Why You Can Trust CNET 2020 Chevy C8 Corvette: 11 key facts about the mid-engine Stingray
Just want the facts? Here are the key talking points about Chevrolet's new mid-engine Corvette.
The internet is currently ablaze with news and information about the 2020 Corvette, which Chevrolet revealed Thursday. We've got a full rundown of information about the mid-engine C8 Corvette, as well as a by-the-numbers comparison of how Chevy's new sports car stacks up against its predecessor and some key competitors.
But if it's just the cold, hard facts you're after, look no further. Here are the 11 most important things to know about the 2020 Corvette.
The entry-level C8 Corvette will make 490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque from the new, 6.2-liter LT2 V8. That's 35 more than the current Corvette Stingray, and if you opt for the performance exhaust, output increases to 495 hp and 470 lb.-ft.
That's right, folks. For the first time, the Corvette will be offered exclusively with an eight-speed, dual-clutch transmission.
Thanks to that motor and transmission, the entry-level Corvette with the Z51 package will sprint to 60 miles per hour in less than 3 seconds. That's more than half a second quicker than the outgoing car.
Putting the engine in the middle helps handling, but also moves the driver forward, creating a "race car-like view" out the front windscreen, according to Chevrolet.
The new Corvette is going supercar hunting, and to help that, the interior was inspired by modern jet fighters. Chevrolet specifically name-drops the F-22 and F-35. We aren't so sure about that huge row of buttons, though...
Fear not, Corvette fans -- the 2020 model is still a targa. The roof comes off and stores in the trunk as before.
Despite putting the engine where the cargo typically goes, Chevrolet has still made room for two golf bags in the trunk. Up front, there's a new frunk said to be big enough for a TSA-approved carry-on and a laptop bag.
That nose may be shorter than on the current Corvette, but it's still liable to find the ground on steep driveways and the like. The 2020 Corvette can raise its schnoz by 40 millimeters and can save up to 1,000 locations where it'll automatically lift.
For the first time, the Corvette will be available with the steering wheel on the right side for UK and Asian markets.
The lines start running in late 2019 down in Bowling Green, Kentucky, so best get those orders in if you want to be first on the block with one of these.
We won't have final, official pricing for a while, but General Motors president Mark Reuss did say the C8 Corvette will start below $60,000, making it one heck of a bargain.