From canyon carver to grocery getter with the contact of a button — the newest Corvette Convertible will flip heads.
I received the possibility to spend per week with the C8 Corvette Stingray Convertible Z51 2LT in Portland, Ore. Sure, there was rain. However even with the highest down, in the event you drive quick sufficient, you don’t get moist — a minimum of not as moist as you’d assume you’d.
This mid-engine Sebring Orange C8 convertible fully recalibrated my mind on what a Corvette might be. I’ve pushed each C7 Chevrolet constructed and was totally impressed, particularly on the observe. The C8 flips the script and creates an all-new driving expertise.
The mid-engine structure places the snarling 6.2L V8 proper behind the passengers and makes the automobile rotate right into a nook in a really completely different manner than any front-engine Corvette ever might. It feels tremendous balanced, a sense that’s solely improved by the silky-smooth eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.
I managed a 4.1-second 0-60 time on moist tarmac and on winter tires. Not solely is that fairly fast for the circumstances, however it additionally felt fully steady and in management your entire time. In excellent circumstances on summer season tires, the C8 can do a sub-3-second 0-60 pull.
Take a look at this enjoyable little video for a few of the motion and my ideas, and browse under for a breakdown of what I appreciated and what I didn’t about this newest era Corvette.
C8 Corvette Stingray Convertible Evaluation
Not solely is that this automobile enjoyable to drive and a head-turner, however additionally it is fairly sensible. It’s rated at 15/19/27 mpg and even has fairly a big trunk and frunk. May this be an on a regular basis grocery-getter? Completely!
C8 Convertible: What I Preferred
- Grand tourer to trace weapon with the push of the Z button on the steering wheel
- Nice place, dimension, and really feel of metallic shift paddles
- Loads of room for lengthy legs and large ft
- Rear heart console vertical telephone charger is fairly slick
- Actually clear, vivid, and high-res cameras for single rear and three entrance cameras
- GT2 bucket seats are each heated and cooled
- Heated Alcantara steering wheel feels nice
- Floating components and total dashboard design are distinctive and attention-grabbing
- High quality 14-speaker Bose sound system
C8 Convertible: What I Didn’t Like
- No handbook transmission possibility
- Flip indicators are very loud
- Steering wheel quantity buttons pull as an alternative of push
- Tons of buttons down the middle console
- The glare off the rear deck lid is tremendous annoying
- There’s a big blindspot (with no digicam)
- Trunk will get tons of condensation when it’s humid out
- At idle, the automobile feels a bit tough
- Exhaust in observe mode continues to be too quiet
- Nostril increase doesn’t all the time increase all the best way
- Console storage must be larger for contemporary telephones
- The air vent controls really feel tremendous low-cost
- GT2 bucket seats’ higher bolsters squeeze at shoulders
- The again finish is tremendous busy stylistically and is a nightmare to scrub
Not Cheap, however Loads of Worth
My 2020 overview automobile had a window sticker of $88,805 — little has modified with the 2022 automobile, apart from some worth will increase throughout the board. Whereas that’s not cheap, identify one other mid-engine sports activities automobile with this degree of efficiency and options. The one different automobile that’s shut is the Lotus Evora GT, which isn’t out there in a convertible.
The automobile I drove had the 2LT inside package deal, which you most likely will need, however isn’t cheap, at $7,300. It additionally had the Z51 efficiency package deal, which you need for positive, and prices $6,345.
The Z51 package deal will get you issues like upgraded brakes, suspension, exhaust, limited-slip rear diff, rear spoiler, and extra. Including to the large complete on my take a look at automobile have been the magnetic journey management and GT2 bucket seats, each of that are worthy choices to spec your personal automobile.
To construct out your personal C8 and/or discover a supplier close to you, go to Chevrolet.com.