Will the C8 Engine Pack ‘Speed Boat’-Like Power?

Rumors suggest record-breaking Mercury Racing could be in line to build next Corvette engine.

Sounds like Chevy is busy putting a lot more things into place for the new mid-engine Corvette to ensure that it is certifiably the most badass production model ever built.

However, it appears that Chevy has kept this latest piece of the puzzle under tighter wraps than that camouflaged model of the C8 that has been making the rounds on the internet.

According to an Automotive News story, the boat-engine builder Mercury Marine could possibly rekindle its relationship with General Motors to supply the power-plant for the new mid-engine Corvette. In case you forgot, Mercury Marine actually built the engines for the Corvette ZR1 from 1990-94. The company qualifies for the job, which leads us to believe that they are secretly working to secure the deal right now.

Well, that’s if our take on what Mercury Racing’s Rick Mackie told Automotive News is correct, as detailed in the story.

“I would think we would at least have the conversation,” the senior marketing manager for Mercury Racing tells the news source. “But we haven’t yet.”

Okay, so maybe we should hold off on officially calling this a done deal. But given the type of high-performance engines Mercury Racing builds, it’s clear they’re qualified for the job. Mercury’s current engine portfolio includes a naturally aspirated 7.0-liter, dual-overhead-cam V8. Based on a Chevy LS block, that engine produces 750 hp. Mercury’s monstrous 9.0-liter, DOHC V-8 with twin turbochargers (pictured) put out 1,350 horsepower.

Then there’s Mercury’s accomplishments off-land, which includes a number of record-breaking speed wins in the water over the years that still hold their positions in the history books. Yep, sounds like Mercury Racing would make a perfect partner to us for a new mid-engine C8.