Sam Krahn 
Inside and out, the C8 generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray’s design has been pretty well received. It brought recognizable Corvette styling to a radical new mid engined platform, taking the iconic sports car into a new era. Inside, it’s easily the most premium Corvette to date, and has a very futuristic look. But one element has been more polarizing than anything else: the row of buttons. Inside the cabin, the HVAC controls and other interior functions are built into a central spine. It makes the cabin feel more driver centric, but the design hasn’t been for everyone, and it can be a little tricky to pick the button you want out of the row of 17 buttons and toggles. Because of this, Motor Trend is reporting the 2023 Corvette will get an interior refresh.
Specifically, the news will come from Motor Trend in the confidential section of the April 2021 issue, but someone on Mid Engined Corvette Forum has already broken the news. Here’s what they say:
The C8 Corvette’s somewhat fussy styling was already locked and loaded when Michael Simcoe took over at GM Design Chief.
But sources in Detroit say the mid-cycle re-design Simcoe had originally planned for 2025 has been put on the back burner as GM pours money in its electrical vehicle program. However, inside say an interior redesign aimed at among other things fixing the array of button and switches cascading down the buttress on the right side of the center console has survived the bean counters. The redesigned interior will reportedly appear on 2023 C8s
True?
Historically, few Chevrolet Corvette mid-cycle refreshes have ever happened. General Motors tends to stick with one design for the entirety of the generation’s lifetime, for both the interior and exterior. The C8 Corvette has been a tremendous success for General Motors, and you’ll still have to join a long list of order holders if you want one.
Clearly, even if the central button tunnel isn’t for everyone, Chevrolet is having no trouble selling them, and it may not be worth putting a massive investment into a vehicle that doesn’t need it. Plus, they’ve already got their hands full with the upcoming Z06, and other future models like the E-Ray, ZR1 and Zora. It’s also obvious General Motors is prioritizing electric vehicle development right now.
While a refresh shouldn’t be ruled out, it seems odd that Chevrolet would change such a popular model so early in the production cycle, when most people seem to view the interior layout as a non-issue.
Let us know in the comments what you think of the C8 Corvette interior design, and if it needs a quick refresh.
