C8 Corvette

The C8 Corvette will be revealed on July 18, 2019 as a 2020 model year vehicle. Its release coincides almost exactly with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon mission. The C8 is the first mid-engine Corvette to see production, after decades of Chevrolet teasing the world with concept vehicles. It was easily the most anticipated vehicle General Motors has revealed in a long time, or perhaps ever.

The 2020 C8 Corvette will integrate a mixed material body composition of aluminum and steel, with more exotic materials mixed in slightly. Its body panels are still expected to be made of rust-proof composite materials. Power will be sent to the rear wheels via a seven-speed Tremec dual-clutch transmission. Along with its revolutionary mid-engine layout, the new Corvette may also be the first Corvette without a manual transmission.

C8 CORVETTE BASE PRICE (W/ Destination Fees)

2020 Model Year: $59,995 (Stingray Coupe)

2021 Model Year: $59,995 (Stingray Coupe), $67,495 w/destination (Stingray Convertible)

2022 Model Year: $62,145 (Stingray Coupe), $68,400 (Stingray Convertible)

2023 Model Year: $63,195 (Stingray Coupe), $70,745 (Stingray Convertible), TBD (Z06)

2024+ Model Year: TBD

C8 CORVETTE ENGINES

LT2

The LT2 will be the entry level engine of the 2020 Corvette Stingray, and is very closely related to the LT1 V8 found in the C7 Corvette, and Chevrolet Camaro SS. Its displacement is 6.2-liters, and produces 490 horsepower in the base C8 Corvette, but 495 horsepower in the Z51 package with its performance exhaust system. Torque is similarly between 465 lb-ft and 470 lb-ft depending on if the car has the Z51 package or not.

LT6

The LT6 is an extremely high-output variant of GM’s new DOHC twin-turbo V8 engine family with a flat-plane crankshaft. It will produce over 650 horsepower at over 8,500 RPM. It be an atmospheric engine, meaning it will not feature the assistance of forced induction such as a turbocharger or supercharger. For performance, the LT6 comes in above LT2 NA small block V8 and below the herculean LT7, which will be a twin-turbo DOHC V8. The LT6 will debut on with the C8 Corvette Z06 on October 26, 2021. Displacement is 5.5-liters, and has been validated and tested in motorsports, powering the Corvette Racing C8.R.

LT7 (Expected)

The LT7 is expected to be based on based on the 5.5L LT6, which maintains its DOHC, flat-plane crank V8 design, but adds a pair of turbochargers. This engine is expected to be the most powerful gasoline V8 engine General Motors has ever built, with roughly 850-900 horsepower to the crank. The LT7 is expected to debut in the C8 Corvette ZR1, and will become part of a hybrid powertrain upon the debut of the Zora hypercar.

Hybrids

The C8 family is expected to feature two hybrid variants. The first will be the E-Ray, and will have two electric motors powering the front wheels. The motors are run by a battery pack that will be charged by the LT2 V8 engine. The E-Ray will be the first AWD Corvette to reach production.

The second hybrid will be the Zora, and is expected to be a 1,000+ horsepower hypercar, rivaling the likes of the $1-million+ LaFerrari, Porsche 918 and McLaren P1. The Zora will incorporate a twin-turbo DOHC LT7 V8 engine powering the rear wheels, with electric motors powering the front wheels like the E-Ray.

2020 C8 Corvette Logo

C8 CORVETTE TRANSMISSION

The 2020 Corvette Stingray will launch with a Tremec TR-9070 seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. A manual is not expected.

C8 CORVETTE TECHNOLOGY

The mid-engine Corvette is expected to utilize the new Global B electronics architecture from General Motors, which is five times more capable than the system it replaces. Global B will allow for OTA updates, and will be able to simultaneously handle systems such as Super Cruise. Global B will also have to process the inputs of the steer-by-wire, drive-by-wire, and brake-by-wire systems. This will easily be the most technologically advanced Corvette the world has yet to see. Its Engine Control Unit is said to be have the most robust cybersecurity system GM has so far produced, which will deter tuning companies and hobbyists from tinkering with the engine beyond simple bolt-ons.

Image copyright Mattheus Pach, Muscle Cars & Trucks.

C8 CORVETTE INTERIOR

The cabin of the 2020 Corvette will maintain its traditional seating for two, with an interior that’s far more premium than any generation before it. Customers can choose between base “GT1” seats, up to “GT2” seats and the performance oriented “Competition Sport” seats.

Interior trim levels are diverse and colorful, with the C8 Corvette offering leather choices dyed blue or red, with more neutral gray, black and brown hues also available.

High-resolution displays that will be highly customizable and the center console will be more driver-oriented than before. More refinement and comfort will be present, as well. A sloped ledge between the passenger seat and the cupholder tray will feature a row of buttons controlling HVAC and heated/cooled seats.

There is no space behind the rear seats for storage anymore – which gave the liftback coupe models of the Corvette surprising levels of practicality. Instead, storage is moved to a “frunk” between the two front wheels.

C8 CORVETTE TIRES

The C8 Corvette Stingray features Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires on the base 1LT, 2LT and 3LT models, while the Z51 package upgrades to three-season Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. They measure 245/35ZR19 in the front – equal to the C7 Stingray – and 305/30ZR20 in the rear- which are 20mm wider than the C7 Stingray, but 20mm narrower than the C7 Grand Sport.

Tires on the C8 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 package will feature some of the adhesive performance tires on the road today: the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R. This special tire can be found on the likes of the $400,000 Porsche 911 GT2 RS, which GM engineers used as a target during benchmark testing for the supercar.

C8 CORVETTE BRAKES

The brakes on the 2020 Corvette Stingray are sourced from Brembo. The Corvette Z06 brakes are expected to offer a carbon ceramic set on the Z07 package.

The standard brakes on the C8 Corvette Stingray are four-piston Brembo ventilated discs with diameters of 12.6 in (320 mm) at the front and 13.6 in (345 mm) at the rear. The Z51 package provides upgraded and enlarged brakes measuring 13.3 in (338 mm) at the front and 13.8 in (351 mm) at the rear.

C8 CORVETTE PRODUCTION

The mid-engine Corvette will be produced at the General Motors Bowling Green Assembly plant, across from the National Corvette Museum and the NCM Motorsports Park. The facility is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, USA.

2020 C8 Corvette Symbol

C8 CORVETTE VARIANTS

C8 Corvette Stingray (and convertible), 2020+

C8 Corvette Stingray With Z51 Package (and convertible), 2020+

C8 Corvette Z06 (and convertible), 2023+

C8 Corvette Z06 With Z07 package (and convertible), 2023+

C8 Corvette E-Ray (LT2 V8 with hybrid AWD system, convertible to also be available), 2024+

C8 Corvette ZR1(twin-turbo DOHC V8) 2025+

C8 Corvette Zora (hypercar with twin-turbo DOHC V8 and hybrid AWD system) 2026/27+

2023 C8 Corvette Z06 Photo Without Z07 Package
Image via Chevrolet