Everyone is anxious to see the all new 2020 C8 Corvette but odds are very good we haven't actually seen anything yet.
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GM is going to be making a reveal here in less than 13 days, that's less than 2 weeks before GM changes the face of Corvette as we know it! This is without a doubt the biggest change that the Corvette has ever undergone and we're excited to say the least. The problem is, we're excited for a mid-engine Corvette but we really don't know much factually about it yet. The biggest question mark in the public's mind is "what is it going to look like?"
The Real Design of The 2020 C8 Corvette
GM has kept a lot of this new C8 Corvette under wraps (pun intended) and there have been a lot of rumors suggesting that the camo wrap is hiding faux body panels to keep the cars real shape hidden. The headlights and tail lights have both been covered with a camo wrap and purposely misshapen to again, keep the real design hidden.
We don't have much time left to wait to see this car in person but until then, there are almost no confirmed details of this car. Ferrari did something very similar while they were testing the LaFerrari and stripped almost everything off of the car to make it almost totally unrecognizable. GM likely has some surprises up their sleeve and I for one, can't wait to see them! All of the rumors suggesting price, options, engine size, horsepower, etc are all exactly that.. Rumors.
What We Do Know About The C8 Corvette
Like I said, factually, it's almost nothing. There are only a few things that have been seen on the test mules that point to options likely to make it to the real car. Things like: tire size, dash configurations, one seat option, and that's about it. For tire size the fronts will be a 19" 245/35 and the rears are a 20" 305/30 and in usually GM/Corvette fashion they will be Michelin tires.
Recent spy shots have shown the digital dash display to give you a good idea of what it will look like on the reveal day. Spy shots have also recently captured the interior enough to see a real seat option (not sparco) in the new Corvette.
GM is obviously trying to build hype with this car and confirming any of the rumors out there is not something they are going to do until the 18th to keep the rumor mill spinning which, in turn, generates more hype. Not too long ago one of the C8 Corvette test mules lost one of the faux body panels on a track which is what really started to generate the talk of GM purposely disguising this car.
Some of the styling seems odd to me, as well, and I think this is likely because most of the car isn't being shown. GM would be wise to keep the styling under wraps for multiple reasons. 1. competition doesn't know what it will look like until they launch it, and 2. The July 18th reveal will literally blow the consumer away.
Drivetrain Rumors For The 2020 C8 Corvette
This was discussed in more detail in this article but unfortunately, this is no different, none of this has been confirmed yet either. At this point speculation and rumors are all us car enthusiasts have to go on but July 18th is very likely to hold some spectacular surprises for the new Corvette!
Also Watch 2nd OFFICIAL C8 Corvette TEASER trailer from GM!! Gives us a NEW LOOK at the mid engine CORVETTE!!, and Click To Subscribe Torque News Youtube Channel for Daily News on Automotive Industry.
Image is from The MidEngineCorvetteForum and used with permission.
See you in my next story where I talk about How You Can Live Stream The 2020 C8 Corvette Reveal On July 18th
Justin Nohe can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.
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The difference between the
The difference between the new Corvette test mules and the Ferrari test mule is that the Ferrari obviously had bulky cladding that looked nothing like any modern Ferrari design. But the Corvette test mules have tight, sharp styling that looks like an evolution of the Corvette. From most of the reports that I read about people who have seen the undisguised C8 Corvette and the test mules say that the nose and the tail of the test mules are accurate to the final design, but there are some differences in the side view of the car. So maybe they have different side styling and rear air intakes in the final production C8. We will have to wait and see.
This is pretty similar to
This is pretty similar to what I have read. Most people are speculating that the side intake is completely different in the final design.
I hope the price of the 2020
I hope the price of the 2020 C8 Corvette is affordable. But then we now have $70K+ Mustangs. So what do I know?
Exactly! This is a big
Exactly! This is a big selling point for this car. If it's priced right it will sell very well but priced too high and obviously the opposite will happen. GM is usually pretty good at finding that sweet spot so I don't think price will be a concern.
Something I read a few months
Something I read a few months ago said that GM is looking for a younger and richer client. I think they used the words more affluent. From the pricing they have already reached, I think they are achieving at least one of their goals. Sort of reminds me of a speech that I attended in 1977 when a GM executive said their plan was to provide affordable cars for white collar and good used cars for blue collar. It irritated me so much that my next car was not made by GM. I did come back, but I still wonder about that speech.
I agree. It's odd that they
I agree. It's odd that they really care that much about the people buying their cars because to really force a younger purchaser there's only one way to do it. Make it cheap enough for a young person to afford. The biggest reason your typical Corvette owner is over the age of 60 is because that's when they can afford it. Most middle class people aren't able to drop 60K+ on a sports car while raising children. Now obviously making the car cheap enough for young people to afford comes with its own set of problems, but if that's all they care about then that's how you fix it.
The odds are 100% that we
The odds are 100% that we haven’t seen it yet. All the renderings of the C8 Corvette in the world don’t change that. We will all see it in a few days.
Exactly what I was saying in
Exactly what I was saying in the article. We are all going to be surprised on the 18th! We haven't seen anything yet!
If GM can keep the base MSRP
If GM can keep the base MSRP of the 2020 C8 Corvette near the current C7's price they will sell a ton of them. But if the C8's price jumps considerably then I fear the C8 Corvette will be the last Vette.
Every generation has lovers
Every generation has lovers and haters and I expect the C8 to be the same. I wasn’t a fan of the C7 when it came out but now my wife has a 2016. As we learned in Econ 101 the price determines whether or not it sells. GM has to find the right price where they make maximum profit and sell the most cars. It is called the Equilibrium Point btw.
Exactly correct! Every
Exactly correct! Every generation of Corvette is met with the same pushback. People who don't like or want change and then the people that do. If GM designs this thing to be better looking than a C7 they are going to have a big seller on their hands especially if the price is right.
I accept that they have to
I accept that they have to change to survive. (As with all aspects of life.) There are only so many of us baby boomers left to buy the Corvette. If they want to survive, they have to make it more appealing to younger buyers. Maybe the price will shock all of us, but they manage to sell the Porsches and Jags to younger buyers. This C8, as viewed in disguise around Detroit, is a stunning car. If the company comes up with something the next generation wants, I am happy to see it survive. After all.... not “everybody” deserves a marvelous machine like the Corvette, right?
That is part of the issue I
That is part of the issue I think. To make younger people really interested the car has to be cheaper and if you make it cheaper then everyone gets one which takes away it's unique semi rarity. I don't see a lot of Corvettes on the road where I live but at the same time they are around. To make it rare means it will be priced high and very few made, but to get the younger crowd interested it has to be priced lower with many units built.
IF, and I emphasize IF, the C
IF, and I emphasize IF, the C 8 looks like any other mid engine it'll disappoint lots of folks....me included....regardless of the price.
The C 7 has GREAT and UNIQUE lines...unlike most sport carts.
What has made the Corvette America's sports car? Uniqueness.....
100% agree. I'm not a huge
100% agree. I'm not a huge fan of the mid-engine look that almost all mid-engine cars have. I have faith that GM can overcome this, though. The C7 is such a gorgeous car so GM really has their work cut out for them to top that with the C8 Corvette.
I think the key issue for
I think the key issue for young and old buyers is perceived value, not just being cheap. The Corvette's image has always been a sporty/performance car, but one that is affordable. The higher end Corvettes could run against the world's supercars, but be available at a price that people you know could afford, maybe even you. At $60K+ starting price, going up to $100K+ it's not cheap, but it will offer great performance car value. Rarity and exclusivity have their appeal, but for those of us who are not rich, it's OK that someone else can also own a Corvette too.
Agreed. There is a fine line
Agreed. There is a fine line to walk for this new Corvette. The car needs to be priced right but at the same time not be everywhere.