Chevrolet Corvette

Handling It doesn’t take more than approaching the first corner to realize that this Corvette was cut from a different cloth from its predecessors. Gone is the feeling of a nose-heavy car—instead, the C8 turns into corners in an immediate way that only midengined cars do. No longer is there the looming threat that the rear end is about to snap loose. Rather, the C8 grips tenaciously and instills a lot of confidence.

On the road, the C8 is extremely agile, hiding its wide stance quite well as it carves its way through corners. The steering is well-judged, with the right effort and decent feedback. Even the ride is cultured enough and, unlike most sports cars, doesn’t beat the occupants up.

Power Under the rear glass hatch is a 6.2-liter V8 that produces 495 hp, up 35 hp from the 2019 model, and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. This is the most power for a base Corvette engine in history. And it is probably just the start because higher-performance versions are inevitable. The transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. There is no manual transmission.

Clearly, there is no shortage of power. Although we didn’t attach test equipment to the C8 we rented from GM, acceleration is ferocious and is there for the asking at any speed, in any gear, and at any place in the rev range. A satisfying shove with the tingle and thunder of the V8 sitting right behind you is an experience on its own right.

At any rate, GM claims a 2.9-second 0-to-60 mph acceleration time for versions with the Z51 performance package. For the record, we got 4.3 seconds with our 2014 Corvette Stingray Z51. We’ll see what we get with our own C8 in due course.

Transmission The eight-speed automated manual works wonders. It pretends that it’s a conventional box in routine street driving. But dial the mode to Track and it mimics a professional driver downshifting when braking for a turn and facilitates a concerto for a normally aspirated, hearty, and muscular classic American V8 when driven with gusto. Paddles behind the steering wheel allow manual overrides.

Cabin The interior is intimate, with a large center console separating the driver and passenger. Access requires some athleticism because the car is very low to the ground.

Visibility Rear and three-quarter visibility is highly restricted by the canopy that houses the engine. Parking maneuvers and merging should be done with extra care. 

Blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning are available on all but base trim.

Storage The rear trunk is much smaller than the cargo area under the rear hatch of the old Corvette. But GM says it still holds two golf bags. There is also a front trunk that can fit a carry-on suitcase.

Controls We didn’t get the chance to experience the controls on a daily basis. We’ll have to wait until we buy our own C8 to do a deep dive into the 12-inch customizable screen and the row of buttons that separates the driver and passenger.We are also looking forward to further exploring the six driver-adjustable modes: Weather, Tour, Sport, Track, MyMode (customizable), and Z Mode (further customizable, with a name that draws from famed past performance packages).

Data recorder Another neat feature is a Performance Data Recorder that can capture track performance and film highlights. Further, it can be used like a dashcam that records video whenever the car is running, and there is a mode to record what’s going on when the car is in Valet mode, just in case.