Photo: Miranda Pederson for General Motors
By the end of February 2020, the first examples of the C8 Corvette will be handed over to their rightful and expecting owners. The mid-engined Stingray has started production in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and retail pricing starts at $59,995.
That’s pretty good value for your money, though the convertible is a bit on the expensive side at $67,495 right off the bat. No fewer than three trim levels – the 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT – are available to configure, and every single one of them can be optioned with the Z51 Performance Package for $5,000.
Ticking the Z51 off the list is pretty much a prerequisite to making the Stingray handle like a charm. Performance suspension, the sports exhaust that helps the LT2 small-block V8 breathe out better, a more aggressive ratio for the rear axle, electronic limited-slip differential, front splitter and rear spoiler, Pilot Sport 4S summer-only tires from Michelin, and heavy-duty cooling are included. For an additional $995, the Engine Appearance Package adds LED lighting and carbon-fiber garnish in the engine bay.
490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque are the standard ratings for the Stingray. Opting for the Z51 levels those values up to 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet, and yes, the LT2 features dry-sump lubrication. Active fuel management is also worthy of mentioning, a system that shuts off half of the cylinders under light-load driving conditions to save fuel.
Regardless of your configuration, the C8 is a DCT-only affair with eight forward ratios. Chevrolet promises “ultra-fast and precise shifts” that take “a hundred milliseconds.” That’s like an extremely quick blink of the eye, translating to a serious improvement over the seventh-gen’s transmission.
The first-ever Gen 8 - auctioned for $3 million last month – will be delivered to Rick Hendrick. The NASCAR team owner is known for paying top dollar at auctions on a varied selection of VIN 001s, including the Acura NSX, Toyota GR Supra, and the Corvette Z06 from the seventh generation.
Ticking the Z51 off the list is pretty much a prerequisite to making the Stingray handle like a charm. Performance suspension, the sports exhaust that helps the LT2 small-block V8 breathe out better, a more aggressive ratio for the rear axle, electronic limited-slip differential, front splitter and rear spoiler, Pilot Sport 4S summer-only tires from Michelin, and heavy-duty cooling are included. For an additional $995, the Engine Appearance Package adds LED lighting and carbon-fiber garnish in the engine bay.
490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque are the standard ratings for the Stingray. Opting for the Z51 levels those values up to 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet, and yes, the LT2 features dry-sump lubrication. Active fuel management is also worthy of mentioning, a system that shuts off half of the cylinders under light-load driving conditions to save fuel.
Regardless of your configuration, the C8 is a DCT-only affair with eight forward ratios. Chevrolet promises “ultra-fast and precise shifts” that take “a hundred milliseconds.” That’s like an extremely quick blink of the eye, translating to a serious improvement over the seventh-gen’s transmission.
The first-ever Gen 8 - auctioned for $3 million last month – will be delivered to Rick Hendrick. The NASCAR team owner is known for paying top dollar at auctions on a varied selection of VIN 001s, including the Acura NSX, Toyota GR Supra, and the Corvette Z06 from the seventh generation.
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