CERV stands for Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle. These vehicles are experimental cars used to test new technologies. The “CERV” designation dates back to the early days of the Corvette. Zora Arkus-Duntov designed a single-seat, open-wheel racer dubbed CERV I. He also designed CERV II – the world’s first mid-engine car with full-time four-wheel drive. In appearance, they looked nothing like the Corvette. They were used to demonstrate the performance and engineering capabilities of GM to the public. The next CERV to be created, CERV III, was a mid-engine, fully functional Corvette show car which debuted at the Detroit International Auto Show in 1990. During the development process of the fifth-generation 1997 Corvette, a fourth CERV was created. Of the four, CERV IV was the only one designed with a front-mounted engine.