GM's new Corvette is so powerful, it's warping the frame in tests, report says

The redesigned 2020 Chevrolet Corvette's new engine is so powerful that it's compromising the vehicle's structural integrity in testing, causing General Motors to delay the car's reveal, according to an industry report.

Sports car fans have been eagerly awaiting the debut of the eighth generation of the Corvette, which got its last total overhaul in the 2014 Corvette Stingray.

The 2019 Detroit auto show, which would have provided a major global stage for the vehicle's unveiling, came and went in January with no reveal.

What gives?

Well, it sounds like GM engineers are scrambling to get the vehicle ready for prime time, in part because they made it so powerful that the vehicle is bumping up against physical limitations.

Classic-car insurer Hagerty reported that a Corvette prototype with a twin-turbocharged, 8-cylinder engine generates 900 to 1,000 horsepower and caused a "structural distortion of the aluminum spaceframe" during tests.

"The twist in back was enough to fracture the glass hatch covering the engine," Hagerty reported. "Be glad this flaw was discovered in advance of your top speed runs in Chevy’s designated Ferrari-beater."

At those speeds, the new "C8" sports car would be faster than the 2019 ZR1 performance model, which GM bragged is the fastest 'Vette at a top speed of 210 mph.

Other bugs, including electrical issues, are being worked out, according to Hagerty.

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GM representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

The Corvette is likely to debut as a 2020 model. 

The current version ranges in price from $55,495 to $128,900.

Hagerty estimated that the redesigned model will start in the range of $60,000 to $70,000 and get a 6.2-liter, 8-cylinder engine with at least 500 horsepower, which would be about 50 more than the base version.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.