A 60-year dream come true

And then, a unicorn in Times Square?

The almost mythical mid-engine Corvette made its first appearance in public as General Motors CEO Mary Barra and Vette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter described New York with a camouflaged version of the sports car that launched a thousand rumors.

Expect camouflage-free photos and at least some technical details on July 18, at a place yet to be determined, but one that should be easy to find: listen to the dull sound of all panting automobile writers.

The new "Vette" is expected to be commercialized in 2020. This is the eighth generation of America's largest sports car and the most radical technical change since the first Corvette, which debuted in 1953.

This is because the engine goes from under the bonnet to fit between the cockpit and the rear wheels – central engine, as in the center of the car. You can see this with the short hood of the car and the Big Air air intakes just in front of the rear wheels. The scoops suck the air for the engine, which would be a version of the current V8 of the Corvette.

The proportions are new, but the style is recognizable Corvette. You might think 'nice' Vette 'if you saw the nose and lights of the new car in your rearview mirror, based on what you can say under camouflage.

Barra was in New York for Stephen Siller's Tunnel to Towers Foundation's annual "Walk to the Future" gala.

Almost all the fastest and most maneuverable sports cars in the world have the engines behind the passengers. The layout improves maneuverability because it puts the weight of the engine in the center of the car. This arrangement, with perhaps a little more than 50% of the weight of the car on its rear axle, offers a good balance and good cornering grip. The layout also lends itself to great traction for the rear wheels, hence quick starts.

Chevrolet engineers dreamed of a mid-engine Corvette for decades.

The legendary chief engineer of the Corvette, Zora Arkus-Duntov, played with the idea, but never did it. His last words when he retired in 1975 would be the new chief engineer Dave McLellan: "Vette was now in his hands.

Forty-four years later, we are still waiting.

Reinventing a legend takes money, courage, and inspiration. Over the years, the "Central Motor Vettes" projects have failed because of the lack of everyone. The most recent was a victim of the Great Recession, when GM canceled all the optional projects to focus on survival.

Moving the engine behind the cockpit marks the end of the spacious sedan that makes the Corvette a surprisingly practical super car. The space in front of the cockpit will probably be the main luggage compartment, with perhaps a little storage space behind the engine.

It has been said that a mid-engine Corvette would inevitably have a price equivalent to that of Ferrari in the six figures. This is not true and unlikely. The attractiveness of the Corvette has always been that it could work with superb cars, but that it was relatively affordable, especially compared to Italian and German exotic vehicles.

Prices for the Corvette 2019 start at $ 55,900, $ 1,000 less than the lowest-cost, mid-engine sports car, the Porsche 718 Cayman.

The new 'Vette will cost more, but probably not stratospheric. I say "probably" because GM is expected to build the current Corvette Stingray some time after the sale of the mid-engine model. This gives him some leeway to launch a six-figure model of the new model without ending the status of Corvette as an accessible super car.

Until we're sure, Corvette fans will have to be satisfied with the smiles on Barra's face during his tour around Manhattan. Juechter and she seemed to have fun as it should be.

Contact Mark Phelan at 313-222-6731 or[email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Learn more about automobiles and sign up for our newsletter.

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