The Corvette has been an iconic moniker and a manufacturing marvel for American manufacturer Chevrolet. The all-new Corvette features a plethora of changes inside and out, making it look more attractive than ever. Part of its overhaul also see improvements to its performance, making it stronger to take on its iconic Italian and British rivals.
EXTERIOR
When viewed from the front, you would be right in saying that it isn’t an outright design change over its precursor. The low slung profile still exists in this generation as well. However, there are minor tweaks given to the car. The headlamps have become more angular and elongated having two streams of LEDs running on the borders. The hexagonal grille houses gigantic air intakes with matte black finish and Corvette name embossed on it making it look flashy. The lines on the hood make it look angry.
The side profile is sure to look dazzling with an abundance of lines and creases making it look complex. It’s interesting to see how the door handles have been replaced by buttons concealed in matte black coverings. The front and rear fenders are made extremely wide which is instrumental in making it garner a terrific road presence. Of paramount significance, has to be the coupe like roofline giving it an advantage in cutting through air propelling the beast swiftly.
The rear portrays a large spoiler, bulky air vents and quad exhausts for an aggressive appeal. While the rear seems to have been overdone, it’s all rather pleasant and not very jarring. The rear glass area might restrict visibility because of its sloping outline.
INTERIOR
The interior of the new Corvette C8 Stingray is no less than an aircraft’s cockpit. The interior seems to be coated with plenty of leather. You will also find matte black finishes for the controls. What instantly grabs your attention is a 12” digital gauge cluster and an 8” infotainment screen oriented towards the driver. Notable features include a heated steering wheel, memory seats, wireless charging device and a performance data recorder which has a high resolution camera recording point to point courses. Conspicuous features include a navigation system, automatic climate control, blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert.
Worth elaborating, is a large rectangular panel showing functions for the AC, Automatic Climate Control and the drive modes elaborating the ease of accessibility for the driver. There are plenty of storage spaces too. The flat-bottomed stubby steering wheel deserves to be highlighted as well. Overall, the car follows a concept oriented neat interior silhouette which one would be easily accustomed to using.
ENGINE AND PERFORMANCE
Ubiquitous on all Corvette generations has to be the tried and tested 6.2L V8 chunk which churns out a higher 495 hp and approx. 640 Nm of torque. Chevrolet claims a 0-100 Km/h time of under 3 seconds which is surreal going by the on paper power and torque figures as the predecessor required a whopping 755 hp to do the run in 2.8 seconds. What’s new with this iteration is the 8 speed dual clutch transmission from Tremec which Chevrolet says is lightening quick to respond and will help in improving the lap times as the car wouldn’t decelerate while shifting gears.
VERDICT
With this generation, Chevrolet assures pathbreaking performance with its additional grunt and a light weight body. It is surely a looker and can prove to be a city companion too with lots of storage spaces and an adaptable suspension set up absorbing all the bumps. But can it defeat its rivals which come in the form of Porsche 911, Nissan GT-R and Jaguar F-Type? Time will tell…
