Chevrolet C8 Corvette 2019 spied on track, sounds the absolute business

That the new Chevrolet Corvette would be powered by a V8 engine was never really in doubt. Anything else would be un-American, and so it was always more a question of which V8 would live inside the Australia-bound icon.

But if there were any lingering concerns the new and mid-engined C8 Corvette might pick up an eco-friendly V6 or diesel-sipping four cylinder instead, we can blow those away right now.

The new Corvette, tipped to be unveiled at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show, has been spied by Autoweek banging out standing-start sprints on a closed US circuit, and despite being filmed from some distance, the highly anticipated muscle car sounds ferocious at noise, with a throaty V8 roar and gun-shot gear changes that are clearly audible on the film.

What isn't audible, however, is the tell-tale whistling or whooshing of a turbocharger, helping internet sleuths narrow down the possible engine choice for this particular model.

A new eight-cylinder engine set up for electrification expected to round out the range.

While rumours continue to swirl of three increasingly powerful V8 engine options, it seems at least one option will be Chev's naturally aspirated 6.2-litre engine good for around 370kW. A twin-turbo V8 is tipped to follow, with a new eight-cylinder engine set up for electrification expected to round out the range.

It's all rumour at this point, of course, but what's just a little more concrete is the fact that, whatever the powertrain, this Corvette will be coming to Australia, with Holden executives keen to regather their performance car mojo (and, no doubt, attempt to bloody the nose of Ford's top-selling Mustang).

As far back as 2015, Holden executives were promising to introduce a V8-powered halo model to fill the sizeable boots of the homegrown Commodore family, and while they're yet to publicly announce the Corvette's arrival, it is largely considered a done deal. In the States, Chev's first mid-engine Corvette is expected to wear a price tag of between US$75k and US$100k. And in America, where cars are considerably cheaper than in Australia, that will elevate the Corvette into a new and Porsche-filled arena. If those prices are accurate, we would be looking at a starting price well north of $100,000 in Australia.

Speaking of V8 goodness, the current-generation Camaro coupe should arrive in Australia in the next month-or-so, imported by HSV as left-hand-drive vehicles before being converted in Melbourne. But the Corvette promises to be a different beast, built in right-hand drive in the USA and sold from Holden dealerships.

Would a mid-engined Corvette be Australia's ultimate muscle car? Tell us in the comments below.