The Popular Science Crew Claims After Intense Track runs That the new C8 Corvette “Draws Waves Like None Other in Memory”

Excitedly poised on the track at Spring Mountain Motor Resort in Nevada, the team from Popular Science was ready to test the new mid-engined C8 Corvette Stingray. Now hailed for having the same configuration of supercars such as Lamborghini and Ferrari, the C8 has been dominating auto headlines since its unveiling in a large airline hangar in California late last summer. Writer Dan Carney is getting ready to take his very first test drive, and his first move was to tighten the belts on the seats, which helps to hold the driver in position to focus on steering.

When the seat is ratcheted down, the HANS device is more secure, which (yes, a slight reality check) is more effective in the event of a crash. The Popular Science team's 'Vette was equipped with the 3LT premium equipment package, Z51 performance package, and magnetic ride adjustable sock absorbers. The 495-horsepower, 470 lb-ft, LT2 6.2-liter small black V8 to comes to life after you push the Start button, and Dan felt that the rumble of the engine was akin to a “ferocious blast of Nascar thunder” as his revs approached the 6,500 rpm mark.

Off of the track, the V8's fuel consumption is EPA-rated at 15 mpg during city driving and 27 mpg on the highway, which is way above average for a supercar. The rear-view mirror actually doubles as a display for a rearview camera that is mounted on top of the engine cover to provide an expansive view behind the car, that can't be achieved from anywhere inside the cockpit. The anchor of the center console is a rotary selector wheel that is mostly covered by a wrist rest that helps keep your hand stable while adjusting.

Once underway, the computer-controlled dual-clutch transmission can shift itself, or the driver can manually adjust upshifts and downshifts by using the steering column-mounted shift paddles. The Z51-equipped Stingray can launch to 60 mph from a complete standstill in 2.9 seconds, and by using automatic launch control, can accomplish it repeatedly. During a few very exciting laps, Dan noticed that one of the benefits of having its mass at a central point due to the mid-engine layout gives the driver many chances to balance the car once its slides at its limit.

The paddle shifters are as nice as what you would see on very high-priced European competitors, and their location on the steering column makes them easy to find every single time you look for them. Corvettes from years past endured a bit of criticism for the slight delay that occurred between a tug on the shift paddle to an actual transmission response. In this edition, engineers have wired the buttons directly to the transmission's shift controller, bypassing the car's Controller Area Network, and now sending shift requests as directly to the transmission as physically possible.

Many who passed by the track that day were in awe at this brand new addition to the All-American car landscape, and once inside, this is the most snug and “sheltered” feel in any Corvette, past or present. It is currently one of the hottest items on the planet, but we hope to see you soon at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson to talk about 'Vette or any other models' ownership, and make 2020 your most exciting year of cornering and pavement pounding yet!

2020 Corvette C8 Convertible Will Receive First-Ever Power Hard-Top

Ever since the C8 Corvette was formally introduced to the world in a large California airline hangar, journalists and enthusiasts all over have been able to enjoy a multitude of firsts. The first mid-engined Corvette has wowed people worldwide with its power potential, styling accents, and very sensible pricing. For the first time since 1953, the convertible model's  folding lid does not consist of cloth or vinyl. Every model until now has offered a convertible variant with roof material on the softer side.

The 2020 C8 Corvette's drop-top utilizes the first power-folding hardtop, which consists of two panels that can retract into a handy cubby behind the seats right on top of the engine. The top weighs in at just 80 pounds heavier than the standard coupe, and the panel under the folding roof has two exotic-looking peaks that flow behind each passenger's headrest into the tail. You can specify the roof with matching body color paint, or dark gray Carbon Flash. Chevy's thorough and precise engineers traded the old front-engine Corvette's hydraulic roof actuators for six electrical actuators, which are known for their reliability.

The new top's design allows for independent operation of the glass rear window, so it can be lowered while the roof stays up. The rear window can be raised to deflect wind when the top is down, which will also reduce wind presence in the cabin. Moving it down takes 16 seconds, and you can even do it with the car traveling up to 30 mph. There is also heat shielding around that cubby so the top doesn't roast while being stored, and special attention was given to not have the top contribute heavily to negative drag. The C8 convertible posts the same coefficient of drag as the coupe with the top raised, and the high-performance Z51 trim sports the same rear spoiler as the coupe.

We hope you come to visit us right here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson to inquire about the new C8: the mid-engine generation starts with the 2020 stingray. The coupe is powered by a Mid-Engine 6.2-liter Small Block LT2 V8 and goes from 0 to 60 in UNDER 3 seconds. This is the vehicle that completely fulfills the dream of Zora Arkus-Duntov, and one of the first traits drivers notice off the bat is the difference in handling: having the engine and transaxle be so low in the car is a great help. The steering wheel is on the small side, and if you're over six feet tall, you won't have much problem moving around while learning the ins and outs of this mid-engined and highly-awaited creation!

Business Insider Covers Chevy Corvette's Evolution From Sports Car to Super Car

Starting out by branding the Corvette as one of the most recognizable American sports cars and heralded scene stealers in the history of movies, Daniel Gessner of Business Insider provided a great feature last week about its evolution. He begins his close-up look by acknowledging how the Z06 and ZR1 really cranked up the horsepower in their supercharged versions, but that at that point the car had maybe not quite yet graduated into the same class as the high-priced and high-speed cars like Lamborghini and Ferrari.

For the 2020 model, that gap was closed with one very integral and necessary design change, and it resulted in the creation of a car that has the ability to carry its weight in the biggest leagues. Since its introduction in 1953, the Corvette has undergone many changes, during a well thought-through transformation from a street cruiser into a high-octane racing machine. The 2019 ZR1 managed to squeeze in 755 horsepower under the hood, but engineers bonded together and agreed that the current design was holding it back from its full potential. The Chevy team then spent much time at the drawing board, and finally offered up the mid-engined model that had been thought about for decades.

All of us on staff here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson have marveled over the fact that the time has finally come, and the engine now resides in the space directly behind the driver. This is the layout of choice for some of the most exotic supercars in existence, because of the drastic results that take place within the realm of performance. With the engine in the middle, the weight is more evenly distributed between the front and rear wheels, which allows the vehicle to change direction quicker. In a rear-wheel-drive car, the added weight helps add traction and lets the rear brakes provide more energy for the task of stopping.

When horsepower and torque are added to an engine, the mass sees a drastic increase as well. In a rear-wheel drive vehicle, when the beefy engine is sitting on top of the front axle, less weight is distributed to the wheels where your power originates. This is a concept that has been tested in many different ways since the 1960s, utilizing the Chevy Experimental Research Vehicle Series.

One of the reasons that these never graduated from the concept car category was due to engine cooling issues, as well as their limited passenger and luggage space. What the folks at Business Insider honed in and took a close look at here was the Corvette base model compared to the Ferrari 458. They both are very similar in terms of mechanics and performance, but have quite a stretch in price: the Corvette is nearly $180,000 cheaper. This is no doubt one of the most radical changes to happen in the American car industry in quite some time, and it is just one of those instances where a complete reconstruction made the most sense in the world!

Car and Driver Conveys Their Astonishment and Adoration for the New C8's Top Speed, Low Price

This summer right here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson and across the entire nation, many intense ripples of excitement were felt as the release of the long-awaited C8 finally took place. Since the day of the unveiling, the many press and internet sources for everything auto-related have been eagerly covering every aspect of the new Stingray's performance and prowess. The Car and Driver staff was fascinated with a press release that originated from Chevy over the past month and claimed that while the C8 Corvette starts at under $60,000, the top speed is an astounding 194 mph.

Even though it seems strange off the bat, that top speed only applies to the entry-level 2020 Corvette. Models that are equipped with Chevy's optional Z51 performance package have a lower top speed, because the aerodynamic components included provide more downforce. Even if the Z51 kit does not boost the bottom line in the speed department, it is still going to stop shorter, grip harder, and be able to change direction more readily, and also brandishes additional engine and systems cooling for standing up to the intense wear and tear of the track.

The Z51 C8 Corvette is also the version that nails down the 3.0-second zero to sixty mph time, and all of a sudden, Car and Driver changes their stance for an instant during the article, claiming that since there really is no autobahn in the United States, top speed is not as important a metric as others. We have to admit we admire their sense of deduction: it is correct that the perks of the Z51 package need the buyer to closely pay attention and not just think of nailing down the best top speed stats out there.

The all-new mid-engine sports car is so much more than Next Generation: it has been completely redesigned from the ground up to deliver the optimum in thrills on every single drive. Only one single part has been carried over from the last generation, and the amazing all-new LT2 V8 engine is clearly visible through a rear hatch window. The Available Engine Appearance Package adds ultra-cool fiber components as well as LED lights to illuminate the engine, and stepping up to the 2LT trim adds available GT2 seats in Napa leather.

You can very intensely hone in and tailor your look with a choice of wheels wrapped in standard all-season tires. These very light 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels make for a greatly improved ride and reduced noise, and there are two available designs. When people sit in the new C8 for the first time, they lament that each button is exactly where it needs to be for sensible use, and with three seat combinations to choose from, there's definitely going to be one to be ideal for you!