Chevrolet Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter is retiring, effective later this summer, General Motors announced Wednesday, ending a 47-year career with the company. A replacement will be announced at a later date, GM said in a press release.

Juechter began his career with GM in 1977, working at the automaker’s Lordstown, Ohio, assembly plant. He joined the Corvette engineering team in 1993, worked on the C5 and C6 Corvettes under then-chief engineer Dave Hill, and was named assistant Corvette chief engineer in 1999.

He was then promoted to Corvette executive chief engineer in 2006, effectively putting him in charge of the sports car’s engineering. In this role, he oversaw the development and launch of the C7 and C8 Corvettes. The C8 is the first mid-engine Corvette production model, fulfilling the dream of the Zora Arkus-Duntov, known as the “father of the Corvette,” who pushed for a mid-engine ‘Vette to make the sports car more competitive on the track.

“It’s been the honor of a lifetime to work at this company,” Juechter said in a statement. “I know the future of the nameplate is in the right hands.”

GM confirmed that Juechter’s “most recent involvement will be reflected in the upcoming ZR1,” due to be unveiled this summer. GM teased the C8 ZR1 earlier this month without revealing additional details. Rumors point to a twin-turbocharged version of the 5.5-liter V-8 found in the C8 Z06, something also hinted at by a listing in a GM parts catalog for a turbo adapter for a 5.5-liter V-8 referred to as the LT7 (the Z06 engine is designated LT6).

Expect the C8 ZR1 to top the previous-generation C7 ZR1’s 755 hp. That version of the ZR1 established a high-water mark for performance and took home the Motor Authority Best Car to Buy 2019 award.