The 2020 C8 Corvette Unveiled!
After waiting for almost 3 years after the first images of the heavily camouflaged C8 Corvette mule were leaked we finally get to see the production model in the flesh. GM unveiled the 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray tonight in Tustin, CA ahead of the Monterey Car Week.
And it didn’t disappoint.
The idea of a mid-engined corvette goes back nearly 60 years and has had several false starts throughout history. The closest it ever came to becoming a reality prior to 2019 was back in the 1980’s, although GM decided not to pursue it as a production model at the time. Since the excitement has been building for so many decades there are pretty high expectations from fans and enthusiasts. Well, if the numbers are anything to go by I’d say we’re off to a good start.
Power is put exclusively to the rear wheels from a 6.2L LT2 V8, effectively a heavily revised version of the previous LT1 V8. Due to the engine being moved from the front of the car to the middle the engine had to be re-engineered for packaging reasons. Power is up from 455 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque in the outgoing LT1 to 490 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque in the new LT2 495 hp in the optional Z51 package. The power is sent to the wheels through an all new, bespoke 8-speed dual clutch gearbox – the only choice available.
GM claims that the new entry level C8 Corvette Stingray will accellerate from 0-60 faster than any other entry level Corvette at less than 3 seconds when equipped with the Z51 package! For comparison the C7 ZR1 Corvette, the most powerful Corvette ever produced, did 0-60 in 2.8 seconds.
The new C8 Corvette takes advantage of a whole bunch of new technology in GM’s parts bin such as a reduced need for wiring by utilizing OTA (over the air) data transmission and the 4th Generation Magnetic Ride suspension. GM claims that the OTA data transmission results in faster data transfers throughout the vehicle and allows for them to use better technology, such as bigger screens and faster shift times in the 8-speed DCT. Magnetic Ride suspension has been known to be one of the best sports car suspensions in the business for years now, so any improvements made to it will surely be a good thing.
We’ll have to wait to see how it performs on the road and, more importantly, on track. Oh, and the Stingray starts at under $60,000 USD. If the numbers are any indication, that’s one hell of a deal compared to its competition. The new C8 Corvette goes into production in late 2019 with more specific pricing and options available closer to the launch date.
The full media release can be found here.
