Chevrolet completely reinvented the Corvette Stingray for the 2020 model year. While the first seven generations of the car came with a front-mounted engine, the eighth-generation model switches to a mid-engined layout, a configuration the firm has regularly experimented with since the 1960s but never brought to production. The change promises to make the eighth-generation Corvette better to drive than the outgoing model, yet it doesn’t come with a significant price increase.
Chevrolet’s design department retained key styling cues, and the 2020 Corvette Stingray still looks like a Corvette when viewed from the front. The angular design and the swept-back headlights create a visual link between the current-generation Corvette and its successor. However, stylists shifted the model’s proportions dramatically because they didn’t need to carve out space between the front wheels for a jumbo V8 engine. The ‘Vette’s heart beats right behind the passenger compartment.
The direct-injected, 6.2-liter V8 engine can be admired through a glass hatch, like a valuable artifact displayed in an upscale museum. It’s tuned to deliver 495 horsepower at 6,450 rpm, and 470 pound-feet of torque at 5,150 rpm when buyers order the optional performance exhaust system. The eight sends its power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but enthusiasts who want three pedals are out of luck. The outgoing Corvette’s seven-speed manual transmission is no longer available, and there’s no indication it will return.
Placing the engine behind the passengers puts most of the Corvette’s weight over its rear wheels. This shift makes the eighth-generation model quicker than any of its predecessors. Chevrolet pegs its zero-to-60-mph time at under three seconds when it’s equipped with the optional Z51 performance package. Full specifications won’t be released until closer to its on-sale date, though. Of course, quicker variants (including a Z06) will arrive later in the production run.
Moving the cabin forward by 16.5 inches and positioning it a little bit lower than before gives the passengers a race car-like view of the road, according to Chevrolet. And yet, the 2020 Corvette Stingray is better equipped than any of its predecessors. The power-operated seats have a memory function, the steering wheel is heated, a 10-speaker sound system made by Bose comes standard, and the trick Performance Data Recorder technology (which lets motorists record and analyze track runs) remains available. We’re a little bit confused by the row of buttons that separates the cabin, but hopefully it’s something motorists will get used to as they drive the car.
The driver sits in front of a 12.0-inch, configurable digital instrument cluster. The screen on the center console displays the next generation of Chevrolet’s infotainment system, which is quicker, sharper, and offers real-time traffic information. The passengers can poke the screen, or give it orders thanks to voice recognition technology which gets more accurate over time. Wireless smartphone charging and one-touch Bluetooth pairing are available, too.
Track-ready performance is difficult to argue against, but what happens when owners need to take a mundane trip to Trader Joe’s? The 2020 Corvette has two trunks, one up front big enough to carry a laptop bag and an airline-spec carry-on suitcase, and one out back that’s deep enough for a pair of golf bags. Total cargo capacity checks in at a surprisingly generous 12.6 cubic feet. Usability is further helped by a front lift system that raises the body by about an inch and a half to clear speed bumps and other obstacles. Motorists who drive over the same speed bump on a regular basis can teach the car to lift itself automatically by saving its location in the navigation system, which is a cool use of technology.
With the latest tech, a mid-engined powertrain, and a global mission, the eighth-generation Corvette truly is unlike any of its predecessors.
On paper, the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has what it takes to run alongside some of the most exotic cars on the market. The Acura NSX and the Audi R8 immediately come to mind, and its sub-three-second zero-to-60-mph time brings Lamborghini and Ferrari to the stage. Here’s the kicker: it starts at under $60,000.
Chevrolet will release full pricing information and additional specifications when it begins building the new ‘Vette in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in late 2019. The 2020 Corvette Stingray will be available in right-hand drive for the first time, meaning it will be sold globally. With the latest tech, a mid-mounted engine, and a global mission, the eighth-generation Corvette truly is unlike any of its predecessors.
Updated July 18, 2019: Added full information.