The experimental XP-882 looked production-ready, thus fueling hopes that the next new Corvette would have a similar mid- engine design. It definitely looked like a Corvette, with overtones of the 1968- vintage "Shark" model in its low vee'd nose and four-lamp tail treatment. The car would have stayed under wraps, but was shown to counter Ford's announced sale of Italian-built DeTomaso Panteras. GM built two XP-882 chassis for evaluation, but only the first one had the bodywork shown here.
Zora Arkus-Duntov's solution to the XP-880's transaxle problem was to mate a 454 V-8 to a Toronado transmission and mount it all transversely to lower the mass. A bevel gear allowed a prop-shaft to run back through the oil pan to a Chevrolet differential. It worked and paved the way for future all-wheel drive, but the powertrain weighed a significant 950 pounds.
However, the mid engine story would continue...
