It was about three years ago now that everyone
here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse
laid eyes on the very first hard to make out glimpse of an early C8 Corvette
prototype. At that point, it was covered in camouflage and many elements were
still very much a mystery. This past week on the Motor1.com blog,
they ran a feature on the iconic sports car that was first conceived by Zora
Arkus-Duntov over a half-century ago and was finally brought all of the ways to
life. With 60 years of anticipation, all of the car publications online are now
asking if the C8 was
worth the wait, and most indications are pointing to a strong “YES”!
The engine that is now situated in the location
that was contemplated for so many years is a 6.2-liter V8, derived from the LT1
that provided power for the C7 Stingray, but is an all-new component in many
ways. It's now called the LTZ, due to the design changes that it had to undergo
to carry out mid-engine duty, and for the hefty boost in power it acquired. As
far as the all-important power category, the new Stingray generates 490
horsepower, which is a notable step up over the 460-hp LT1.
When properly equipped, the claim is that the new
Stingray can bust out zero to 60 in less than three seconds, and over-the-top
and official quarter-mile times will be recorded soon. As soon as you climb in,
you'll notice the completely different appearance, with a fresh pair of digital
displays for both the infotainment system and instrument cluster. There is a
large center console separating the driver from the passenger, and a new
abundance of manual controls nestled in the C8's center spine.
The Z51 Performance Package is really where
everything gets so much more interesting and impressive: it adds beefier brakes
as well as better cooling ability, and an exhaust system with a bass additive
on top of five extra horsepower for the engine. While paying close attention to
the handling, coilover are located at the corners with an electronic steering
system to help guide the car with an agile and honed-in ability around corners.
Many cars out there have been offering up different drive modes for some time
now, with the “Sport” being the one that you can always really open up and get
rowdy with.
The new “Z Mode” on the C8 offers full
customization of every setting, and the new digital vehicle platform provides
over-the-air updates for the onboard computer systems. There are now also plans
to manufacture C8s with the steering wheel on the right, a nod to 'Vette fans
from all over the globe. After this close-up examination and look at the new
features the C8 sports, the Motor1.com team made the claim that
does not at all surprise us, stating that “this could well remain the
bang-for-buck performance champion of the world”!
