2020 Chevrolet Corvette: General Motors finally unveils C8 mid-engine sports car

After half of the United States went to sleep last night, Chevrolet held a grand party and revealed one of the most anticipated vehicles in recent history: The 2020 Corvette Stingray.

This new C8 generation of the ’Vette marks the first time a production version of this two-door sports car gets a mid-engine.

Equipped with a 6.2-liter small-block V-8 engine, it will produce 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. That’s an increase of 40 horsepower and 15 pound-feet of torque over the current generation.

This new engine configuration and a lower center of gravity promise 0-to-60-mph times of less than three seconds when equipped with the Z51 performance package.

One thing that’s decidedly absent from this next-gen Corvette, however: a manual transmission. The C8 Corvette will only be available with an M1L 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Other specs of note:

• Brakes will have front and rear E-boost assisted Brembo four-piston/two-piece front calipers with four-piston/monobloc rear calipers
• Front and rear suspension will have short/long arm double wishbone, forged aluminum upper and cast aluminum L-shape lower control arms and monotube shock absorbers. The rear will also have a direct-acting stabilizing bar.
• Wheels will be 19-inch by 8.5-inch in the front and 20-inch by 11-inch in the rear.
• Length: 182.3 inches
• Width: 76.1 inches
• Height: 48.6 inches
• Cargo Volume: 12.6 cubic feet (enough for two sets of golf clubs)

During the reveal, Mark Reuss, General Motors President, wouldn’t reveal exact pricing when the new Corvette hits the states as a 2020 model. He did say it would be priced under $60K.

The current price for entry into the ’Vette family is $56,995, including the $1,095 destination fee.

The biggest news with the C8 Corvette is absolutely the mid-engine configuration, but other new tech items include:

• A next-gen infotainment system
• One-touch Bluetooth pairing with Near Field Communication
• Wireless charging
• Driver and passenger memory seat
• Two new Bose audio systems
• An upgraded Performance Data Recorder, which can be set to auto-record

While still recognizable as a Corvette, the design is more svelte and curvaceous than the previous generation, taking inspiration from European sports cars of the Ferrari variety.

The interior is a tad more questionable with the intensely driver-focus cockpit and a vertical line of HVAC controls that effectively separate the driver from the passenger with a physical barrier.

General Motors hasn’t shared an exact release date for the 2020 Corvette, but pre-orders are available on the website. The automaker has also said it will go into production at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly plant in “late 2019.”

The Bottom Line:

Reviews online so far have been mixed. While there’s a lot to like with the sexy new Euro-inspired design, the interior is polarizing.

Plus, some Corvette enthusiasts are likely mourning the loss of manual transmission.

While Reuss promises a starting price under $60k, we anticipate that likely means it’ll come in at $59,990 without destination.

Our initial reaction to the reveal is lukewarm. The Corvette is one of our all-time favorite vehicles, so we want to give it the benefit of the doubt. We’re going to withhold final judgment until we can see it (and drive it) in person.

You can see the full press release for the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray on the media website.