After seven generations with the engine up front, the Corvette moved it behind the driver
Every Corvette since 1953 had carried its engine ahead of the cockpit. The eighth generation, the C8, finally put it behind the seats, a layout GM had not used in a sports car since the Pontiac Fiero. Chevrolet claims the result reaches 60 miles per hour in 2.9 seconds.
Development began around 2016, and the car slipped from a planned 2018 debut to 2020. The coupe was unveiled on 18 July 2019 at Tustin, California, timed to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, with the convertible following that October. A General Motors strike in 2019 pushed the start of production to 3 February 2020.
Moving the engine reshaped everything. The cabin sits 16.5 inches further forward, the structure is new aluminium, and coilover springs replace the transverse leaf spring older Corvettes used at the rear. Luggage goes in a boot behind the engine and a second compartment up front, together 13 cubic feet, slightly less than before. Inside, the driver faces a hexagonal steering wheel, a 12-inch digital display and an 8-inch touchscreen, plus a Z button, named after famous performance packages like the Z06, that summons a stored set of performance settings.
Power comes from the LT2, a 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 descended from the previous car's LT1. It makes 490 horsepower, 40 more than before, and 495 with the optional sport exhaust. Dry-sump lubrication keeps oil supplied under hard cornering, and cylinder deactivation saves fuel on the highway. Car and Driver measured 2.8 seconds to 60 with the Z51 package. The only gearbox is an eight-speed dual-clutch unit by Tremec; no manual is offered, which had previously happened only in 1953–1954 and 1982. An optional front lift adds 2 inches of clearance at low speed to clear kerbs and driveway ramps.
The C8 has also gone racing. The C8.R race car debuted in July 2019 and won the IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2020 and 2021 and the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2023, before a GT3 version based on the Z06 took over in 2024.
Source: Chevrolet Corvette (C8)
