Despite the C8 Corvette’s
mid-engine layout, Chevrolet
engineers still found room in
the cargo compartment to
store the targa roof panels.“The C8 represents the biggest step
change since the original Acura NSX
in terms of being a usable everyday
mid-engine supercar,” international bureau
chief Angus MacKenzie said. “It brings the
Corvette closer to the Porsche 911 in terms
of being an attainable and credible 24/7
supercar than any time since the ’60s.”
The C8 (referencing the eighth
generation of the Corvette) still features
a cam-in-block small-block V-8, only it’s
grown to 376 cubic inches, or 6.2 liters.
But everything else is changed. The new
Corvette is all about revolution.
“The first thing you notice when
driving in town is the lack of road noise
for a supercar,” said Chris Theodore, a
perennial Car of the Year guest judge as
well as the engineer behind the second-
generation Ford GT. “It’s not silent, but
it’s much better than any other supercar
I’ve driven.”
That’s right, a mid-engine, removable-
roof car that hits 60 mph in 2.8 seconds is
being praised for the quietness of its cabin.
“This means that C8 engineers have done a
good job in making the chassis attachment
points stiff,” Theodore continued.
The new Corvette rides surprisingly
well, too. “Behavior on the freeways wasremarkable,” technical director Frank
Markus said. “In Tour mode it felt as
comfortable as anything we’ve driven. And
best of all, that ride quality didn’t disappear
when we put it in Sport and Track modes.”
We were collectively surprised by how
smooth and polished the C8’s chassis is.
We were also equally surprised at
the Corvette’s high-quality cabin. To be
blunt, Corvette interiors have been nasty,
low-quality dens of cheapness and weird
smells since 1984. With always-terrible
seats, too. That’s the truth. With history as
my witness, I was expecting more of the
same. To keep the price as low as Chevy
has promised, you’d think corners would
have to be cut, and this would be the place
to cut them.
Nope. “The interior actually has great
build quality. What a miracle!” associate
online editor Stefan Ogbac said. “Lots of
good materials, and the seats are super
comfortable and supportive.”
What impressed me most about the
quality of the Corvette’s cabin were the96 MOTORTREND.COM JANUARY 2020