When Corvette was in its first generation a man who goes by the name of Zora Arkus-Duntov was tasked to design a mid-engine racing car. Then the inspiring CERV 1 was created in 1960 for the reason to flaunt what Chevrolet is capable.
According to Auto Evolution, the very first exhibit in the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle series was developed as a research subject. Its body’s shell makes use of glass fiber reinforce plastic. This is material also features in the C1 Corvette. In the meantime, the engine is a 350-horsepower 283-cu.in. (4.6-liter) V8 based on the small block C8 introduced in the C1 Corvette for 1957. However, beyond that, the CERV 1 is a whole different beast from America’s most revered sports car. Like it the single-seat design wasn’t wild enough compared to what Chevrolet used to sell and race at the time. Zora Arkus-Duntov knew very little that the mid-engine layout would get considered for production for the C8-generation Corvette. Some Spy photos of a mid-engine Corvette made the rounds on more than one occasion where all leads suggest that Chevy will do the unthinkable for the 2019 model year.
According to GM Authority’s report, the 1960 CERV 1 (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) finally found a new home after the 2017 Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction. This vehicle had a rough history as of recent after the underperforming substantially at RM Southeby’s and they seemingly failed o sell all together which brought it to Barrett-Jackson. The 1960 CERV went under the hammer for a $1.320.000 at the Scottsdale auction but it still feels short of its initial estimate of $2 million.
The CERV I fetched $800.000 at RM Sotheby’s previously. It is still a little bit blurry whether the sale itself fell through at the auction or the price was reported incorrectly. But, however, one lucky buyer went home with a huge piece of Chevrolet’s history. Ahead of its time in all respects, the CERV I used extensive aluminum and magnesium construction of its small-block V8 engine, one could say that the CERV I was the mid-engine Corvette that never was.
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