2019 Corvette C8 to use mid-mounted twin-turbo V8 with 700bhp

Next-gen American sports car looks set to move its engine rearwards in a bid to improve balance

The Corvette C8 will be the most drastically altered model in its family tree thanks to its use of an all-new powertrain that mounts a twin-turbo V8 behind the passenger compartment.

Chevrolet's next-generation American supercar will therefore trade the front-engined layout of the C7 for a better-balanced mid-engine setup. New reports suggest this adjustment will come alongside the introduction of a boosted eight-cylinder engine.

Chevrolet's significantly more focused supercar will pick up the baton from the already well respected C7, which marked a big leap forward from its forebears. The C8 is expected to send up to 700bhp to its rear wheels, ranking it ahead of the Ford GT and Ferrari 488 GTB.

Most recently seen testing alongside a Corvette ZR1 - a track-focused version of the current C7 - the C8's shorter nose and longer rear section, complete with a pair of buttresses, are evidence of its mid-engine layout.

Sources think the car could use a turbocharged V6 engine in a cheaper variant that would expand the car's reach and help to bring down the range's average CO2 output - essential in a world of ever stricter emissions limits.

The C8 is expected to use more aluminium in its construction to save weight. Carbonfibre is unlikely to feature due to its cost; the Corvette has consistently undercut the prices of its most exotic European rivals.

The finished C8 is expected to arrive in the UK in mid-2019, shortly after its introduction to the US market.