Spy pictures: new Corvette C7

The Corvette C7 has been spied during cold weather testing. The car is due to go into production later this year ahead of a 2013 launch. The heavily camouflaged Corvette C7 prototype reveals a few minor details about the upcoming sports car, which is expected to adopt a more European-looking design.

As previously confirmed by parent company General Motors, the C7 will retain its traditional front-engine and rear-wheel drive layout. A switch to a mid-engined format was considered, but has been put on ice

Compared to the C6, it seems that the front wheels have moved farther forward, increasing the dash-to-axle ratio and most likely the wheelbase too.

The rear end also appears to be larger, with a higher deck lid and slightly longer overhang, while the four exhaust pipes are now grouped together in the centre of the rear, as opposed to the C6’s ‘two sets of two’ arrangement.

The C7 is expected to have a smaller and lighter body, which makes use of carbonfibre and aluminium in order to keep its weight down and improve its power-to-weight ratio.

Although specifics about the engine are closely guarded by GM, power seems likely to come from a 5.5-litre V8 producing in the region of 450bhp, compared to the 6.2-litre V8 that drives the current C6.

Read our first drive review of the Corvette Grand Sport Convertible here

There is also the possibility of the C7 getting a high-revving turbocharged V8 engine as part of its desire to offer a mainstream rival to Porsche and Ferrari, a development that Autocar reported on last year. The new V8 would be just over 3.0 litres in capacity and is expected to have around 400bhp.

GM’s goal is to make the new Corvette a truly global competitor when production starts up. The car giant has invested $131 million (£80 million) in the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant that produces the Corvette to prepare for the C7 launch.