2020 Chevy Corvette Review

A new generation of the longest-running name in American sports cars is a big deal. But the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray goes further by making the most significant fundamental change for the brand in its history: moving the engine to the middle while somehow keeping the base price around $60,000.

Chevy says it reached the performance limits of the front-engine/rear-drive layout the Corvette has used since the '50s. Sandwiching the engine between the passenger compartment and the rear axle comes with myriad performance benefits. It also radically freed up Corvette design for the all-new model.

But don't fret, traditionalists. The mid-engine Corvette's 6.2-liter V8 may sit under glass in the back, but it makes 495 horsepower (40 hp more than the base spec of the current C7 Corvette) and 470 lb-ft of torque when equipped with the optional exhaust upgrade. It also retains a pushrod design, which sacrifices valvetrain sophistication for compactness and simplicity, and rear-wheel drive remains the only available layout. Or maybe start fretting, since the initial transmission offering is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. And there's no indication we should expect a manual transmission in the future.

The eighth-generation mid-engine Corvette also eschews the old transverse leaf-spring suspension for a more sports-car-conventional coil-over damper setup. Its significantly higher cornering ability meant Chevy had to retool the C8's lubrication system. Now, even the base Corvette has dry-sump oiling, which ensures constant engine lubrication when approaching (or exceeding) 1.0g of lateral acceleration.

The mid-engine setup brings other significant changes. The passenger compartment now sits forward 16.5 inches — significantly closer to the front wheels — which provides a better sense of control. Moving the engine out of the way also permits a shorter and, Chevy says, more direct steering system. The hood now sits lower, too, enabling a larger windshield and better forward visibility.

The steering wheel is unusual in that it has a squared-off top and bottom. Though the design looks peculiar, in our experience it has benefited the driving experience in exotic cars such as the Aston Martin Vanquish and the Ferrari LaFerrari.

Behind the wheel is a 12-inch customizable gauge cluster. To its right sits a large infotainment display that hosts Chevy's latest entertainment software. Interior materials include hand-wrapped leather, real metals and carbon fiber. Beyond an array of color and stitching options, you now have three seat options, ranging from comfort-oriented to heavily bolstered performance buckets. We have some questions about how easy this interior will be to live with in the real world, especially the column of HVAC controls stuck off on the passenger side of the transmission tunnel. In terms of controls, the old C7 was pleasantly straightforward.

You'll also have to learn to find the door, hood and hatch releases, which are hidden to avoid upsetting the design. But after familiarization, getting in and out should be easier than with other such sports cars since Chevy stressed the importance of narrow doorsills while designing the Corvette's structure. The roof is still removable too.

Like the removable roof, other popular Corvette features remain. The performance-enhancing optional Z51 package includes larger brake rotors with upgraded front brake cooling, upgraded drivetrain cooling, its own final drive ratio, and a performance exhaust. It also has a clever electronically controlled limited-slip differential to manage torque distribution between the rear wheels. An upgraded version of Magnetic Ride Control is optional, as is Chevy's stellar Performance Traction Management system.

The biggest loss for a certain kind of Corvette traditionalist is cargo volume. The large rear hatch space made the last few generations of Corvette a practical car for a weekend getaway or golf trip. This new Corvette splits the space into two smaller trunks — one front and one rear — that offer a combined 12.6 cubic feet of space. Chevy says the front compartment can fit a carry-on-size bag and a laptop bag. The total storage is a far cry from the last-generation Corvette, whose 15 cubic feet under its hatchback made it the world's most practical sports car.

While Chevy claims that the new Vette can still accommodate two golf bags, we'll file real-world cargo capacity under "Wait and See." But at least owners won't have to worry about scraping the nose on their driveways. A front suspension lift raises the nose by 1.5 inches and can be programmed to work automatically based on GPS location.

Throw in that remarkably low starting price of around $60,000, and Chevy seems to have made what amounts to an everyman's supercar.

The engine and transmission are the heaviest parts of a car and placing them closer to the center of the vehicle puts more weight on the rear wheels, improving acceleration, braking and handling. The move to the middle was made in pursuit of performance, and it sure looks like it paid off.

Chevy says the C8 Corvette is good for a launch control-assisted run to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds, which would spank the quickest C7 Corvette Z06 we tested by more than half a second. The new changes also mean that, according to Chevy, the C8 Corvette can circle the skidpad at nearly 1.0g on its special Michelin all-season performance tires.

And those are the numbers for the entry-level car, not whatever the next Z06 or ZR1 will manage — although it's worth noting that none of the front-engine C7 Corvettes we tested returned less than 0.96g on the skidpad (all had summer tires). The C7 Z06 with the Z07 package was one of the grippiest cars we've ever tested at a dizzying 1.16g. Topping that feat would be a feather in the C8's cap.

Overall, Chevrolet has catapulted the new generation of Corvette into competition with a more elite class of sports car, at least in terms of performance. We'll have to see what it's like to drive in the real world, but on paper the 2020 Corvette is a serious accomplishment, especially with a starting price just under $60,000. That's only about $4,000 more than the current base Corvette and significantly less than anything else with this level of capability.

The Porsche 911 is a natural target in terms of price, performance and lineage. The new 911 Carrera S claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, with prices starting around $113,000, or almost double the starting price of the C8 Corvette. Offering so much performance per dollar will undoubtedly bolster the all-new Corvette's appeal and drive interest across the shopping spectrum.

Future higher-performance Corvette variants will have their sights set higher. Consider that the dimensions of the Corvette now fall in line with the V10-powered Audi R8 and true exotics such as the Ferrari F8 Tributo. The sky's the limit.

We were told the 2020 Corvette would start under $60,000, and Chevy has kept its promise. The base price of the C8 comes to $59,995, with a destination charge of $1,095 included.

And it's not like you're getting steel wheels and AM-only radio. Among other features, the base 1LT is equipped with a limited-slip differential, 19-inch alloy wheels up front and 20-inch alloys at the back, LED headlights, remote start, eight-way power seats and leather upholstery, an 8-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10-speaker Bose stereo, and a 12-inch digital display cluster.

The 2LT jumps to $67,295, which is a heck of a jump. Still, that's basically the same price as a Porsche Cayman S with no options. For that money, the Vette adds a head-up display, power lumbar and seat bolsters, ventilated seats, navigation, wireless phone charging, and four extra speakers for the stereo. This trim also brings some driver aids such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, a front parking camera, and GM's rearview camera mirror.

At the top of the range, the 3LT is mostly an aesthetic upgrade. For $71,945, you get GT2 sport seats with upgraded leather upholstery, and Chevy wraps basically every interior surface in either leather or suede. One of the past complaints about the Corvette has been that, no matter how much you spend on one, the interior never gets any nicer. A whole lot of cow skin might just be the solution.

Notable options include the Z51 Performance package, which runs $5,000 and can be added to any trim level. This package enables the much-advertised sub-3-second 0-60 mph time and includes an upgraded exhaust system, upgraded engine cooling, sport suspension that can be adjusted manually, an electronic limited-slip differential, larger brakes, summer tires, and front brake cooling inlets. The exhaust can be had on its own for $1,195.

Magnetic Ride Control is also offered for $1,895, but it can only be optioned if you also take the Z51 package. The GPS-enabled front-suspension lift system runs $1,495, and it's only available on trims with nav (so the 2LT and the 3LT). Chevy is eager to point out that the suspension lift system is cheaper than competitors'. And it operates automatically at geotagged locations, which means you don't have to worry about pressing a button every time you get to your driveway like some sort of Luddite.

It's an interesting spread, and with the Z51 package available on the 1LT, performance buyers have a relatively accessible price point for a real supercar-killer.

Not surprisingly, the eighth-generation Corvette Stingray coupe will also get a hardtop convertible variant to complement the standard removable-roof coupe. That's right, we said "hardtop convertible." If you're scoring at home, this Corvette will be the first with a folding hardtop; previous Corvette convertibles have been soft-top only. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible will go on sale at the end of the first quarter of 2020.

The 2020 Corvette convertible's folding hardtop tucks into the rear decklid behind the seats. The two-section roof is actuated by six electric motors and can stow itself in 16 seconds at speeds up to 30 mph. Chevrolet assures us that cargo capacity will remain generous (for the class), with the ability to squeeze two golf bags in the rear trunk and a rolling carry-on bag in the front compartment.

The price for the convertible starts at $7,500 more than the equivalent coupe, which means the drop-top version of the base 1LT should start at $66,400. Convertible or not, that's a shockingly low price for a mid-engine sports car in this performance class.

We should reiterate, however, that the standard Corvette coupe has a removable Targa-style roof panel that will give you much the same open-top experience. Unlike the coupe, the Stingray convertible features a small glass rear window that also serves as a height-adjustable wind blocker. We look forward to testing whether the coupe or convertible provides a more composed open-roof experience at speed.

Missing from the convertible is the coupe's cool see-through engine cover. Instead, the decklid sports two prominent nacelles that extend from the backs of the headrests, tapering into the tail. It's a sharp solution to the challenge of convertible mid-engine sports car design, where the rear end can appear too heavy and blocky. In an effort to reduce some of that visual weight, the convertible adopts the canted decklid and black lower rear fascia of the coupe.