Now that Chevrolet has a complete C7 Corvette family, from the C7, through the Z06 and to the Z06, it’s time for the golden bowtie to move on to the more mysterious side of the ‘Vette range. Perhaps General Motors’ recent trademark application can give us a lead on the story.
The automaker registered the Corvette Manta Ray nameplate last week, together with the Manta Ray moniker. The patent’s description explains the names are to be used for “motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles, engines therefor and structural parts thereof.”
Sure, carmakers like to secure nameplates all the time, but there are plenty of ways for this one to come to fruition.
A bit of history
This wouldn’t be the first time the Corvette receives a Manta Ray badge. It all started back in 1969 with a concept car. The concept’s party trick was its rear end, which introduced a set of radical styling cues. A two-tone finish and new headlights completed the scenery, while under the hood a beefed up ZL-1 427 CI V8 made sure the car stays on the special side.
So what could it be?
Chevy could introduce an all-new model between the C7 and the Z06, one that would bet on appearance, not just on the muscle, to make a difference.
Nevertheless, now that the Z06 has gone down the supercharging route, we could also see a blower introduced together with the new name.
Some have gone as far as linking this to the Zora mid-engined Corvette rumors, but that seems a bit of a far stretch. Until we get our hands on fresh info, you can check out the original Corvette Manta Ray Concept in the clip below.
In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist. Full profile
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