This is the 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray

One Giant Leap for Corvette

The C8 Corvette debuted in California to an airplane hangar packed with people. Pulling heavily from the Cerv Corvette prototype cars, the C8 also took inspiration from previous production versions of the car.

Now, the vehicle is here, and the influence of the past is obvious, but the new C8 Corvette has technology capabilities that are unlike any prototype or past sports car that came before it. All this makes the C8 Corvette a truly innovative model. Let’s take a closer look.

Looking Unlike Any Other C8

At first glance, you’ll notice that many of the renderings created over the last several months were pretty accurate. However, the details of the front bumper and fascia and the rear bumper and fascia are now visible and they look better than any of the renderings had put together.

The C8 has an aggressive, muscular shape that still looks like a Corvette despite its new mid-engine placement. The car features low-profile, aggressive-looking new projector headlights, hidden door releases, large air intakes, quad exhaust tips, and dual-element LED taillamps.

As you might expect, the C8 isn’t just about looks. Aerodynamics and cooling are extremely important, and the car’s exterior is designed to enhance downforce, improve aerodynamics, and cool the car’s engine. The front splitter and rear spoiler alone create up to 400 pounds of downforce.

Nothing Like a Naturally Aspirated V8

The engine bay looks better than we could have hoped. Chevy took time to place every component and wire to ensure that the engine bay not only functioned well but looked good, too. Speaking of the engine, the new C8 Corvette features a small block V8. The engine is a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8. The car makes 495 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. 

The C8 comes with an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission mated to the V8. The first gear is low for plenty of traction and getting the most out of the engine. The second through sixth gears are closely spaced together to maximize the power once the car is moving. The seventh and eighth gears are for high speeds and highway cruising.

The 8-speed automatic transmission and the V8 work with a limited-slip differential to enable the car to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in fewer than three seconds. Chevrolet did not mention a top speed during the reveal and the press release did not mention one either.

The Corvette will have weather, tour, comfort, and track drive modes. There’s also Z-mode, which lets you fully customize your driving experience. That way, instead of having to dig into the menu screen every time, you can simply press the Z button and get the settings you want right away.

Stiffer, Smarter, and Just Better

It sounds like the true improvements came to the chassis and steering system. Chevy discussed the materials and chassis considerably. There’s a lot of aluminum and the casts for this aluminum were make bigger than ever before, improving stiffness and reducing the number of joints.

The new seating position places you right in the middle so the car feels like it’s turning around you. This is a benefit of the mid-engine placement of the engine. Another benefit of the mid-engine design is that the steering system was made to be 50 percent stiffer than the previous car. This all translates to a more direct and quick handling car.

Additionally, the car gets new e-boost brakes, launch control, and a fancy front suspension lift system that will protect the car from bumps, potholes, and steep driveways. Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 is available on the C8, and it helps deliver a faster and smoother ride than ever before.

A Higher Class Interior

The interior of the car is a revelation for the Corvette. The car features two large screens. One is the instrument cluster in front of the driver and the other is the large infotainment screen in the center of the dash. It appears that the spy shots leaked by Carscoops were accurate here.

According to Chevy, the car features a dash and vent design that keeps the driver’s line of sight open and unobstructed.  The squared-off steering wheel allows for an unobstructed view of the digital instrument cluster and the road ahead.

When it comes to interior materials, this is the highest-class Corvette yet. The interior gets plenty of hand-cut leather, real carbon fiber, and real metal trim throughout the cabin, like on the stainless steel speakers. The car gets a premium Bose audio system, and there are three different seats that owners can choose from.

The all-new Corvette features Chevy’s new electrical system that enables over the air updates and track features so you can keep track of your lap times. It also adds advanced cybersecurity to the car which is important to keep you and your information safe. The infotainment system is also new, with a faster system, better display near-field communication, Bluetooth, wireless charging, and more.

Also, we have to note the C8 has front and rear luggage compartments. This accommodates the standard removable roof panel and two golf bags. Anyone who was worried about the C8 not being a good daily driver can put those fears to rest.

All for Under $60,000

The C8 Corvette will be sold will also be sold around the world and in right-hand drive markets. The car will start at less than $60,000. Chevrolet didn’t reveal all detailed pricing information, but it was stated explicitly that the car would come in under the $60,000 mark.

This keeps the affordability of the Corvette, which is something we were actually a little worried about. The Corvette has always been known as an affordable supercar. With the promise of a starting price below $60,000 it still is an affordable supercar, and it’s better than ever before. We’re looking forward to future details and eventually seeing one of these cars up close.