What makes this Corvette stand out from its earlier versions — and finally become the equal of its competitors from Ferrari , Porsche , Aston Martin and the like — is performance .
After years of lobbying for a midengine version , General Motors designer Kirk Bennion and his team were finally given the green light to overhaul the Vette . Their most radical decision was moving the power plant from the front end to behind the passenger cabin , a midengine design long favored by its European rivals .
“ We realized when we launched the [ Corvette ] C7 ZR1 that we reached the pinnacle of what we could do in terms of performance and handling with the front-engine configuration ,” says
Chevrolet spokesperson Kevin M . Kelly . “ It was time for us to make the move and fulfill the longdesired destiny of Corvette and move to a midengine configuration .”
Chevy also switched out the manual transmission for an eight-speed , dual-clutch automatic — another first in the 67-year history of Corvette . The engine remains the same : a 6.2-liter small block V-8 with 490 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque used in the previous generation . What is new ( and very cool ) is the fact that you can peer down at the engine through a large rear hatch window .
Midengine placement generally helps a car go faster and handle easier via better weight distribution and other factors . That ’ s exactly what ’ s happened when the C8 and C7 faced each other in time trials at the Grattan Raceway road course in Michigan : The 2020 beat the older version by a full second over 2 miles . Drivers
say it also handles better and is more comfortable than previous iterations .
Equipped with the performance package , the 2020 Vette can race from zero to 60 in a mere 2.8 seconds and breach 120 miles per hour in just under a quarter mile . True supercar numbers .
The GM design team also gave the car an exterior makeover including a more streamlined body with better aerodynamics , achieved via large side air intakes that help cool the engine ; a totally hidden door and hatch releases ; and a lower hood — all of this over a strong , lightweight aluminum frame .
The sweetest thing about the new Corvette may just be the price : somewhere between $ 59,000 and $ 79,999 , depending on the package and whether or not it ’ s a coupe or convertible . Compared to a six-figure Porsche or Ferrari , that ’ s an awful lot of bang for your buck .
Some might say the lower , wider , more muscular 2020 Corvette looks more like a Ferrari than one of its previous iterations . Then again , the space-age styling of the 1970s version was a huge leap ahead of the first Sting Ray ( yes , they spelled if differently back then ).
It ’ s a nice touch launching the Corvette C8 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing .
But Kelly says the radical redesign for the latest Vette is far ahead of anything Chevy has tried before . “ The 1968 was built off the same chassis as the 1967 ,” he says . “ The 2020 is the [ newest ] Corvette since the original and is also the fastest accelerating ever .”
When you glance back at its illustrious history , Corvette has always been a work in progress — until now . PC
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