Stone-Cold Eruption at the Rally: C8 Corvette Smokes Every Competitor During Impromptu Showdown

 

Drag racing is a sport that demands a lot of fine-tuning, close attention paid to every hundredth of a second, and other forms of massive preparation for the action-packed event that can tend to be over quickly. When an excited group of adrenaline enthusiasts descends upon a strip including some of the most powerful cars on the planet, the stakes and competition can get high in a hurry. 

Over the past week here at West Chevy of Knoxville, we enjoyed watching this video of a C8 Corvette do defiantly rough-and-tumble drag strip battle with a C7 Z06, a heavily-modified Porsche 718 Cayman, a Mercedes-AMG C63, a Lamborghini Huracan, BMW M2, and even the salacious “Holy-Grail” status-wearing Dodge Viper. Everyone in attendance at this particular straight-track showdown had a vehicle in tow that is widely-known for being quick and were all equally eager to prove a high-octane and massively thrilling point. Every single race that took place fell in the favor of the green Chevy Corvette C8 Stingray's mastery when it was decided once and for all that the competition lined up here didn't stand a chance. 

This particular winning C8 model is not all stock, and hosts an array of bolt-on parts that boost the necessary performance stats up a notch. One thing we would have to agree with is within the realm of performance, this is the model that Car and Driver claimed boasted a threshold that rivaled any exotic cars. After many years of waiting for the mid-engine Corvette to finally stand up tall and make its debut, the C8 model was officially revealed two years ago in a California airline hangar, and there has been grave excitement and approval ever since. 

The well-chiseled and celebrated leader of these drag races possesses an amount of raw character that immediately catches up to you the instant you climb into the low-slung cockpit of the C8. It seeps infectiously through every single gap in the panel and then is projected almost supernaturally from every single inch of the exterior. One of the dominating traits that really rounds out the task as far as getting the job done for a straight-line competition is the shockingly-fast speeds that feel strangely normal. 

One of the most experienced drivers of Road and Track professed this past week that when he developed his true love for the 2021 C8 was sideways on a sharp downhill turn during winter, feeling as if he was in a dramatically wonderful sportscar like a Ferrari, but with the back end feeling and performing more like that of the Camaro. Many strides have been taken to manufacture what is a true one-car solution, and the C8 outperforms rivals with ease on the track, has the sensational rumble of a V8, and is in all ways a practical everyday and above-average sports car.

Slash Gear Outlines What Will be New for the 2021 C8 Corvette

The 2021 Chevy Corvette C8 is preparing to make its way to many dealerships like ours right here at West Chevy of Knoxville, and the various auto lover's blogs out there are beginning to report on the several tweaks that the model will see. The Slash Gear blog offered up the coverage this past week regarding the expected changes, as the 2021 Corvette Coupe and Convertible will both see adjustments to its options and trims. It took decades of speculations and going painstakingly over many designs to finally launch the C8, and the mid-engined model that came out in 2020 was an instant hit among many.

Even though this is a very high-powered machine that offers up 460 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque, the very modest price tag was also a huge winning factor among car experts and journalists, as well as great offerings on a standard trim. Now that a new model is on the way, it does seem overall like Chevy is not thinking about straying too far from the principles that have already worked out so well. The biggest change covered by Slash Gear is the Magnetic Ride Control Suspension. On the first year's model, if you've wanted it to be included, you had to opt for the Z51 package.

This suspension setup uses magnetorheological fluid which can be altered according to a magnetic field, which then changes the suspension from soft to firm. On the 2021 model, the suspension system will be now offered as a standalone option, so you can opt to forego the performance exhaust and rear axle ratio, Brembo brakes, electronic limited-slip differential, heavy-duty cooling system, and performance Michelin tires. Another addition to the new model is the wireless CarPlay support, which will now be standard across the 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT trims. It enables you to connect directly with your iPhone for the Apple interface without the need for a USB cable.

On last year's model, wireless charging was only standard for the 2LT trim and above, and there are also a couple more new color choices: The Blade Silver Metallic and Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat are no longer available, and have seen replacement with the Red Mist Tintcoat and Silver Flare. You can also choose to add matching wheel caps and special graphics with the “Stingray R” package, and there is a new assortment of full-length rain stripes available. There is the addition of a center hood “Stinger Stripe” option, which sees availability in Carbon Flash, Midnight Silver, Edge Red, and Edge Yellow.

There will now also be a Strike Yellow color scheme for the 3LT trim, with Sky Cool gray inserts. There are more carbon fiber accessories on the way, and the LPO High Wing and Door Intake Trim will be available in Visible Carbon Fiber. We will keep you posted right here on the blog about any updates regarding the new year's Corvette model, and we hope that all of you, our customers, are staying safe and healthy during trying times. At West Chevy, we always have your safety as our first priority, and look forward to helping you select the best vehicle for you and your growing family or business!

Digital Trends Test Drives the 2020 Corvette Stingray and Proclaims it is “Born to Dance”

With a history dating back to the 1950s, the Corvette is absolutely a representation of solid tradition. Yet with the latest, 8^th-generation 'Vette, the car sees the most drastic update in many years. The mid-engined model and plenty of new tech with a cockpit constructed around digital displays is entirely new and almost every single thing has changed regarding performance and handling. The manual transmission has even been axed for a dual-clutch number. The Digital Trends staff agreed that one thing that has not changed is its high value factor: it's priced close to a model such as the Toyota Supra, but its raw performance goes head-to-head with cars in the 6-figure range.

Chevy has contemplated the idea of a mid-engine model since the 1960s, with many concept cars and plans in the making. This is the time when many experts are saying that “it is now elevated from an awesome blue-collar sports car into a rival for European exotics”. The brains and gusto behind the new Corvette was Ed Piatek, the chief engineer for the project. He claimed that Chevy had run out of performance capability with the front-engine build, especially with how rear-wheel-drive limits traction.

After moving the engine behind the driver, more weight is sent to the rear, and those extra pounds help the rear tires with better grip. The driver is now closer to the front wheels, so the steering column can be shorter, which renders the steering more responsive. The car's movement through corners also feels more natural and is one of the reasons why a mid-engine placement is standard for Formula One and IndyCar. There are two trunks in the 2020 Stingray: one in the front, and one in the rear. Between both of them, the new 'Vette has 12.6 cubic feet of total cargo volume.

After a lengthy test drive, writer Stephen Edelstein says that this car is not as stressful to drive as many other mid-engined cars, and the wide windshield offers a perfect view of the road. He took the car for a spin on the Las Vegas Strip, and it was “no more nerve-wracking than any other car”. He was also excited about the 12.0-inch digital instrument cluster, and 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen. There is also a “stealth” mode that shuts down non-pertinent information for night driving, and sensible analog HVAC controls are placed on a long divider between the seats.

Make sure to ask us here at West Chevy of Knoxville about the 2LT trim: this is where you obtain blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. There is also a 360-degree camera system available, along with the digital rearview mirror previously seen in the Chevy Bolt, which streams video directly from a rear-mounted camera, doing the duty of eliminating blind spots. The 2020 Corvette also has a front-end lift system that raises the nose 40 millimeters at the press of a button, and even has memory space for over 1,000 locations!

Motor Trend Reveals 6 Cool Extra “Easter Eggs” Within the 2020 Chevy Corvette

The very excited staff of Motor Trend were the first lucky media outlet in the world to test the first production mid-engine Corvette, and they admitted that they savored every second. So much excitement and attention on the many automobile blogs out there is understandable: now that the engine is situated behind the driver, many new possibilities open up. In this particular feature, the crew tells us here at West Chevy of Knoxville all about some “secret gems” that make the new Corvette even that much cooler. 

The Logo is Hidden on the Speaker Between the Seats: The center speaker located between the two seats is where the Corvette logo is, but it takes a bit of a search to find it. You can see the flags from certain angles because of the way the speaker holes are drilled, but once you are inside the pattern is only visible from a very specific distance.

Opening the Frunk From the Front: Since the engine is now behind the passenger and driver, the Corvette has ample space in the front for a front trunk. You actually don't open this frunk from inside: there's a super cool button hidden a little way above the left air vent that will open it. Much like the rear trunk, there is a proximity feature so you can open it when the car is completely locked, and even if the key is tucked in your pocket.

Hold the Unlock Button on the Key, And the Windows Will Open: If you happen to be out on a particularly hot day, there's a shortcut to getting the windows to lower. Just like other Chevy models, the windows will automatically lower if you hold down the unlock button on the remote key.

More Flags on the Rear Window: These look so awesome when contrasted against red: The Corvette C8 has the traditional pattern of black flags on the rear window that faces downward. This tradition began with the Corvette C7, and continues now in the 2020 model. These flags have a bit more of a V shape, following suit with the C8's updated logo.

The Trunk is Soft-Close: Even though it sometimes feels good to release some aggression by slamming a trunk shut, this one will close with ease! After gently closing the hatch, there is a soft-close system that will make sure it closes snugly without the need to push terribly hard.

The Top can be Secured in the Trunk: Once the top is off, two latches keep the top well-secured. The top pops off easily, and once it's in the trunk you can still store other items alongside it if you need to. Every single blog and news story we have seen regarding the C8 has been derived from a sense of amazement and wonder, as it has been a real dream come true to see this idea finally “leap to life” off the assembly line! 

Close-up Look at Chevy Corvette C8 Interior Courtesy of Automobile.com

Fans of Corvettes have already seen so many prototype pics, drawings, and spy shots of the upcoming Corvette C8 that it's dizzying to think about them all. There were even these shots provided with one making its way through a Mcdonald's drive-through, providing an up-close look at the glory and astounding flashy characteristics from an important, all-telling viewpoint. This past week on the Automobile blog, there was a brand-new series of shot that shows the mid-engined Corvette's cabin in full production trim. As you can see here, said interior is going to be mind-blowing, and nothing less than epic.

One of the first features that really jumps out at you is the new two-spoke steering wheel, sporting controls for heating, Bluetooth, and info selection. Zooming in closely on a center console that's tilted perfectly towards the driver, you can see that there is a new knob on the infotainment system, and it has a hand rest a bit like what you would find in a Lexus. The word is for the most part officially out that there will not be a manual transmission available for the new C8, but the push-button controls that are present are expected to control a dual-clutch automatic. It is not known exactly when a mid-engined Corvette would actually be available to us here at West Chevy, but reliable sources have claimed it should be available as a 2020 model.

Shots that we were able to dig up earlier in the year showed the 'Vette lapping around the Nurburgring, and the front bumper area has dropped a lot of the mesh coverings. Sharp angles are really the predominant name of the game as far as design cues for the C8, which has been awaited anxiously for quite some time now. The most heavily-circulated spy shots show the taillights looking square-ish like the C7, but still having rounded corners. In the rear, there is a pretty big spoiler, but it does not protrude a great distance away from the hatch. This is one of those cars that for a long period of time was simply hard to dig up the scoop on, and we're kinda OK with that: mystery frequently surrounds cars that are this record-setting level of good.

In this video from Motor1 US, you can watch the car being pushed wonderfully to the limit on the Nurburgring track, and it's evident just how well it does cornering. Here you do notice the extra length of the car, but that it still has the ability to grip corners like none other, and the sound of the pipes is pleasing to even the most seasoned of track hounds. After 60 very exciting years of laying the engine out delicately in front of the driver, the C8 will realize one of Zora-Arkus Duntov's dreams come true: relocating said engine to the position behind the seats. Micheal Fira of the Topspeed.com blog claimed that this was his most anticipated car, period, for this year, and we'll keep you all posted here on any developments and final release dates as they materialize!