Report:C8 to go Radical with Mid-Mounted V6, Corvette C7 to Receive Heavy Redesign

While the Corvette C7 will essentially be a reskinned version of the current generation C6 with the emphasis said to be on interior quality and making the exterior styling more desirable to younger buyers in the States as well as to a broader international crowd, the C8 will ground-breaking, to say the least, if we are to believe the report.

A couple of weeks ago, we told you about General Motors' plans for the new Corvette, dubbed C7, that will hit the market by 2012. Now, Autoweek is bringing news on the for the next major model change, the C8, that's expected to be released after 2016.

"That [the C7] will be the last of the traditional, old-style Corvettes," said an unnamed senior GM insider to AutoWeek.

The C8, which would have been the C7 if GM hadn't entered bankruptcy last year, is said to ditch the Corvette's trademark front-mounted, large-displacement V8 setup that has been used in all six generations (though the C1 was also offered with a six-cylinder unit) for a mid-engine layout with a turbocharged V6 powertrain.

The report adds that the C8 will also boast a lightweight alloy body and a more compact footprint.

The question we pose here is this: if the report turns out to be true, and taking into consideration the introduction of the new Camaro with its old-school muscle car charm, is GM's move to turn the page on the Corvette in the right direction?