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CERV III

“Beauty is truth, truth beauty, — that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know” Keats: Ode on a Grecian Urn Times are changing.  We may like it or not, but times are changing. As times are changing, also people and their values, and their perception about society, about society values, attitude and ultimately beauty.  And style. Look at Corvette for example. The ultimate example. In the beginning it was like a very well tailored suit. Perfectly done tuxedo. Something special, a brilliant descendant of the Jaguar-inspired elegant original C1 from 1953. And yes, the key-word here was elegance.  Hell, even the name of the black color was tuxedo black. It was the time when having a Corvette didn't mean showing what you have. Everyone knew instantly what it was. It was the Corvette. The perfect sportscar that was dressing its owner. With good taste and style. It was art, and as such it was meant to be something for eternity. As it does. This k...

07.1 8 .19 1990 CERV III IMCDB

Of all the mid-engine Corvette prototypes, the 1990 CERV III was arguably the closest one to reaching production reality. The third Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle was an evolution of the 1986 Corvette Indy, and while it was intended as GM’s showpiece for the 1990 Detroit auto show, many of its elements indicated the possibility of a production-ready car. Much of the CERV III’s technology is relatively commonplace today, but in 1990, it was dreamy stuff: All-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, and a computer-controlled active suspension. The transmission was a six-speed automatic, built from the existing Hydramatic three-speed, and the brakes used dual discs at each wheel. The body was made from an exotic mix of carbon fiber, Kevlar, and Nomex and reinforced by aluminum, and the suspension components were made from titanium. In an era where many young men had Lamborghini posters on their walls, it comes as no surprise that the CERV III sported scissor-style doors. Insid...

by Hagerty GM’s worst-kept secret is that the eighth generation Corvette will have a mid-engine layout, enabling design, performance, and engineering that will rival the best of Italy’s supercars. To tide you over until the C8 appears on the show circuit in 2019, here’s a capsule history of past mid-engine experiments. During a visit to Zora Arkus-Duntov’s home to pose a single question—Why were you so obsessed with mid-engine designs?—the Corvette’s patron saint confided that his inspiration dated all the way back to 1957, following the Corvette SS’s DNF at the 12 Hours of Sebring. “That’s when I concluded that the heat source [the engine] must be located behind the driver,” he said. Although the official explanation of the DNF was a failure of a rear suspension bushing after only 23 laps of racing, driver John Fitch’s feet were being cooked by the eight uninsulated exhaust pipes located in close proximity to the magnesium firewall and floor panels. The inherent advantage...