New Corvette Could Be The Last

General Motors engineers have been putting the new Corvette protype through cold weather tests recently.  They have it disguised so that no pictures of it go out before GM is ready to make the official unveiling, but there's talk the newest edition of "America's Sports Car" will be the last one.

Set to be introduced as 2013 models, the new Corvette will be just the seventh generation in its 60-year history.  One thing's for sure - it'll be a rear-wheel drive, V-8 with a manual transmission as nearly all of them have been.  The new Corvette has been in the works since 2007 and was supposed to be ready for 2011 - Chevrolet's 100th anniversary.

What might be the end of the road for the Corvette as we know it are new federal rules making it mandatory that cars average 54.5 miles a gallon by 2025.  It's unlikely GM engineers can figure out how to get that kind of mileage out of a V-8.  

Sports car fans just might have to deal with the reality of a hybrid Corvette.  A muscle-car that you plug into the wall?  It might be coming down the road.

[corvetteblogger.com]