Corvette’s New Golden Age
General Motors introduced the eighth generation of the Corvette in C8 2020 and received broad praise for designing such a revolutionary car. Few nameplates with such a storied history dare to elevate their offering as dramatically as Chevy did when it decided to move to a mid-engined configuration. Having reached the limits of the forward engine configuration on the seventh-generation vehicle, a mid-engine Corvette, long advocated for by the likes of the legendary Zora Arkus-Duntov, became a reality.
As good as the initial Corvette C8 was, enthusiasts noted that the platform could continue to be refined to achieve even higher performance levels. Chevrolet wasted no time in doing so. As of January 2024, The C8 Corvette is available in its original configuration with a removable roof panel, as a convertible, a potent Z06 hyperperformance model, or an all-wheel drive hybrid. A fully electric version of the Corvette is likely on the horizon, rounding out an extensive array of remarkable vehicle variations. This range is even more remarkable when each version can have a variety of performance-enhancing packages applied to it to meet driver needs.
Today’s Corvette also offers a range of driving experiences. Its adjustable magnetorheological suspension makes it a comfortable daily driver even in areas where America’s roads suffer from four seasons of change. It is also a great GT vehicle offering practical storage for a mid-engined performance vehicle with long-range comfort and highway fuel efficiency due to cylinder deactivation at highway speeds. Finally, it comes into its own during track days as well.
The eighth-generation vehicle was born from years of intensive benchmarking against some of the best vehicles produced by Ferrari and years of deep engineering and chassis design. Many commend General Motors for reaching a new level of competitiveness and exceeding the competition in many ways and at a fraction of the cost. The 2024 Corvette Stingray starts at an MSRP of $68,300. The track-ready Z06 version costs $112,700, and the hybrid e-ray costs $104,900.
Regardless of vehicle configuration, you can’t go wrong with a Corvette C8. The mark has returned to those heady days of the late 1960s when every astronaut had one, and they were desired and within the financial reach of so many. Today’s Corvette is again the stuff of teenage boy bedroom wall posters. C8s were hard to come by close to MSRP until recently, so now might be as good a time as any to realize those childhood dreams of owning an American icon.
The Corvette has made it to the Car and Driver 10 best list for 2023 and appears regularly on that list.
Epic Change: The 2020 Corvette C8 marked a dramatic change for the mark as it shifted from front to mid-engine configuration and left behind many lagacy design cues to appeal to a new generation of auto enthusiasts.
Stiff Competition: Convertible versions of vehicles often suffer from a lack of structural rigidity. This issue is noticeable and absent in the Corvette C8 due in part to the structural tunnel that runs down the vehicle's center. In addition to providing for a rigid chassis, that same tunnel houses the 1.9 KW battery found in the e-ray model, helping to maintain an optimal center of mass and weight distribution in the hybrid model.
New Performance Pinnacle: The Corvette C8 Z06 represents a new pinnacle of performance for the mark and is widely respected as a vehicle that holds its own or exceeds offerings from Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, and others.
Flexible Performance Platform: General Motors continues to find new ways to maximize the performance of the Corvette C8 through offerings like the all-wheel drive hybrid variant.
World Class Interior (Finally): With the Corvette C8, General Motors has designed and crafted an interior worthy of the high-end company it keeps on track. In-cabin technology exceeds many of its competitors.
Obligatory Auto Art Clearly the Corvette C8 now belongs with the best of the best in terms of wall posters and computer wallpapers.
Below are two helpful videos from Car and Driver that capture what it is like to live with the Corvette on a daily basis and on the track.
Interested in more Corvette history? Check out Car and Driver’s Complete History of the Corvette Article.
Build and price your C8 at: www.chevrolet.com