By now, most enthusiasts know about the Chevrolet Corvette C8, and although GM benchmarked a 458 Italia, one of the most highly regarded Ferraris ever, the Corvette C8 is very much in a niche of its own. This generation of Corvette is a standout vehicle not only for the sake of being a Corvette but has become an exemplary sports car, even stealing the lunch money off of some modern supercars. Put simply, the C8 is a masterpiece built at the exact right time for an ideal demographic. Here are 10 reasons why it doesn’t get any better than the C8 Corvette.
10 The Future Is Electric, And So Is Chevrolet’s
Like many other automakers, Chevrolet is committed to reducing their carbon footprint by removing ICE-powered vehicles from their lineup. This includes the Corvette, and evidence of that is the addition of electrification to the C8 with the new E-Ray variant coming hot off the heels of the Stingray and Z06 models. Eventually, we may see an electric-only Corvette, and based on GM’s zero-emission promise by 2035, the C8 may be the Corvette’s last chance to win us over with its soulful character.
9 The Corvette Likely Features The Last Flat-Plane Crank V-8 From An American OEM
Not only are V-8 engines slowly dying out, but one as special as the C8 Corvette Z06’s flat-plane crank V-8 is surely not likely to stick around. Over 8,000 RPM and big power outputs don’t exactly add up to high MPG figures — a goal all manufacturers, including GM, strive for each model year. Every mile counts and a wasteful V-8 may not make the cut next time around.
8 The “Zora” Model Will Likely Be The Send-Off For ICE-Focused Powertrains
If the rumors are true, there will be a special “Zora” model commemorating Zora Arkus-Duntov’s influence on the Corvette and his dreams of making the car a mid-engined super sports car. Now that GM has finally made the move to the mid-engine platform, they have the perfect opportunity to honor that legacy as we are in the transitionary phase from gasoline to electric powertrains. The C8 achieves Zora Arkus-Duntov’s goal by providing a mid-engine layout.
7 The Corvette C8 Is Exceeding Expectations
Whether it be on track or out on the open road, the Corvette C8 has exceeded expectations in both Stingray and Z06 forms. The C8 Corvette’s performance is world-class, even in the base model Stingray, with a sub-3-second zero to sixty time and impressive lateral grip, all thanks to the car’s new mid-engine layout. Naysayers can rest assured the C8 Corvette can not only talk the talk but walks the walk with the performance to back it up. With future variants of the C8 rumored to come that exceed even the already bonkers Z06, it will be tough to top the C8 generation.
6 GM Isn’t Developing New ICE Chassis
GM is going all in on electrically powered transportation. This means no new architecture by which future C8s could benefit from. The more likely scenario is that the C9 Corvette shares a platform developed with electrically-focused powertrain vehicles. This will undoubtedly add a significant amount of weight, something Chevrolet has already struggled with the C8 and its packaging.
5 Covid-19 Sent The Car Market Soaring
Things got a bit wild in the automotive world, with supply chain issues creating low inventory/high demand situations. Prices for new and used vehicles quickly jumped, and some of those “values” remained. Corvette values, particularly C8s, remain fairly high and have potentially altered the market for Corvettes. What once was a superb value for performance is now a bit less of a value. Relatively speaking, the C8 Corvette in any form is still a great sports car/supercar value when the competition is now Ferrari and Lamborghini etc.
4 The C8 Offers A Variety Of Powertrain Types
In the Stingray you get Chevy’s tried and true 6.2 liter naturally aspirated (cross-plane) V-8 good for 495 Horsepower. The E-Ray adds an electric motor and small battery pack to that engine to bring things up to 655 total horsepower. The Z06 will bring a completely different powertrain with a smaller but flat-plane version of Chevrolet’s small-block with completely different internals, giving you a screaming 8,000+ RPM redline and 670 horsepower. If those three choices weren’t enough, just wait till forced induction is introduced or perhaps a combination of forced induction and electrification. These various options are only a product of the transitionary period we are living in as electrification only becomes more mainstream. The C8 may be the end of ICE for the Corvette.
3 Interior Quality Is A Major Step Up In The Corvette C8
When it comes to the interior materials and design department, the Corvette was never the shining star it is today. The C8 gives the Corvette a massive interior redesign with top-notch materials and an overall cabin GM can be proud of. Never has the interior of a Corvette been so well appointed with quality leather, metal, and carbon. As the Auto industry as a whole move towards a more “disposable” approach to car manufacturing, we may not see a step-up in materials and design at the same magnitude as the C8 Corvette.
2 The Chevrolet Corvette Remains A Relative Bargain
Even with inflation and a haywire car market, the C8 Corvette Stingray and Z06 models are a performance bargain. Offering an experience and performance that matches or bests competitors was no easy feat, and Chevrolet is transparent about its major efforts in developing the C8. Sometimes costing a fraction of what other manufacturers charge for their sports cars and supercars, the C8 punches well above its weight, or at least what the price tag would suggest.
1 The C8 Was Developed Before The Pandemic
Just in the nick of time, the majority of C8 development was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic. The world is still recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic bringing an unpredictable state of the economy. If economies start to collapse, this could be disastrous for the auto industry, leaving little to no budgets for special projects such as a future Corvette generation.
FAQ
Q: What makes the C8 generation Corvette so great?
The mid-engine architecture allows the performance of the Corvette to vastly rise.
Q: Is the C8 the first mid-engine Corvette?
Yes, while there have been mid-engine Corvette concepts built in the past, the C8 is the first production mid-engine Corvette.
Q: How many models of the Chevrolet C8 Corvette are there?
Currently, there are three known variants of the Corvette which include the Stingray, E-Ray, and Z06 models.
Q: How might Chevrolet improve upon the C8 Corvette?
Chevrolet will most likely utilize more electrification within all platforms including the Corvette moving forward.