Chevrolet Drops the Top on New Corvette C8 Convertible: Reveal & Walkaround
2020 Corvette C8 convertible features power folding hard top, priced from just $67,495.
Chevrolet stunned the world three months back with the introduction of the new eighth-generation Corvette coupe. The switch to a mid-engine layout would allow Corvette to offer a higher caliber of performance, and truly go after and beat the finest sports cars from across the globe. C8 really is the next evolution of Corvette, and poised to change the brand forever.
Now, here we are, three months later, in the present day, and Chevrolet has just pulled the wraps off the new Corvette convertible. With the famous Kennedy Space Center serving as the ideal backdrop, it’s the perfect tie-in to Corvette’s deep history with American astronauts, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.
Sure, it’s hyperbolic but it is fitting as this mid-engine Corvette is, perhaps, the closest thing to a space ship that has ever been produced by General Motors.
ALSO SEE: 2019 Corvette ZR1 Drive Review: 755 Horsepower of American Excellence
The drop top Corvette represents a $7,500 price premium over the coupe, bringing the base MSRP up to $67,495, still a complete bargain in the mid-engine sports car realm. Unlike previous Corvette models, C8 utilizes a power folding hard top versus a cloth soft top. It takes 16 seconds to drop the top, and can be done at speeds up to 30 mph.
With the top down, the C8 truly shines. Aerodynamic flying buttresses are perched behind the cabin, and roll into a redesigned rear hatch panel. The top is stowed over the now-mid-mounted engine, so the redesigned hatch was a necessity to allow sufficient engine cooling with the top down. With the top stored directly behind the cabin, the C8 convertible loses little in the way of storage space compared to the coupe, with both front and rear trunks being virtually unchanged. The rear trunk can stow two full-size golf bags.
Chevrolet claims that the C8 was designed from the get-go to offer a drop top, and explains the sharp styling when the top is pulled back. The effect is stunning, and actually results in the convertible having the more appealing look than the coupe. With the top down, the new Corvette heavily evokes the styling of European exotics, like the Ferrari 488 Spider. To anyone with functioning eyes, this is a very good thing. I almost never prefer drop tops over coupes, C8 is the clear exception to my rule.
The rest of the performance hardware under the skin is shared with the coupe. That means the naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V8 is here, along with the 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission. The setup is good for 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. GM is being a bit tight-lipped with performance figures, but claims the convertible loses little when compared to the coupe, and should still knock out the 0-60 sprint in about 3 seconds.
Also like the coupe, convertible buyers can opt for either the base Stingray model, or the Z51 Performance Package, which adds a different aero package, with a front splitter and rear wing, as well as a re-tuned suspension, bigger brakes, a different wheel and tire package and a performance exhaust system. In these images taken from the reveal event, the Rapid Blue model is the base and the Blade Silver Metallic model has the Z51 pack on it.
Chevrolet claims that they have received over 37,000 deposits for the 2020 Corvette, and are still taking orders for the 2020 model year. The convertible model has always been a strong seller for Corvette, and with the drop dead gorgeous looks of this new model, I don’t foresee that changing, at all. Chevrolet will begin building the Corvette convertible in Q1 of 2020, and deliveries will begin shortly after.
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