FEATURE – 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Words: Mike Ryan

Photos GM Media

After a long wait, a lot of teasing and a reveal involving a lot of all-American razzle dazzle, the eighth-generation Chevrolet Corvette has arrived.

The all-new ‘C8’ Corvette made its debut in California on 18 July in a presentation that involved GM heavyweights, like Mark Reuss (GM President and former MD of Holden), Mike Simcoe (VP of Global Design at GM and also ex-Holden) and Tadge Juechter (Corvette executive chief engineer).

Of course, the main talking point with the new Corvette – and major point of difference from all previous ‘Vette generations – is the relocation of the engine from the front to the middle.

Middle… for Ages

A mid-engined Corvette had been toyed with by Chevrolet since the early 1960s, but was taken more seriously when a series of concepts, starting with the ‘Astro II’ of 1968, were developed.

Carrying “un-Corvette” features like a transversely-mounted V8, aluminium and steel bodies, four-wheel drive, gullwing doors and even a rotary engine, some of these mid-engined concepts came close to production, including the ‘Aerovette’ of 1977, which was powered by a 6.6lt V8 and expected to arrive as a fourth-generation Corvette in 1980.

But the Aerovette, like all the concepts that preceded and followed it, was knocked down on grounds of complexity and cost: the Corvette was selling well in its traditional front-engine, rear-wheel drive format, making it hard to justify any major changes.

So why the change now?

Firstly, the Corvette demographic is aging, so the move to a mid-engine format is expected to attract a new, younger buyer.

Secondly, even GM themselves admit they’ve taken the Corvette’s front-engine platform as far as it could go: “The traditional front-engine vehicle reached its limits of performance, necessitating the new layout,” said Reuss at the C8 ‘Vette reveal.

Related to the previous point, mid-mounted engines have been a staple of European and British  high-performance and supercars for decades (Ferrari, Lamborghini, Audi, McLaren, etc.) and even Ford responded to this with their GT, so the change also makes sense in order to present the Corvette as a genuine (and, in most cases, cheaper) alternative to these existing models.

Finally, the move to “global” platforms means the Corvette design has to be versatile to appeal to ALL markets, not just North America. A mid-mounted configuration obviously carries complexities, but also makes it easier to engineer the platform for left- and right-hand drive – and the new Corvette WILL be built in RHD for compatible markets.

While price will be a factor in its success or failure here, Australia will receive the new Corvette and is expected to be its best RHD market, just as it is for Ford’s RHD-engineered Mustang.

Move to the Middle

The new Corvette presented in California was in ‘Stingray’ form, ie. the base model. While unconfirmed at the C8 launch, Grand Sport, Z06 and ZR1 versions will likely follow in the near future.

Due for US market release early next year, the 2020 Corvette Stingray can already boast some impressive numbers, even in “base” form.

The longitudinally-mounted engine is the same 6.2-litre, naturally-aspirated LT2 V8 as found in the current Corvette Stingray, but the repositioning has improved weight bias over the driven rear wheels for what GM says is enhanced performance in a straight line and on the track.

Visible underneath a ventilated glass hatch, this engine – with a cast aluminium block, iron liners, dry sump and cast-aluminium heads - produces 369kW at 6,450rpm and 637Nm at 5,150rpm when equipped with an optional performance exhaust system.

A Chevrolet first in the form of an 8-speed dual-clutch transaxle (DCT) is standard on the new Corvette Stingray. No manual is being offered (at least for now), which is sure to upset Corvette purists as much as the mid-engine, but Corvette engineers say the DCT delivers lightning-fast shifts via an Electronic Transmission Range Selector, with the engine’s torque curve optimised to take advantage of this shifting speed. For those wanting some degree of manual control, paddle shifters will be standard. 

Performance data from this drivetrain in its standard form has not been revealed, but when equipped with the performance exhaust, its sub-3.0-second 0-60mph acceleration time is faster than any previous naturally-aspirated Corvette, so a C8 Corvette in supercharged, ZR1-spec will be even faster.

Controlling that performance will be six driver-selectable modes – Weather (wet), Tour, Sport and Track from the C7 Corvette and new ‘MyMode’ and ‘Z’ modes. On MyMode, drivers can select their own combination of the previous four settings (Sport suspension, but Tour steering response and Track braking intervention, for example), while Z allows further adjustment (throttle response, for example) and is performance-oriented, aimed at “single use” applications like a race circuit or favourite stretch of road.

“In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history,” says Reuss. “Customers are going to be thrilled with our focus on details and performance across the board.”

Beyond the improved drivetrain performance, there’s also a sharper steering ratio, launch control, new ‘eBoost’ brakes and torque-vectoring from the electronic LSD (which was optional on the C7 Corvette) that also factors in tyre temperatures.

To further improve handling and performance, options for the Stingray include Magnetic Ride Control suspension, Active Performance Traction Management and a Z51 Performance Package, which combines a freer-flowing exhaust system with manually-adjustable performance suspension, improved engine cooling, a modified rear axle ratio, larger brake rotors and larger front brake cooling vents, different front and rear aero parts, and stickier Michelin tyres.

With the engine repositioned, the driver now sits 38cm closer to the front end than they used to (almost on top of the front wheels, according to Chevrolet), with this position and the revised front-end design greatly improving forward vision, but the trade-off – as it is with any mid-engined car – is poorer rear visibility.

Another trade-off in the move to a mid-engine platform is that no soft top is available. A removable roof panel means the C8 Stingray coupe is essentially a targa, but not a true convertible.

Six for Eight

Tying that mid-mounted V8 and the rest of the new C8 Corvette platform together is a group of six high-pressure diecast aluminium parts, known as the ‘Bedford Six’. The name has nothing to do with British trucks, but actually refers to GM’s powertrain plant in Bedford, Indiana.

These parts connect to the new platform’s central tunnel, which is literally the backbone of the vehicle, offering improved torsional rigidity and removing the need for high sills, thus making entry and exit from the car much easier.

This tunnel also claims to lower the centre of gravity: helped further by the use of lightweight materials including carbon fibre for the rear bumper beam and a fibreglass resin hybrid for the front and rear storage bins. The front bin can hold a couple of overnight bags with room to spare, while the rear can – just – take two sets of golf clubs.

Additional to these practicalities, there’s a clever lift system that raises the front-end by 40mm to clear gutters and speed bumps and can also use GPS to “learn” where these features are and raise and lower the front-end automatically.

Clean Sheet Design

While recognisably a Corvette, at least from the front, the eighth generation of America’s Sports Car was redesigned from the ground up.

Leading the design team was Australian Mike Simcoe, who spent many years at Holden, including designing the new Monaro, before moving to a senior role with GM’s design teams in the US.

“Redesigning the Corvette Stingray from the ground up presented the team a historic opportunity, something Chevrolet designers have desired for over 60 years,” said Simcoe.

“It is now the best of America, a new arrival in the mid-engine sports car class. We know Corvette can stand tall with the best the world has to offer.”

Based around the mid-mounted engine (which Chevrolet describe as a jewel in a showcase), the overall design is sleek but aggressive, drawing inspiration from modern fighter jets, like the F-22 Raptor and F-35 JSF, with its pointed front end and multiple sharp angles through the bodywork.

Door releases are hidden under the side air intakes, with bonnet and boot releases also hidden (and able to be opened remotely), while the front grille and side vents are oversized and the exhaust tips exit at the extreme bottom corners of the back end. Low-profile headlights, LED tail lights and sequential indicators feature, too

Inside, the Corvette’s competition focus is obvious, with a cockpit area that wraps around the driver and includes a squared-off sports steering wheel, a fully digital, configurable 12-inch instrument panel and accompanying touchscreen that’s angled toward the driver. Running from the dash to the centre tunnel is a large ‘bridge’ that carries seat and climate control functions that can also be accessed by the passenger.

With the adoption of the DCT, the traditional shifter is replaced with haptic push-pull toggle switches and a palm-sized dial selector for the drive modes.

There’s an abundance of leather trim and the choice of three seat types (two with heating and ventilation), as well as optional carbon fibre and aluminium interior trim.

A 10-speaker Bose audio system is standard, as is a heated steering wheel, memory function on the seats, wireless phone charging, improved Bluetooth pairing and Chevrolet’s next-gen infotainment system that claims to be faster, smarter and simpler to use.

Optional interior and tech features include an upgraded sound system, tyre pressure alert and automated recording on the Performance Data Recorder, which Chevy are calling an “advanced driving analysis tool” for use on both the road and the track; operating like a dash cam on the former and a data logger on the latter.

Australian Response

The news that the C8 Corvette will be exported to Australia has been warmly welcomed by Holden, who have lacked a hero model since the end of the HSV-modified Commodores.

“The news that Corvette will now be built in right-hand-drive for the first time ever – and will be exported to Australia – is hugely exciting for our team at Holden and any Australian who loves high performance cars,” says Dave Buttner, Holden’s Chairman and Managing Director.

“With our long history in motor-racing, performance vehicles are an indelible part of the Holden brand. Our team is totally revved up to build on Holden’s performance legacy with the most technologically advanced Corvette ever built.

“We look forward to taking on the European and Japanese performance vehicles with some highly sophisticated American muscle.”

Australian delivery of the C8 Corvette is still a long way off – late 2020 at the earliest – and confirmation of local pricing is just as distant, but by the time LCT and other on-road costs are added, the Corvette will likely be over $150,000 and possibly close to $200,000. That’s more than three times what is costs in the US, but still cheaper than most European models of similar configuration and performance.