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Reuss Confirms “Wide Range” Of C8 Corvette Variants

Coupes And Hard-Top Convertibles Have Been Spied, With High-Performance Variants To Come

C8 Corvette Bowling Green Assembly General Motors Chevrolet UAW

“I don’t know how to put it into words,” said GM President Mark Reuss regarding his excitement to officially reveal the 2020 C8 Corvette. Reuss was present during the Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V reveals in Detroit last week.

GM will officially lift the curtain on its most anticipated model in decades on July 18, 2019.

“Everybody’s worked so hard on it. It’s so beautiful, and when you see it, I think you’re going to be pretty amazed. We did it all in house.”

The last bit seems to call out Ford Motor Company without saying as much. Because with it came to the $400,000 Ford GT supercar, the Dearborn-based automaker outsourced much of the program to Canada’s Multimatic. Multimatic designs, develops and produces various components for both road cars and race cars. Its DSSV dampers can be found in products ranging from the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, to the Colorado ZR2 pickup. But its development and production of the Ford GT is perhaps the most significant project in the company’s 35-year history.

With that being said, it’s expected that the 2020 C8 Corvette will cost a fraction of the Ford GT, with starting prices forecasted to be in the window of the current C7 Corvette Grand Sport MSRP of roughly $66,000 and the C7 Z06 MSRP of $80,000. It will be built on an assembly line at GM’s Corvette plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A sharp contrast to the extremely limited-run and hand-built nature of the Ford GT.

 

“There’s the Global B backbone of it,” Reuss mentioned. This is this first time Reuss confirmed that the 2020 C8 Corvette will integrate GM’s new Global B electronic architecture, which is aimed to control various electronic components of a vehicle, featuring over 100 modules. These components include the latest in active safety technology, high capacity for connectivity, as well as driverless technologies such as Super Cruise, and will upgrade itself with OTA updates. The 2020 Cadillac CT5 will begin the rollout of Global B.

The new electronic architecture could also be one of the reasons why the ECU of the 2020 C8 Corvette will be one of the most difficult systems that the aftermarket industry will ever attempt to hack due to cybersecurity advancements. More than certainly it was the fault of the new Global B architecture for the six-month delay in the new Corvette’s development.

Speaking on what else the world can expect about the new Corvette, Reuss mentioned that “there’s the wide range of models that people will be able to see and want.” While Reuss didn’t get any more specific than that, two body styles have so far been spotted by spy photographers; a traditional two-door coupe, and a hard-top convertible. It’s expected that the Corvette lineup will dovetail from there, with the rollout of higher-performance models such as a new C8 Z06 and new C8 ZR1. It’s been rumored that these vehicles will push output to an astonishing 1,000 horsepower from a twin-turbo V8 engine, assisted by electric power. Yes, for the first time ever, the Corvette will introduce a hybrid model.

When asked if GM will make a Cadillac variant of the mid-engine Corvette, Reuss simply replied “we’ll see.”

 

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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