The automotive industry has faced several challenges this year with the projection of an upcoming slowdown in sales, tariffs that are looming, and higher costs for materials. Even so, GM has been able to post profits for the third quarter that were much higher than expected and the end of the year earnings are expected to come in at the higher end of its forecast. These results are thanks to the strong demand in the North American market that’s driven by the new pickup trucks that are being offered by GM under the Chevrolet and GMC brands.

There are plenty of new cars on the market right now that may not thrill, but that do offer all of the things drivers want out of a particular model segment.
There are several models offered in the automotive market that you can drive on the road. Some of the models that are offered are amazing, exotic, and impressive while others are built and look in a way that might not be something you want when you head out for a drive. If you’re wondering if you should like a vehicle, that’s up to you, but there are plenty that might be a bit off the track of vehicles that we want to enjoy, even though we do.

If you have a big job to get done but you don’t want to spend the money on a new truck, you can have a used truck that can get the job done and pay a lower price.
The used vehicle market is awash with amazing trucks and vehicles that can help you get the job done. Even if your budget is limited to only $10,000, you can have exactly what you need when you choose a truck on this list and get ready to put it to work to help you get things done.

In the past, the factory warranty that was offered on a vehicle gave you the peace of mind you wanted, but only for a short period of time.
Because vehicles are more reliable than they’ve been in the past, many automakers have added more time and miles to some of their warranties, and GM is joining that group. It’s time for the basic three-year/36,000 mile warranty to no longer be offered and something that’s more in line with the miles and time a vehicle will be owned to be offered on some of the GM products.

Are you looking for a compact SUV that brings you several choices and the right fit for your driving needs? Enter the New Chevy Equinox.
Do you want an SUV that can be fitted with a diesel engine and has the technology you’re after? If so, the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox is the vehicle that brings you exactly what you’re looking for. This vehicle was revamped for the 2018 model year to be lighter and more agile, now it’s offered with even more of the items you want when you drive. This is an SUV you need to take for a test drive today.

Cadillac is the luxury arm of GM, and it has always had its own personality and qualities that make the brand stand out against the rest of what GM has to offer.
Four years ago, the Cadillac team moved their headquarters to New York to be closer to their target customer base in one of the most affluent parts of the country. This move was made to set Cadillac apart from the rest of the GM brands, but it seems the team needs to move back to Detroit to ensure a smoother communication process between Cadillac and other GM brands.

An Immediate World Requires Older Communication

In 2018, you would think that leaders of different parts of GM would be able to communicate, collaborate, and make decisions quickly with the use of the technology offered. It seems that Cadillac has had trouble getting decisions made quickly enough and the current president of the brand, Steve Carlisle has decided it’s time to move the brand back to Detroit to be closer to the GM headquarters. This will ensure the lines of communication can move quickly and more easily between the parent company and this brand.

Sharing More Means More Communication is Needed

While the move to New York not only allowed Cadillac to be near the luxury brand customers that it wanted to attract, it also made it possible for the brand to attract some executives from other luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hennessey. Unfortunately, the Cadillac sales have declined over time and there’s a need to be closer to the rest of the GM brands to ensure a smoother and seamless communication process. Because of this, Carlisle has made the decision to bring the brand back to Detroit to be able to improve the communication process.

Where Will Cadillac Call Home?

The Cadillac brand will be placed in the new headquarters in a renovated space in the Warren, MI area near Detroit. This will allow the brand and its leaders to be closer to the GM technical center. The need to be near the design and engineering teams of GM is evident and will allow Cadillac to continue to develop and offer more models in the lineup that is growing for the future. This is only the first of the big moves for the new leader of the brand, which gives us an idea that he wants to ensure his team is working alongside the rest of the GM brands.

Does This Mean More Models?

The current Cadillac focus offers us the feeling that this brand is working toward more small SUVs for us to drive along with replacements for the current sedans and cars that we see on the market. The future of this brand is in these two categories and with the sharing that has taken place between Cadillac and Chevrolet in recent years, it makes perfect sense for this brand to move to the Detroit area and be able to collaborate in person on a daily basis.