SPORTS CAR

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.

Declining Cadillac sales in the 1990s forced General Motors to take a hard look at its luxury division and that marque’s model offerings. New models were soon conceived including an Evoq concept, a two-door roadster that made its debut at a 1999 Detroit auto show. Five years later the Cadillac XLR was introduced, a model underpinned by the same platform used by the Chevrolet Corvette.

From Concept to Reality

The 1999 North American International Auto Show in Detroit featured the Cadillac Evoq, a concept vehicle created by a design team headed by Wayne Cherry, Vice President of General Motors Design. Cherry oversaw the design of several other noteworthy vehicles including the Chevrolet SSR, Pontiac Solstice, and the Cadillac Sixteen concept.

The Evoq concept was based on the fifth-generation Corvette platform, a rear-wheel-drive roadster with a retractable hardtop roof. The Evoq featured Cadillac’s Northstar V-8 engine and was paired with a four-speed automatic transmission.

Auto show attendee reaction to the Cadillac Evoq was highly favorable with GM soon committing to build the new model. However, the eventual production vehicle was not released until 2004 when the sixth-generation Chevrolet Corvette was also introduced. Like the Corvette, the Cadillac XLR was built at the Corvette manufacturing plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

Cadillac XLR Essentials

General Motors outfitted the Cadillac XLR with a 4.6-liter V-8 engine. Its Northstar engine was found in other Cadillac models of that era and differed from the 6.2-liter V-8 that powered the Corvette. The XLR engine was rated at 320 horsepower and 310 foot-pounds of torque, and was teamed with a five-speed automatic transmission. Beginning in 2007, a six-speed automatic transmission was made standard.

The XLR and Corvette shared the same hydroformed frame-rail architecture, with the XLR utilizing components from both the C5 and C6 Corvette. Like the Corvette, the Cadillac XLR featured aggressive styling with a long hood and a chiseled body, with 18-inch wheels and outfitted with clustered quad exhaust pipes. Its base price was approximately $20,000 above the Corvette, starting out near $77,000.

Standard equipment with the Cadillac XLR included keyless entry, a tilt and telescoping steering column, a heated steering wheel, steering wheel mounted controls, power accessories including a power trunk lid, eight-way power seats, and dual climate control. Leather trim was used throughout the cabin on seating surfaces, across the dashboard, on the doors, and around the steering wheel. Alloy and wood trim accents were standard.

Cadillac XLR-V

Beginning in 2006, Cadillac introduced a V-Series model to the XLR line. The V-Series is a line of high-performance models that were also found in special versions of the CTS and STS sedans. The XLR-V was priced from just under $100,000.

The Cadillac XLR-V was powered by a 4.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine making 443 horsepower and 413 foot-pounds of torque. It was teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission that could also be shifted manually. This model featured magnetic ride control and an enhanced suspension system. Key amenities included temperature-adjusted seats with heating and cooling features, Zingana wood trim, and aluminum accents.

End of the Road

After a six-year model run, GM announced in 2009 that the Cadillac XLR would be discontinued. GM had also stopped making the 4.4-liter V-8 engine for the V-Series, “due to market conditions.” The timing of the XLR’s demise coincided with GM’s bankruptcy and restructuring, a move that enabled the automaker to quit making low volume and unprofitable vehicles across its multiple brand lines.

Approximately 15,400 XLRs were sold for its entire model run. The vehicle was considered less refined than competing European models including the Mercedes-Benz SL500 and the Jaguar XKR. Its cramped interior, uninspiring steering feedback, and large gaps between some interior panels were among the deficiencies cited by industry analysts.

Cadillac’s flagship roadster is no more, but its high-end performance lives on in other vehicles. The V-Series continues in the CTS, a line of vehicles powered by Corvette’s supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 engine.