IIn times of some change, it would be nice if there were a few constants. A Corvette with a beefy engine at the front, steadfast bubbling straight-ahead travel from New York to San Francisco and certain challenges in corners. That went well for 67 years and seven generations, but now Chevrolet thinks it’s time to break with tradition. It’s almost as if Ford were building its long-term bestseller, the F 150 pick-up, as an electric car. Well, that’s exactly what Ford does. And so does Chevrolet.
In number eight, the engine works in the middle directly behind the driver and front passenger, which has several effects. Rear-heavy 60 to 40 is now the weight distribution. The C 8, still with the addition of Stingray, shows different proportions, it crouches over the unfortunately cropped hood and pulls the rear taut. The designers are not naked, the sports car looks classy, but no longer unmistakably Corvette. Rather, Ferrari, McLaren or Lamborghini now come to mind with power.
Of course, this also applies during the journey, which is characterized by a new level of precision. The steering guides you precisely to the intended point, curves become friends, the car is closer to the body than ever before. This is to be taken literally, because the interior is cut so tightly that the question remains where all the volume was built into. The driver and front passenger are separated by a massive center console on which a battery of buttons waits for a tremor-free touch, which is like a game of chance, especially while driving. And we didn’t even stop in Las Vegas. The digital cockpit, which is reminiscent of a jet, sends information in abundance, the ambience appears solid and crisp.
First test drive Corvette C 8
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In the center of the eight
The dual clutch transmission with eight gears, which was used for the first time and seamlessly links step by step, contributes to the freshly injected vitality. This creates a completely new feeling, little by little the vehicle and driver become one. This is also due to the fact that not everything that is dear to the fans was thrown overboard. The engine, or rather the machine, is again a befitting V8 vacuum cleaner, with a confidence-inspiring 6.2 liter displacement, 482 hp and a solid 613 Nm torque. This means that 0 to 100 km / h can be burned into the asphalt in 3.5 seconds, the top speed is 296 km / h, and no basic model from the ancestral gallery has been faster.
Anyone who fears or longs for endless rioting will be calmed down or disappointed. There are six modes, the Touring position with a downright whispering exhaust and gentle tuning actually invites you to the long journey, although unfortunately a suitcase does not fit in. Even in sport mode, the refreshingly gripping Corvette is not indecent. And if you have to sneak over the sills or into the garage, you can even raise the front by five centimeters.
The C 8 is available as a coupé with a removable targa roof and glass pane over the engine from 87,000 euros. Or as a convertible from a retractable hardtop starting at 94,000 euros. This, after all, has a long tradition: nowhere else is there a comparable spectacle for such tariffs.
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