C8 Corvette Convertible Reviewed: Zora’s Dream Made Manifest as an American Ferrari
Blending American power, Euro styling, and premium finishes, the C8 Corvette stands alone as a mid-engine performance barn burner. (Oh, and this is only the base model. Bring on the Z06!)
Click HERE to watch our C8 Corvette Convertible review on YouTube!
In the face of global crisis and far too much anxiety, I’m thankful for all of the things that kept me sane (ish). Family tops the list, of course. But also my automotive passions. In particular, it has been the joy of a lifetime to spend my days creating and editing original C8 Corvette convertible and coupe content for CorvetteForum.
And what an amazing year it’s been for America’s sports car. Sure, there were delays and shortages and flying frunks. But the first-ever mid-engine Corvette finally arrived in dealerships to unparalleled fanfare. Between the media and the (growing) customer base, the world collectively flipped over the new C8 Corvette.
This isn’t a sports car. It’s a rockstar on wheels.
And for the big question, do you plunk down your hard-earned greenbacks for the Hardtop Convertible or the Coupe, I hope this review helps you decide. Because I’m not going to even pretend on that other question… “Should I buy one?”
Yes. Very much yes.
OUR PRESS VEHICLE
GM generously loaned CorvetteForum a 2020 Corvette Stingray Convertible with the following options:
- Torch Red hardtop convertible: ($66,400, a $6,400 premium in 2020)
- 2LT Trim with Natural Tan Interior ($6,800)
- Z51 Performance Package ($5000 for 2020, $6,000 for 2021)
- GT2 Bucket Seats ($1,495)
- Front Lift ($1,495)
- Carbon Flash Painted Nacelles & Body Color Roof ($1,295)
- Bright Red Brake Calipers ($595)
- Torch Red Seat Belts ($395)
A MID-ENGINE LEGACY
For those who aren’t Corvette history aficionados, let’s go back to 1950-60s General Motors when a man named Zora Arkus-Duntov is working for the Corvette Team. Now, Zora, as the Corvette faithful lovingly calls him, didn’t create or invent the Corvette — and pardon the oversimplification on my part — but he’s in many ways responsible for making it go FAST. He campaigned to put a V8 engine under the hood. He built race cars while navigating global politics. And he even guided production of mid-engine Corvette prototypes (CERV and CERV II). But alas, despite becoming Corvette’s lead engineer, he never convinced GM to abandon its successful front-engine sports car business.
Flash forward many decades (and many other mid-engine Corvette prototypes and pitches) and the Corvette Team is building the C6 Generation ZR1. (For anyone who isn’t a CorvetteForum regular, that’s The Fast One in the model lineup.) The first supercharged factory Corvette was an absolute beast, but when they ended up with a 52-48 front-rear weight balance thanks to the supercharger’s extra heft, traction became an issue.
From that moment forward, the Corvette Team’s unofficial motto became “mid-engine or bust.”
One economic crisis, company bankruptcy, and the final front-engine generation later, the first mid-engine Corvette arrived along with a freight train of hype and anticipation. And boy does this car deliver.
3 REASONS WHY THE C8 IS AN AMERICAN FERRARI (YES, I’M SERIOUS)
We live in cynical times, but I’m being wholeheartedly sincere when I call the C8 Corvette an American Ferrari. Disagree all you want, of course. Perhaps it’s too simple, or obvious. But have a look-see at my three main reasons for the hot-take assessment:
Exclusivity & Wow Factor –The C8 Corvette has exploded across the American zeitgeist.
Driving around a Torch Red, Natural Tan 2LT C8 Convertible in late 2020 is nothing short of CRAZY. Every one looks. Phones pop out at stoplights. Windows roll down with shouted praise and the often heard, “Is that the new Corvette?” Pull to the side of the road to pick up a drone shot or Instagram photo, and prepare to be mobbed. And plan to make friends with local law enforcement whenever they want a gander.
Couple this wow factor with the unfortunate fact that GM was able to produce just over 20,000 units despite high demand, and this car is also pretty rare. For context, I live in Los Angeles, which is Mecca for New Hot Cars. And I’ve only seen about 10 driving around all year. (In other words, you’re much more likely to see an actual Ferrari than a new Corvette.)
Euro Styling — Growing up in the 1980s, Lambo and Ferrari posters on bedroom walls were as common as Nintendos and baseball cards. Say it with me, friends: Testarossa. Wide hips gleaming in red and tan despite whatever Miami Vice was peddling on TV. Today, if you spec up a new mid-engine Corvette in a similar scheme, you can’t help but notice the similarities thanks to the C8’s Euro styling. And some folks are genuinely confused. In one week, at least a dozen people asked if I was driving a Ferrari.
American Power — While the engine moved and the body lines changed, the heart of this beast is pure American. A small-block-descended pushrod V8 pumping out 495 ponies as configured. (Yes, it’s fancy and new with direct injection and active fuel management and all sorts of smart things, but it’s still a good ole Chevy V8.)
So you combine those three elements — a rare, hot car with American power tucked into exotic, European styling and, to me, this says America finally has its own Ferrari. Except this one’s going to drive a couple hundred thousand miles without ever needing a six-figure service.
USA-USA-USA-USA!
C8 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE: WHAT WE LOVED
The hardtop convertible is STUNNING (and more useful) — I haven’t always loved the C8 Corvette in pictures, but seeing one in person reveals all of its elegant-yet-masculine design cues. And while the coupe looks pretty freakin’ sweet, the hardtop convertible won my heart this week. Yes, you lose the ability to see your LT2, but you gain fighter-jet-inspired nacelles that, on our loaner, came in carbon flash metallic. Bellissimo! With a rear window tucked in between, the design also conjures up images of the ’68-70 Dodge Charger rear window setup, which is another favorite of mine. Plus, with the convertible, you get two extra inches of headroom. And you never have to worry about trading top-down driving for right-now trunk space. I’m not sure if the convertible is worth the extra pricing to everyone, but it’s the one I’d get.
The Z51 Performance Package is a must-have option — Although our loaner lacked the magnetic ride control suspension option — which makes everything even better — the Z51 package takes an agile grand tourer and turns it into a track weapon without sacrificing ride quality. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, bigger brakes, an electronic limited-slip differential combine to give you endless grip in the corners where you sit dead-center in the vehicle’s weight distribution. (This makes it so the C8 pivots around YOU in turns.) And the new mid-engine design transfers weight over the rear wheels beautifully, gives the driver wonderful (forward) sightlines and traction galore.
The C8 Corvette does ALMOST everything better than the C7 Corvette — Let me be clear: in no way am I knocking the C7 Corvette or its owners. It’s still a great car. But the C8 is better at everything. Well, almost. The C7 still remains a much more spacious car in terms of luggage and personal storage. And the C7’s OEM exhaust sounds better out of the box. Otherwise, the C8 Corvette Stingray is more powerful than its counterpart. (And faster to 60 than the C7 ZR1.) More grip. More acceleration. Better handling. A fancier interior. The C8 a shockingly big upgrade; a brilliant driver’s car and easily the best handling Corvette generation of all time.
The GT2 bucket seats are a perfect blend of comfort and bolstering — Upgrading to sport or Recaro-style racing seats can be a bit of a dilemma. It’s great to have side bolstering when you want to toss your car around, but will they be too uncomfortable for daily and casual use? Enter GM’s GT2 bucket seats, which offer fantastic bolstering and, for me at least at six feet 190lbs, none of the drawbacks. Heated? Check. Cooled? Yes, but not amazingly well. Comfortable on long drives. Yup. Capable of holding you around tight turns. Ch-ch-ch-cheeeeeeck. They’re terrific. (Ford should take note that you shouldn’t have to trade luxury and comfort for performance.) My one piece of advice? Be cautious getting in and out of the GT2 seats; our loaner was already developing wrinkles after only 1,500 miles.
The infotainment system and HVAC control layouts are terrific — I’ve spent a lot of time this year driving high-end cars and trucks from high-brow brands like Lexus and, man, they just can’t seem to figure out how to make a modern infotainment screen. Confusing menus. Awkward button layouts. Outdated technology. You name it. GM, on the other hand, at the top of the infotainment-screen game, delivers with the Corvette. The screen is snappy and easy to navigate. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integrate seamlessly. And there are a few well-placed actual-buttons. It’s really good. The only negative I encountered is that the gauge cluster takes about a second to reset itself when you change driving modes (definitely slower than Ford and FCA equivalents).
I was also surprised by the wall (pillar?) of HVAC controls running down the cabin’s centerline. It seemed awkward to me in articles and videos. But in person, it’s a brilliant piece of tactile, ergonomic engineering. Super easy to learn and operate without glancing away from the road. I was genuinely blown away by the execution.
The C8 stands alone for the amount of car you get for $60,000 to $80,000 — Ford has Shelbys and Dodge has Hellcats (all of which I love, by they way), but the only other American mid-engine car for sale right now costs well over $500,000. Fortunately, you can snag mid-engine Euro and Japanese cars for less, but they’re still priced north of six-figures. In other words, while we could have a great debate about whether or not a Shelby Mustang or a C8 Corvette might be a better fit for you life at similar price-points, there’s literally nothing in the WORLD that delivers an experience like the C8 Corvette at this price. A 1LT, no-option coupe for $60,000? Forget about it. But even at our loaner’s $85,000 sticker price, it’s still a massive performance bargain that can’t be topped without spending tens of thousands of dollars more.
C8 CORVETTE CONVERTIBLE: WHAT WE’D CHANGE
The active valve exhaust only roars when you floor it (and the car’s too fast to do this everywhere) — If you buy a C8, I’d recommend also budgeting for an aftermarket axleback exhaust system as well. Why? Because the C8’s “suitcase” is pretty quiet out of the box, even with the performance exhaust and active valves. Yes, you can drop the car into Track mode with all its lovely pops and burbles. And yes, it sounds fantastic when foot and pedal meet floor. (Especially if you’re in a tunnel.) However, from what I experienced, the C8’s active valve exhausts system only opens wide when you’re fully accelerating. But the mid-engine Corvette is so quick that you’re much more likely to break a law or endanger someone before you get to enjoy the LT2’s growling glory. So I’d get an aftermarket exhaust.
GM still needs to work on their fit n’ finish — While the C8 certainly offers more luxury and interior quality than ever before, it’s still an American mass-produced car and it shows. Our loaner featured a two-inch paint drip next to the driver’s door as well as large panel gaps between the rear trunk and the hatch over the engine bay. We’ve also seen other dash, stitching, and paint issues over on the forums. Is it a dealbreaker? No, I just wish GM’s manufacturing process was able to correct these blemishes before they arrived in customer hands.
We can’t wait to drive the Z06 (especially if the flat-plane-crank rumors are true) — As much as I love-love-love-LOVE driving the new C8, I couldn’t help but notice how odd it feels to be driving an exotic mid-engine sports car with an engine that only revs to 6,500 RPM. Don’t get me wrong, GM’s small-block, LS, and LT series push-rod V8s are legendary for good reason. Powerful. Compact. Reliable. Amazing sound. The list goes on. But if you’ve ever owned a V8 that revs to 7,500 or, like the Shelby GT350, over eight grand, then you know the racecar-esque joy that comes from revving to the moon and back. (I get chills thinking about the experience.) With that context established, while the Corvette Stingray is amazing, I can’t wait to find out if the rumors are true about GM stuffing a high-revving flat-plane-crank powerplant into the C8 Z06. If this happens, THAT car is going to deliver an experience truly worthy of this new mid-engine platform.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Watching our C8 Corvette Stingray Convertible depart after an exhilarating loaner period, I stood trying to imagine how I was going to condense the C8 experience into written words. I’ve spent the last 13 months of my life creating and editing original content for CorvetteForum, much of it revolving around the fabled mid-engine eighth generation. And while my mind knew it was amazing, hands-on experiences have a way of sharpening and clarifying.
If you have the means (and can find one), buy one as soon as you can.
Driving a C8 Corvette won’t fix your life, but it may change it. Case in point, most of my editorial team (and a few neighbors) are now actively planning to jettison other cars and rearrange finances with a goal of putting a C8 in their garage as soon as possible, be it weeks or years. I also spoke to a dozen people who were actively cross-shopping premium European and Japanese brands. GM has a massive hit on their hands.
I’m serious. Stop reading this and go buy a C8 Corvette.
The hype is very real with this one, my friends. Beautiful inside and out. Fast. Nimble. Comfortable. A do-it-all mid-engine dynamo that’s just as happy cruising around in city traffic as it is pushing lateral gs on mountain roads.
Wait… did you buy the Corvette yet?
Sure, the newness and scarcity-driven hype may fade in the coming years as the generation evolves. And, as a mass-produced car, we can still joke about paint drips and panel gaps. But GM and the Corvette Team elevated and expanded their halo brand while boldly chasing the future. Tip of the hat to everyone involved with this American tour de force. You didn’t just build a car.
You unleashed a cultural phenomenon.
What about you, dear reader?
Would you buy the COUPE or the CONVERTIBLE and WHY?
Let us know over HERE in this forum thread!
Original photography by
Michael S. Palmer
CORRECTION. An earlier version of this article stated GM raised the 2021 Convertible base pricing, but we accidentally conflated our window sticker’s base price, which does NOT include destination chargers, and the 2021 Chevy Corvette Build Configurator, which does. It appears the base pricing remains the same for 2021, but certain options are now more expensive (Z51, for example).
