Prototypes for the mid-engine C8 Chevrolet Corvette have been spotted again, and the latest testers are wearing the least camouflage gear we've seen yet. In fact, most of the new car's final details, including the interior, can be seen.

It's not surprising as the reveal is scheduled for July 18. We should see it in showrooms later this year as a 2020 model. The C8 was originally expected for 2019 but then Chevy went and launched the C7 ZR1.

Even so, that's still a relatively short lifespan for the C7 Corvette which first arrived for 2014. The reason for the quick changeover is because General Motors had started work on a mid-engine design for the C7 but ended up scrapping the plans in the tumult of the 2009 bankruptcy, with the C7 we ended up with being somewhat of a placeholder.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette (C8) spy video from Motor Authority on Vimeo.

Looking at the new shots and video of prototypes, we see can see that the C8 will be similar in size to the C7 but with a lower, wider stance. It won't get vertical-lifting doors of many exotics, though it looks like there will be a short front overhang. Flanking the engine bay is a pair of chunky buttresses and we’re told designers will add a sheet of glass in the center to show off the engine (it's concealed here). One of the biggest challenges is thought to be heat management. We can also see a rear-facing camera that feeds images to a digital rearview mirror inside (there's also a digital instrument cluster) and what also looks to be dual-caliper brakes at the rear.

The new Corvette won’t be a pricey limited edition supercar like the modern Ford GT. We hear the basis for the car’s mid-engine platform is the C7’s aluminum spaceframe structure rather than a completely new design. As for powertrains, the base model shown here should come with the C7 Corvette Stingray's 6.2-liter V-8 delivering about 500 horsepower. Later, a 5.5-liter V-8 with a flat-plane crank and DOHC design is expected to be dropped in, complete with about 600 hp. Then, a twin-turbocharging option for this engine could surface, seeing output rise to 800 hp.

But wait, there's more. At the top of the heap is expected to sit a hybrid—yes, a hybrid Corvette—powertrain adding an electric motor to the front axle and utilizing the twin-turbo V-8 for the rear axle to generate a hypercar-rivaling 1,000 hp.

1960 Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV) 1 - Image via RM Auctions

By now you’re probably wondering why GM would rock the boat with such a dramatic change to the Corvette formula. Apparently the front engine, rear-wheel-drive layout is reaching its limits. Also, the Alpha-based Camaro is already snapping at the heels of its big brother.

There’s also a bit of mid-engine Corvette history. Corvette father Zora Arkus-Duntov was a huge fan of the layout, especially for motorsports. He helped GM build a number of mid-engine concepts for testing purposes, the original being the first CERV (Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle) concept rolled out in 1960. Don’t be surprised if a Corvette ZR1 successor is named after him, since we know GM has a trademark for Zora.

Going mid-engine won’t be the only major change for the C8: another will be price. While the base C7 starts close to $60,000, the new price of entry is thought to be rising to approximately $80,000. The higher price can be justified by the more exotic layout, plus it provides a nice buffer with the Camaro. The change will also help the C8 become a semi-exotic halo model for Chevrolet worldwide, similar to what the GT-R is for Nissan and the NSX is to Acura and Honda. It will also make the C8 a better performer on the racetrack.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette (C8) spy shots - Image via S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Production will take place at the Corvette’s home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. GM has spent over $700 million in upgrades to the plant in preparation for the new car.

Unfortunately, the news of the mid-engine Corvette means the C7 was the nameplate's last with a front-mounted engine. The final C7, a black Z06, was sold for $2.7 million at a charity auction in June.

Stay tuned for the reveal of the C8 Corvette in just a week.