Mid-engined 2020 Corvette Hailed by Car and Driver as ”An Engineering Moonshot”

It's undeniable that all of us here at Chuck Hutton Chevy of Memphis have been waiting for the C8 Corvette's official arrival even more intently than a golden retriever watching for their beloved owner by the window! The seasoned car specialists on duty at Car and Driver provided an in-depth look at the C8 on their blog this past week and wondered aloud if the job of playing with this new toy will exceed the 60 or so years of anticipated excitement surrounding its release.

Since it's mid-engined, it bears resemblance to amazing and eye-popping autos such as a Ferrari F8 Tributo or a McLaren 720S, with some sweeping visual lines that put it in a completely separate category right off the bat from the outgoing C7. There's no manual transmission this time around, which we know some purists won't greatly appreciate. Believe it or not, the very first 'Vette back in 1953 only offered an automatic, and the current model sports an 8-speed dual clutch made by industry masters Tremec. Leaf springs are finally completely a thing of the past, and all four corners are on coil springs between control arms.

While situated in an entirely new location in the frame, the V-8 itself is a pretty familiar staple: dubbed the LT2, most internal grave details and fundamental structure remains the same as the LT1's. The engine now breathes from the rear, courtesy of stainless steel exhaust manifolds, and every model has a dry-sump lubrication system. The ante is upped aggressively to 495 horsepower for total output, with 470 lb-ft of torque. The word on the street and deep in the pits is that the Z51 Performance Package allows the C8 to complete the zero to 60 spring in less than 3.0 seconds, which easily makes it one of the fastest Corvettes ever built.

The center tunnel of the C8 is aluminum and does away with the rails in favor of an advanced backbone structure. The rear bumper beam and underbody close-out panel are the two carbon fiber pieces that made it to production, and minus the top, the C8 is 19 percent torsionally stiffer than the C7, while also having about 100 extra pounds of weight. The FE1 is the base trim, built to be an aggressive everyday driver for those who “don't need a hero engineered into their shock absorbers or summer-only tires”. One step up from that is the FE3, which provides the Z51 Performance package, electronic limited-slip differential, larger brake discs, while still holding on to conventional shocks.

The top trim is the FE4, which takes the FE3 kit and adds the modern engineering feat of magnetorheological adaptive dampers. The front fenders still finish to that characteristic peak, and the hind end swells out before tucking almost indignantly in. The face has a bit of new unique flavor with the engine-coolant heat exchangers on the C8 mounted on each side of the nose. We have really appreciated the raw enthusiasm that has been so evident in regards to this release, and Car and Driver's wrap on the feature was the sentiment stemming from individuals who have just been gifted something profound as they claim that “it's time to rip this thing open and play hard. Very, Very hard.”

Corvette C8.R Tests at Sebring by Autoblog Reveal Prototype's Salacious Sound

Coming just around the corner, all of us here at Chuck Hutton Chevy of Memphis have been looking forward to the release of the 2020 Chevy C8 Corvette. Youtube user Lanky Turtle provided a video that gave users a first listen to the primely-tuned exhaust and exhilarating speed factor that those who embrace the utter clout and monumental magic of the C8 have been waiting for. The Corvette has seen its own true and individual sense of evolving form over the decades, from the very slender and front-cue curvaceous models of the late 1970's, to the much more futuristic and wildly foreboding models from next year. You can check out the video Here.

As the brawny and ballsy C8 completed laps around the Sebring race track, it emitted a very high-pitched and urgent sound, due to the use of overhead cams instead of pushrods to make sure that the Corvette constantly can rev higher. Use of the flat-plane crankshaft also is a factor, similar to that of the GT350, which can make various changes in pitch for the exhaust note while cylinders are firing at different times than is seen in a traditional cross-plane crank engine.

One rumor that has been circulating as of late is that there could be a higher-performance engine offered with double-overhead cams, and a flat-plane crank, as well as the possibility of the tried-and-tested DOHC engine gaining a pair of trigger-happy and untamed turbochargers. There have been a few leaked enhanced CAD drawings circulating that show a naturally aspirated engine, and one showing the feisty-and-furious twin-turbo to boot. The excitement and anticipation surrounding this release is understandable: after many decades of speculation and mulling over rough drawings, it could be said by many with more than a casual penchant for the track that this is the most anticipated sports car in history.

All of us here love how this model's production is a chance for Chevy to innovate heavily and spend many long hours tackling the cooling research task with vigor. During testing on the famed Nurburgring circuit, it was noticed that two very distinct cut lines on the roof suggest a removable panel, which would not be a complete surprise. Another topic of frequent discussion is the patent for the clutch-by-wire system that is on deck to replace the traditional hydraulic master-and-slave mechanism, by means of an electronic actuator in the transmission, triggered by a very high-tech sensor situated on the clutch pedal. A run at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2020 wouldn't be surprising considering this car's strength, stealth-like presence, and final fulfillment of the rumors regarding mid-engine development through the years!