GM working on a Corvette Hybrid?

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Last week, the rumour-mill was grinding away with speculation that the next generation Chevrolet Corvette would receive a mid-engined layout. This week, GM has officially denied it would happen, with its vice president of global vehicle engineering, Karl-Friedrich Stracke, stating specifically, “there is no mid-engine in the plans.”

Speaking with industry publication, Autoweek, Stracke said “The rumors and speculation about the Corvette are just that.”

He also quashed rumours of a possible V6 version, saying that GM is not testing anything of the sort. Hybrid power is a very different story, though. When questioned as to whether a hybrid would form part of the next Corvette’s plans, Stracke stated, “that is an interesting idea.”

Mentioning the fact that Porsche has investigated hybrids for its entire line-up, it’s clear that GM is also thinking along similar lines.

“You could keep a normal powertain configuration for a small amount of very excited car enthusiasts,” Stracke said. “And turn 80 to 90 percent of your sports-car portfolio to hybridization.”