Behold, mid-engine Corvette fans: The car you’ve waited patiently for Chevrolet to build has finally evolved beyond titillating concepts to the engineering mule revealed here. An 82-second strike by our recon op resulted in 15 frames before security narcs dropped the curtain on this black test car—with its two occupants still inside.

Don’t fret over the pointy-pickup camouflage; more attractive attire will follow. Instead take solace in a cabin hugging the front axle, ample space between the cockpit and the rear wheels for the hot parts, and this Corvette’s crouched and ready attitude.

The nose clip is from Holden Commodore SSV (with even wider flares), while the cabin module, roof, and exterior mirrors are hand-me-downs from today’s Stingray. A Holden SSV ute’s sheetmetal wraps door to door around the heinie. The wing keeps the tail planted during high-speed runs and what could be more practical than the bumper-mounted 2x10 for shoving this test sled back to the garage when it breaks down? Other items of note: The fuel-filler located on the driver’s-side B-pillar and the cooling intakes located along the rocker panels.

Scaling the span between the axles using the wheels as guides (we’re estimating them at 19 inches in diameter) yields a projected wheelbase of 98.9 inches, some eight inches shorter than that of today’s Corvette. That blueprint upgrade comes from bumping the transmission from ahead of to behind the rear axle as God and Dr. Porsche intended. A tighter wheelbase quickens steering response and cinches up the turning circle. It goes without saying that at least 60 percent of this probable Corvette ZR1’s mass will be supported by the rear wheels, enhancing launch traction and *****-out braking. There are rumblings that the engine bay may eventually play host to a small, 3.5- to 4.0-liter V-8 with all the fixin’s—meaning no pushrods.

Thus far GM has issued no denials discrediting our most recent (and highly detailed) mid-engine Corvette forecasts. While there’s no fresh intel regarding launch timing, the fact that experimental hardware has left the laboratory suggests that the C8 Zora sports car is on schedule to roll into showrooms in about 20 months as a 2017 model, at which point it will be sold alongside the front-engined Corvette. Place your orders now or find yourself stuck at the back of a long delivery line.

Ah, apple pie and ice cream. Friday night football games. Rolling Stones on the radio. A Corvette flying by you, making you feel a bit of envy, awe, and plain down-home American.
It can be very convincingly argued that the Chevrolet Corvette is the all-American automobile, with the only possible rival being the Ford Mustang.

One of the aspects that has always defined the American sports car is a front engine, rear-wheel drive configuration. There have been plenty of rumors and reports of sightings about the C8 Corvette being a mid-engine supercar, but some don’t believe that General Motors is going to suddenly convert their most prized sports car from front engine to mid-engine — effectively changing the entire design and performance of this “all American” car. Patrick Rall of TorqueNews says it just doesn’t add up.

“It is one thing for the company to do away with the hideaway headlights or the round tail lights, but changing the drivetrain layout of the Chevrolet Corvette seems like a break of tradition that GM just wouldn’t attempt. Although a mid-engine Corvette could provide exceptional performance compared to the current C7, an engine mounted anywhere than under the hood just wouldn’t seem right for the Corvette.”

Of course, not everyone agrees that a mid-engine Corvette won’t happen. After decades of talk, it appears the mythical mid-engine Corvette is a real possibility, as Car & Driver’s spies have managed to glimpse what they believe is a prototype for the long-conjectured model.

According to WorldCarFans, GM has been relatively secretive about the next-generation Corvette, but the mid-engine model is expected to be launched in 2017 and will be named the Zora ZR1. It will reportedly be sold alongside the Corvette C7 for a few years before the old car is phased out.

The popular MotorTrend agrees that the mid-engine Corvette will be a go. Father of the Corvette — Zora Arkus-Duntov — seriously wanted to build a mid-engine ‘Vette. Only GM’s board stopped him, who seemed to prefer the faster, powered models. Perhaps that’s why it is rumored the ’17 ‘Vette will be named Zora — to finally give the inventor his wish.

Reactions from die-hard Corvette fans across the globe are many and varied. One commenter said he saw no reason at all to change the American icon.

“Chevy would be absolutely FOOLISH to completely abandon the traditional Front Engine/Rear Drive formula for the Corvette. Nothing wrong with ADDING a rear-mid engine platform to the mix in the form of the Zora or next-gen ZR-1, but dropping the current Front Engine/Rear Drive formula altogether would drive me to Vipers, which I prefer not to do. I’m only 33 and on my 4th Vette and hope to stay with Chevy for my 2-seat sports cars in the future. I have a lot of sport car business to give a manufacturer before I kick the bucket.”