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Mid-Engine Marvel: C8 Corvette Debuts

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The all-new Corvette on stage in California Thursday night.
Fifty years after NASA launched its first moonshot, GM follows with one of its own. An all-new Chevrolet Corvette was unveiled last night, the first mid-engine version of this super Chevy. An old military aircraft hangar in Tustin, California, served as the venue for the eighth-generation (C8) Corvette’s debut, with NASA astronauts, company workers and officials, and media in attendance.

New Ground for a Standard Bearer

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette not only breaks new ground, but it underscores GM’s investment in cutting-edge technologies, including those that will help the company transition to autonomous vehicles. Not surprisingly, the new Corvette keeps one important tradition alive: it will once again be powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine, a rarity in a segment where boosting with superchargers and turbochargers represents the standard.

The engine, though, is new (dubbed LS2) and designed specifically for the Corvette. With the available Z51 package, it has an output of 495 horsepower and 470 foot-pounds of torque, and works with a Tremec-supplied 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. This is the first time in decades a Corvette debuts without a manual transmission. We do not know whether one will be offered in the future.

How fast will the Corvette Stingray go? GM says it has an estimated 0-60 mph time of under 3 seconds, placing it in lofty company. Models such as the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, Ferrari F12tdf, and even the current Chevrolet Corvette Z06 all slip just under the 3-second threshold. Remember, this speed number applies to the base model — GM made no mention of the other models which are certain to follow.

Key aspects of this model include large side air intakes for engine cooling and aerodynamic performance. You’ll also note the door, hood and hatch releases are hidden.

C8 Corvette Dissection

GM’s hour-long news conference followed a half-hour primer of all things Corvette. Much information about the C8 Corvette was shared, although a few things were not mentioned. Among the highlights are the following:

1. Price and ordering details. GM threw open the order books for the 2020 Corvette, allowing shoppers to “request a reserve” of the new model. Production begins late this year at the company’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, manufacturing plant, with the first deliveries taking place in early 2020. Although pricing details weren’t delineated, the automaker stunned everyone by mentioning the starting price will begin under $60,000. That price point will play a big role in keeping the Corvette attainable for enthusiasts.

2. Slightly larger and heavier than the outgoing model. GM employs many weight-saving measures with the all-new Corvette, including greater use of aluminum, carbon fiber, composite materials, fiberglass, and steel. However, the C8 gains a half-inch between the wheels and is nearly 5.5 inches longer overall. It is slightly heavier too, weighing 3,366 pounds to the current 3,298 pounds of the C7. The cabin is a bit larger too with an extra inch of seat play possible.

3. Rear-wheel drive only. Rumors that the new Corvette would feature all-wheel drive, at least as an option, apparently was just that…a rumor. Power is routed to the rear wheels in the traditional Corvette way. But the debut involved the Corvette Stingray only with no mention of other models certain to follow. A twin-turbo V8 has long been touted as a possible option, likely to power a future ZR1 model. We also know that some type of electrified variant is in the works. If a hybrid Corvette does appear, there’s always a possibility some power could be routed to the front wheels, making it an all-wheel-drive model. One more point: for the first time the Corvette will be manufactured with available right-hand drive, expanding the Corvette’s range to such countries as Japan and the United Kingdom.

Take note of the placement of the quad-tip exhaust pipes.

4. A state-of-the-art suspension system. A sports car is nothing without cutting-edge steering and handling. The 2020 Corvette will showcase several improvements, including coil-over dampers, an upgraded electric steering system, and electric-powered brakes. An important feature is an automatic suspension lift for the front end — this system raises the car’s front end by two inches, helping the Corvette avoid pavement scraping. Importantly, the system can be programmed to store as many as 1,000 locations tracked by GPS. This means if you’re accessing a steep driveway known for scraping the front end, the car will automatically lift as you make your approach thanks to your pre-set.

5. An all-new interior. We’ve seen Corvette interiors improve over the years. Early on, Corvette cabins were relatively disappointing, not rising to the level of a premium sports car. For 2020, Chevrolet promises to deliver improvements, including real metal inlays, cut-and-sewn leather, steel speaker grilles, and available carbon-fiber trim. Customers will have a choice of six interior color themes (along with a dozen exterior colors). A long row of buttons on the center console will control most interior functions. Three types of seat choices, digital displays, and a 14-speaker Bose audio system are among this model’s features.

6. Stellar storage space at the ready. With the engine sitting in the middle, much interior space is now free. Indeed, the cockpit is placed 16.5 inches forward over the C7 Corvette. In front and again the back, there is a pair of trunks, offering a total of 12.6 cubic feet of storage space. GM says the C8 Corvette can hold two sets of golf clubs or several pieces of luggage.

Multiple color choices, two stitching options, and three available seat designs
accompany the all-new Corvette Stingray.

The Future is Here

Zora Arkus-Duntov, known as the “father of the Corvette,” long had a mid-engine Corvette in mind. Indeed, several prototypes were built, but Arkus-Duntov never saw a production version. He died in 1996.

We’ve now gotten our first glimpse of the new Corvette, one that takes this iconic sports car in a fresh direction, even as demand for such models falls. The C8 Corvette represents GM’s moonshot, what the automaker hopes mirror the “right stuff” that propelled NASA to lunar greatness.

See Also — So Long, Farewell to the C7 Corvette

Photos copyright GM Corp. Special thanks to Automotive News, which supplied inspiration for many of the details outlined herein.

The Life and Death of the Saturn Brand

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Once billed as “a different kind of car company,” Saturn was originally a standalone car company, one wholly owned by General Motors. Unlike GM’s other automotive brands including Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac, Saturn was managed separately at the start, but eventually was brought into the GM matrix, then later dissolved.

Saturn SL2. (Public domain photo via Wikimedia).

Creating a New Brand

Faced with a seemingly unstoppable advance of cheap, higher quality vehicles from Japan, General Motors was looking for a way to counteract that push by developing a new line of small cars to take on Toyota, Honda, and Datsun (later, Nissan).

As early as 1982, GM management began planning the “Saturn” company, named for the rocket that carried astronauts to the moon. The following year, GM chairman Roger Smith announced his company’s intention publicly.

The Planning Stages

The first prototype Saturn vehicle was introduced in 1984, but it wasn’t until 1990 that a production model was made available. During the intervening years, GM formally established the Saturn Car Corporation and began working out a labor agreement with the UAW to gain concessions to make Saturn possible.

The UAW and GM began meeting in 1983 and by 1985 had reached a labor accord for the Saturn operation according to Southern Changes. In exchange for taking a 20 percent pay cut, Saturn workers were guaranteed profit-sharing and other income opportunities based on production and quality goals. Certain other workers’ rights, including seniority, work rules, grievance procedures, and traditional job descriptions were also modified or removed.

The Saturn Launch

In 1985, GM incorporated its Saturn company and purchased land in Spring Hill, Tenn., to build a manufacturing plant. Construction began in 1986, representing a $1.9 billion investment by GM. By 1988, the plant was completed, the first workers hired and by the following year, the first dealers were appointed.

Production began in July 1990, as sedan and coupe versions of the 1991 S-Series were produced. Two model years later a station wagon was added, giving this model line three body choices that would carry the company through its first decade of existence.

The S-Series won numerous awards, representing a line of compact cars powered by a 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine and paired with five-speed automatic or four-speed manual transmissions. Intellichoice, MotorWeek, Automobile Magazine, J.D. Power & Associates, and Motor Trend were among those showering accolades on the car. More than 2 million S-Series were produced before this vehicle was replaced by the Saturn Ion in 2003.

Photo copyright Wikimedia. 2009 Saturn Sky Redline Ruby Red Limited Edition photographed at Babylon, NY. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.

Other Saturn Products

It wasn’t until 2000 that a second Saturn product entered the line-up. The midsize L-Series was introduced, available in sedan and station wagon body styles. Unlike the S-Series, the L-Series was produced at a GM plant in Delaware, a model based on the Opel Vectra.

Saturn continued to expand its product line, adding the Vue crossover in 2002, the Relay minivan in 2005 and both the Outlook crossover and Sky roadster in 2007. By the time of the Relay’s release, GM abandoned offering unique models for Saturn, by rebadging existing GM products to expand Saturn’s product line. Along the way, the L-Series was replaced by the Aura and the Astra replaced the Ion.

Ending a Brand

The end of Saturn coincided with the fortunes of its parent, GM. With GM losing tens of billions of dollars and facing bankruptcy and extinction, then GM chairman Rick Wagoner testified before a Congressional banking committee in a bid to gain a government bailout. In his testimony, Wagoner explained that the company would concentrate on its four core brands: Cadillac, Buick, GMC, and Chevrolet while looking at shutting down or selling other brands. As for Saturn, Wagoner said that the company would “explore alternatives” for its youngest brand.

A late model Saturn VUE utility vehicle.
(Public domain photo via Wikimedia)

Following GM’s 2009 bankruptcy and restructuring, the automaker shopped Saturn in a bid to sell the brand. Race car icon, Roger Penske, tendered an offer to buy the company, but when a deal to have Nissan-Renault supply cars to Saturn collapsed, GM halted production on Oct. 1, 2009. The brand was officially discontinued on Oct. 31, 2010, ending GM’s experiment with its different kind of car company.

Saturn’s demise may be attributed by some to GM’s own financial problems. However, Saturn also competed against other GM brands, especially Chevrolet, setting itself on a collision course for its eventual closure.

See Also — The Brief Model Run of the Saturn Sky