Is General Motors Already Designing the C9 Corvette?
GM posts what looks like a C9 Corvette sketch study on Instagram, and it has us wondering what it could be.
If it seems like the C8 Corvette just came out, well that’s because it did. As in, roughly a year ago, and 2021 models will be rolling off the assembly line soon. But just because the C8 is a radically new, mid-engine version of America’s original sports car, that doesn’t mean it’s too early to begin designing the C9 Corvette. Or is it?
Regardless of what we think, it seems like that process may have already begun. We say this because General Motors recently posted a sketch study to Instagram, designed by Brian Malczewski, that sure looks an awful lot like it could be the C9 Corvette. Or, at the very least, a very early drawing of the next-gen model. Alternatively, perhaps this was an early design sketch of the C8, but it looks far different than the current model.
One thing’s for certain – this sketch, whatever it might be, does retain some of the C8’s “mid-engine” design. Its side vents look like the C8’s, albeit more stylized and integrated into the body. There’s also a built-in rear spoiler and front fenders that look nothing like what is present on the current model. And lest anyone think this is anything but a Corvette, just peep the logo on the rear spoiler and the area where the wheels would typically go.
It might seem a bit early to start thinking about the C9 Corvette, but it’s worth noting that the C7 was on sale for a mere five years before it went away. Of course, other gens lasted longer than that, but with GM moving quickly toward electrifying its lineup, perhaps the next-gen Corvette will come sooner rather than later, sporting an all-electric drivetrain.
View this post on Instagram
That certainly wouldn’t come as a surprise, but in the meantime, we shouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves. After all, the best of the C8 has yet to come, as we’re still waiting for the rumored all-wheel-drive hybrid model, Z06, ZR1, and perhaps even the mighty Zora, which will allegedly come packing a whopping 1,000 horsepower. Thus, perhaps we should contain ourselves a bit and just live in the moment.
Photos: General Motors
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