So, what do we know about the new Corvette? Well, it’s certainly different than the past seven generations, in one huge way, the placement of the 6.2-liter LT2 V8. It’s in the middle, that’s right, a mid-engined Corvette. It makes 495 horsepower and 470 lb-Ft of torque, up 35 and 5 from the old front-engined Vette’s. it will have a eight-speed DCT until a manual is confirmed.
So with those power figures out of the way, why did the iconic Corvette move the engine? Well, it’s because it was too powerful for front-engine rear wheel drive platforms. And with the Viper gone, the Corvette has new competition to keep up with, and front-engine cars can’t keep up with cars like the Audi R8 and the Acura NSX. So they were forced to switch, bringing us the new C8.
One of the biggest problems with the new C8 is that it wasn’t easy for Chevy to make it still look like a Corvette.
So small design cues were carried over to keep it familiar, the angular headlights, the black accents on the wedge-shaped vents, and the C-shape taillights. It still has quad exhaust pipes, but they’re split to each side of the diffuser. Also carried over are the hidden electric door handles, and the targa style roof that comes off and stores in the trunk.
Moving into the interior, it’s very, very different. As it should be with an entirely new car. Starting on the left with the steering wheel, one of the first official leaks of the car from Chevrolet, it’s two-spoke and squared off to leave space to see the 12-inch digital gauge cluster, and a infotainment touchscreen that cuts into where the gear selector was in the C7 ‘Vette. A long strip of buttons goes down the right side of the screen controlling things like the climate control functions. The strip is there to make it easier to switch the dash, because this is the first ever Corvette that will be available in right-hand drive. The interior is cleaned up by integrating the climate vents into the dashboard joint.
We can see that Chevy is gunning for Porsche with the new C8, with three seat options, multiple colors of the contrast sticking and seatbelts, with many shades of leather. This new Corvette also has 12 paint options for the exterior. With the Z51 performance package, the C8 will launch to 60 in under 3 seconds. The Z51 pack adds a performance suspension system, larger brake rotors, better cooling, and a performance exhaust.
]The Vette has a suspension lift now, and it works with the GPS system to coordinate an approaching area that the driver has set. Owners also get the new Z-Mode, which lets drivers configure their favorite modes and activate them by the press of a button on the steering wheel. The C8 has four modes, Weather, Touring, Sport, and Track carried over from the last generation.
Lastly, the price. The Corvette has been, and hopefully always will be, an affordable, fun car that can keep up in the big leagues. The base model will start and just under $60,000, with the Grand Sport, Z06, and all-powerful ZR-1 yet to be released. So go online and put in your preorders to get a new, long awaited C8, and enjoy the roads ahead!