Long Legacy Of Front-Engine Corvettes Goes Silently Into The Night

Did you hear it? You’ve likely heard ABOUT it, but did you hear it when it actually happened? Likely not.

Remember the fanfare when the “Last C7,” the last of America’s sports car to keep its engine out front, was auctioned off to an astounding bid of $2.7 million dollars? There were plenty of hot lights and media credentials to document the occasion. Admittedly, the car DID bring in a chunk of coin for a great cause, the Steven Siller Tunnels to Towers Foundation, which intends to use the benefits to build smart homes for wounded veterans. And, the auction was held at the big-top auto event known as Barrett-Jackson, so plenty of folks were on-hand to document the occasion.

But yesterday, the black, C7 Z06, the last front-engine wearing Corvette that the Corvette Assembly Plant will produce, was wheeled out the door to little more than a tweet. Chevrolet chose to document the occasion through its social-media account with a single photo showing the lone car and a few orange vests in the background.

Understandably, the intended date of completion was likely passed, thanks to GM’s recent discussions with UAW officials. The strike affected both the completion date for the C7 generation and the beginning date of C8 production. With the last seventh-generation car now out of the way, the plant readies itself to begin building the mid-engine supercar that Zora Arkus-Duntov always dreamed it could be.

About the author

Andy Bolig

Andy has been intrigued by mechanical things all of his life and enjoys tinkering with cars of all makes and ages. Finding value in style points, he can appreciate cars of all power and performance levels. Andy is an avid railfan and gets his “high” by flying radio-controlled model airplanes when time permits. He keeps his feet firmly grounded by working on his two street rods and his supercharged C4 Corvette. Whether planes, trains, motorcycles, or automobiles, Andy has immersed himself in a world driven by internal combustion.
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