The Corvette: Past, Present, Future

I'd say the Corvette is equally liked and disliked by American car enthusiasts.  There are those that trash the car as out dated and out of touch, while others scream that it's the iconic American sports car that's true to its roots.  Whichever camp you're in, the feelings run deep.  Probably because, like it or not, the Corvette is the iconic American sports car, and its out there representing the stars and stripes every day.

My feelings are thus:  I don't like the current Corvette, but I like the idea of the Corvette.  And I think a lot of nasayers feel the same way.  They want the Corvette to succeed and be as well respected as an M3 or 911.  Is it?  Well....no.  Sure, it has performance figures second to none,  but there's more to a great car than 0-60 times and lateral grip.  How about style?  Panache? Taste?  Let's just say today's Corvette is a tad lacking in these areas. 

This was not always the case.  I am nuts for old C2 Corvettes.  Small, fast, and great looking, there's definitely space for a split window in my dream garage.

C2 Corvette [Flickr]

Things started to go down hill with the C4 Corvette in the eighties.  Its had boxy, bland styling, and the C5 and C6 don't look all that much different.  And, with all this heritage, the Corvette of today is somewhat stuck in the past.  It still has a bizarre, leaf spring suspension and plastic body panels.  Some folks were even upset that it was losing its pop-up headlights.  C'mon guys, get with the times.  And don't even get me started with those seats.  You can find vastly superior thrones on a GTI.

C4: Yuck [Flickr]

As for the future?  We could see another conservative update, retaining the plastic body, suspension and layout.  But in a bizarre twist, a Saab engineer has been quoted discussing a transmission developed for a mid-engine Corvette. 

A mid-engine Corvette?  It would be a seriously radical departure, one that is sure to upset Corvette purists.  But this is just the sort of shake-up that Corvette, as a brand, needs right now.  It may alienate the die-hards, but it could open the door for a larger, younger generation of fans.

As for me?  I'm skeptical that GM would take such a drastic step, but an affordable, American, mid-engined sports car is a Corvette I can get on board with.