Photo: Chevrolet
When Chevrolet revealed the Corvette C7.R ahead of the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona in 2014, it came as no surprise the racing car was less powerful than the Corvette Z06 from the dealership lot. Now that the eighth generation of America’s sports car has been revealed, the golden bowtie is hyping up the C8.R for the 2020 season.
The few teasers published by Chevrolet showcase a wider car than the road-going model, packing slick tires and a thumpin’ great wing to bring the point home. It is expected for the C8.R and Z06 to premiere back-to-back in January 2020, but there’s also the possibility for the racing car to be revealed this year as well. The 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show in the fall is a prime candidate.
The eighth generation is expected to enter the GTE Pro class just like the C7.R, a highly competitive crowd in the World Endurance Championship. Porsche and Ferrari are the two greatest rivals in this class, but now that Corvette Racing is switching to a mid-engined car, there’s no denying that Bowling Green will give Weissach and Maranello bit of a headache out on the track.
In contrast to the mean-looking exterior, the cabin of the Corvette C8.R is as driver-oriented as you’d expect. Lots of buttons on the steering wheel, an all-digital instrument cluster, and a dashboard-mounted display for the rearview camera are featured, along with stainless-steel tubing for the roll cage.
What else is there to talk about? Obviously enough, the C8.R isn’t expected to adopt the LT2 small-block V8 from the road-going model because it doesn’t comply with the regulations. A 5.5-liter engine like the one in the C7.R is the most likely outcome, codenamed LT5 and also utilized by Corvette Racing in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Adding to the confusing, LT5 is also the codename for the supercharged V8 in the Corvette ZR1, an engine with 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet on tap.
The eighth generation is expected to enter the GTE Pro class just like the C7.R, a highly competitive crowd in the World Endurance Championship. Porsche and Ferrari are the two greatest rivals in this class, but now that Corvette Racing is switching to a mid-engined car, there’s no denying that Bowling Green will give Weissach and Maranello bit of a headache out on the track.
In contrast to the mean-looking exterior, the cabin of the Corvette C8.R is as driver-oriented as you’d expect. Lots of buttons on the steering wheel, an all-digital instrument cluster, and a dashboard-mounted display for the rearview camera are featured, along with stainless-steel tubing for the roll cage.
What else is there to talk about? Obviously enough, the C8.R isn’t expected to adopt the LT2 small-block V8 from the road-going model because it doesn’t comply with the regulations. A 5.5-liter engine like the one in the C7.R is the most likely outcome, codenamed LT5 and also utilized by Corvette Racing in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Adding to the confusing, LT5 is also the codename for the supercharged V8 in the Corvette ZR1, an engine with 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet on tap.
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