Even though the C8 Corvette still feels pretty new, Chevrolet’s product planners are already preparing for the next generation, which, according to a new report, will arrive in 2029.
Citing unnamed internal sources, GM Authority says that the ninth-generation Corvette will be unveiled in 2028, and its first model year will be 2029. That means that the C9 Corvette will launch nine years after the current model, which was unveiled in 2019, and first hit the road as a 2020 model year vehicle.
Perhaps more importantly, despite arriving just six years before California and other states ban the sale of non zero-emissions vehicles, the C9 Corvette will allegedly feature an internal combustion engine.
Read: 2024 Corvette E-Ray AWD Hybrid Is The Quickest ‘Vette Ever, Hits 60 In 2.5 Seconds
The presence of an old-fashioned engine does not necessarily preclude electric assistance, as we recently learned with the unveiling of the hybrid Corvette E-Ray. The first-ever production all-wheel-drive Corvette, the E-Ray makes 655 hp (488 kW/664 PS) thanks to a 6.2-liter V8 that powers the rear wheels and an electric motor that powers the front wheels. Together, they can get the car up to 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.5 seconds.
While no further details about the C9’s drivetrain have been revealed, it is reported that it will not be based on the same platform as the fully electric Corvette sedan and crossover that are said to be arriving in 2025. According to a source within GM, these models will be the basis for an entire Corvette sub-brand, and will be “copies of nothing.”
Those vehicles will be based on the upcoming GM BEV Prime architecture for premium vehicles. The C9 Corvette, meanwhile, as with its forebears, will be built at GM’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, plant.
Unfortunately, it will be a while before we find out if these reports are correct. Fortunately, there are still more C8 Corvette variants expected, and the ones on the road now are pretty impressive.
