Will Chevrolet’s C-8 Be Named After the "Father of the Corvette"?

As reported by Road & Track, Chevrolet is predicted to release the long-awaited C8 Corvette sometime in 2019, potentially as early as January.

Back in 2014 and 2015, General Motors (“GM”) filed trademark applications in at least seven countries, including Canada, for the name “ZORA”. Car enthusiasts are speculating as to whether the C8 Corvette is the model for which GM has been holding the name.

The new C-8 is said to be named after Zora Arkus-Duntov, Corvette’s first chief engineer, who spent his career focused on developing a mid-engine model to rival Corvette’s European competitors. Although Arkus-Duntov never completed such a model during his lifetime, he did develop a prototype called the XP-819, which was side-lined in favour of other projects.

The mid-engine design of the C-8 is said to be the optimal engine position because of its balanced weight distribution, which makes for improved handling. Corvette’s release of such a model has been widely anticipated and there have been rumours of Chevrolet releasing a mid-engine model for decades.

Although a trademark filing is by no means determinative of the name’s use for the C8, it does seem like the perfect opportunity for the company to honour a man who some call the "Father of the Corvette".