If it makes you feel better I’ve never even driven a corvette, much less a C8.

first time will be next Tuesday in Bowling Green. Fingers crossed I will like it!!!

 

I laugh when folks want to test drive a C8! What is their reason? Are they planning to test the limits? Would not happen IF delaer's had new C8s on the lot (BTW, there is a dealer in Myrtle Beach who shows several in his adds BUT they at ~$25,000 over MSRP.) NO they are not going to let some young kid who just got his license take one out for a test drive so he can tell his friends he drove a Corvette! They would not even let this old guy do that! Foolish, folks want to buy a new C8 for $25,000 over MSRP with ~<10 miles on the OD!

Now if you're 6' 7" and want to see if you fit MIGHT left you sit in one! Test drive is silly for a performance car! Read a quality car mag and see what a pro who tested the limits says! Free on the Net today. Even when they were not like hen's teeth, and they had the sales manager's Vette to let folks "Test" the salesman would be with you! If you look <20 bring your father and left him "test!"

Heck, the first C8 I saw in person was my 2020 when it arrived at my Courtesy Delivery dealer!

 

I disagree with @JerryU. I totally understand wanting to take a test drive, for any car purchase, high performance, sedan, pickup truck, etc. There are always small nuanced differences in actually driving any particular car, some of those differences can be significant to one particular driver and not to another. That being said, I can also understand sellers reluctance to allow test drives in a C8. Buyers of new cars want practically zero miles on the odometer (read the threads on this forum of buyers asking/complaining about the number of miles at delivery). And a seller never knows anything about the driving competence of a potential buyer, we have seen plenty of wrecked C8s.

I think the best way to actually get to drive one before purchase is to befriend a current owner if you can, either through a Corvette forum or a local Corvette club.

 

Remined of my wife and her more recent cars! Yep best she drive:

She had a Caddy CTS but wanted an SUV so it would be easier to get groceries out! So yours truly went to the Nissan dear and town and I test drove a new SUV. She liked that it would be easy get groceries out, all she checked. It was a FWD, which in NE SC should not have been an issue. BUT she and her brother drove it to OH to visit daughter etc. She came back and it was raining hard on a twisty mountain road and she did not like the feel going downhill. Understand as in CT had a FWD compact and on ice I used the emergency brake lever, button held in to brake going down steep hills! BTW in the sub compact turbo labeled a Pocket Rocker (I installed Plus 1 Pirelli's etc) I use the emergency brake (button held in) to eliminate the massive understeer when coming out of an apex. Yep like folks racing Mini's etc, just stab the rear brakes, *** end slides out and when pointing where you want to go tromp on the loud peddle!

Heard that issue for a year so traded in in on a 4 Wheel Drive Porsche Cayenne. Made her drive and did not touch the wheel. Who cared had seen reviews and knew it would handle fine for me! Traded that in on a 2014 BMW X5 SUV. Same routine. The had a similar 2018 BMW SUV and when she got the same 2021 BMW X5 SUV after driving with me in the back seat, the salesman (who is a friend by now) asked me to drive. Would not. He was insisted so I used the excuse of needing to take the dog out! Drove her 2018 home and when finished learning all the new features drove it home (the 2018 was going to daughter in OH) and didn't drive it! He wanted to show me the lane maintainer and that it backed up and parked automatically. Didn't need to see that and hate the lane maintenance. Need to keep my eye on the road for all the distracted driver's, don't want to be one!

 

In my area, Omaha, a dealer had several used C 8. I drove up just to test the seats, GT2. They offered me the opporitunity to drive them even when I told them I was not interested in a purchase. They want to sell cars. I believe one of the best selling angles of a dealer is to get the person in the seat and have them do a test drive. A friendly reputation of a dealer is important to them I believe.

So if you can find a dealer with cars on the lot go visit them. They many not offer you the chance to drive, but how knows. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

There's plenty of high end dealers that don't allow test drives. Most supercar/exotic sellers. It doesn't mean you might not find one here or there, but it's rare. Just like a C8, most people already know whether they want to buy a particular car at that level or not.

My guess is if you can get a Ferrari dealer to unlock the door for you and let you in, they would consequently invite you to leave if you asked to test drive. Unless it's like your 3rd or 4th from that dealer already - then he might not throw you out.

I think Turo is a great tool to test out normally un-testable cars. Around here it's like $150 to take a C8 out for 24hrs.