The New Cadillac Twin-Turbo V-8 Won’t Be in the Corvette

Speculation ran high that the new twin-turbo V-8 Cadillac is showing off will be in the mid-engined Corvette. As you now know, that’s not the case. This is not a rumor, because Johan de Nysschen, CEO of Cadillac, told reporters at the New York International Auto Show the engine is staying with Cadillac exclusively, according to GM Authority.

The engine in question is a twin-turbo 4.2-liter V-8 for the 2019 Cadillac CT6 V-Sport. It pushes 550 horsepower and 627 lb.-ft. of torque. Cadillac will marry it to a 10-speed automatic transmission. For whatever set of reasons that obviously look silly now, people believe this engine was destined for the C8 Corvette.

Considering the horsepower wars raging right now, and the fact that the Corvette is GM’s crown jewel, “America’s sports car” and all that, this engine is too weak. GM will settle for nothing less than 800 horsepower for peak output, and probably similarly ridiculous torque.

Think about it for a second: what other mid-engine performance car is being offered by an American automaker right now. Yes, GM wants to spank the new Ford GT, which the Blue Oval keeps waving around in its extremely limited production numbers. What better way to do that than with a mid-engine Corvette that supposedly doesn’t exist?