10. Corvette Aerovette Wankel Concept
The mid-engine layout has been the obsession of Corvette engineers for decades. So between 1960 and 1977, there were around 10 fully functional Corvette prototypes with this drivetrain layout. However, one, in particular, is a little bit more interesting than the others. And that is the 1973 Aerovette Wankel concept. The most important feature of this car was the engine.
It was an advanced four-rotor Wankel unit producing more than 400 HP from 390 CID. In the early ’70s, most car manufacturers experimented with Wankel rotary engines. They were looking for a less expensive, more powerful and efficient alternative to standard piston-type engines. Chevrolet realized its car retained the power level of those big-block V8 engines with the Wankel unit, but in a much lighter and higher-revving package.