Chevrolet fulfils the long-term promise of the iconic Corvette with the introduction of the 2020 Stingray, the brand’s first-ever production mid-engine Corvette. The sum of everything that came before it, the 2020 Stingray is re-imagined to bring customers new levels of performance, technology, craftsmanship and luxury.
GM President Mark Reuss said:
Corvette has always represented the pinnacle of innovation and boundary-pushing at GM. The traditional front-engine vehicle reached its limits of performance, necessitating the new layout. In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history. Customers are going to be thrilled with our focus on details and performance across the board.’
The new mid-engine layout gives the 2020 Stingray: better weight distribution, better responsiveness and sense of control, the fastest 0-60 time of any entry Corvette ever, excellent forward sightlines throughout the vehicle for both driver and passenger and an enhancement of Corvette’s traditional utility strengths, with dual trunks for a total of 12.6 cubic feet of cargo volume.
Design: The 2020 Stingray’s exterior has a bold, futuristic expression with mid-engine exotic proportions, but it is still unmistakably Corvette. It’s lean and muscular, with an athletic sculptural shape conveying a sense of motion and power from every angle.
Michael Simcoe, Vice President of Global Design at General Motors, said:
As America’s most iconic performance nameplate, redesigning the Corvette Stingray from the ground up presented the team a historic opportunity, something Chevrolet designers have desired for over 60 years. It is now the best of America, a new arrival in the mid-engine sports car class. We know Corvette can stand tall with the best the world has to offer.’
The new location of the engine is truly the focal point for the car’s design. It’s the heart of this next-generation Corvette and it sits like a jewel in a showcase, visible through the large rear hatch window. The added attention to detail optimised the appearance of every wire, tube, bolt and fastener, similar to those found in modern track and all-road motorcycle design.
True to its aeronautical and racing roots, the 2020 Stingray’s canopy-forward stance was inspired by F22s, F35s and other modern fighter jets and Formula One racing.
The 2020 Stingray boasts premium interior materials executed at a high level of quality and craftsmanship like hand-wrapped, cut-and-sew leather components with thick press stitching and stainless steel speaker grilles with Bose Performance Series audio system.
Customers can create their own design statement, with the most personalisation options ever for Corvette! There are even three seat options: GT1, GT2 and Competition Sport.
Engineering: Corvette’s structure is built around its backbone: the centre tunnel. This enables a light, stiff structure to serve as the foundation for the suspension system to perform in an optimised manner. By removing unwanted body compliance, Corvette customers will experience the ultimate in ride performance with outstanding lateral grip capabilities.
Tadge Juechter, the Executive Chief Engineer of Corvette, said:
Our mission was to develop a new type of sports car, combining the successful attributes of Corvette with the performance and driving experience of mid-engine supercars.’
The tunnel-dominant approach offers many advantages, including an improved torsional rigidity with a solid, connected feel on both the road and track. The all-new Corvette Stingray is built with a smart mixed-materials strategy, enabling key features such as an industry-first carbon fibre curved rear bumper beam for weight reduction.
Handling: The Stingray is designed for superior ride comfort on the highway and well-balanced handling on the track. Juechter added:
Thanks to sophisticated suspension geometry, tailored tire technology and exquisite attention to structural details, we have improved ride and handling. No Corvette has ever felt so comfortable, nimble and yet completely stable.’
The new seating position places the car’s centre of gravity close to the driver’s inside hip, so the car literally turns around the driver. It completely changes the perception of vehicle handling and responsiveness.
The Z51 Performance Package introduces a host of new technology to the 2020 Stingray, for example, performance suspension with manually adjustable threaded spring seats.
Engine: The 2020 Stingray’s heart is Chevy’s next-generation 6.2L Small Block V-8 LT2 engine, the only naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment. It will produce 495 horsepower (369 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque when equipped with performance exhaust — the most horsepower and torque for any entry Corvette.
Jordan Lee, GM’s Global Chief Engineer of Small Block Engines, said:
Though now placed behind the driver, the LT2 gives the same visceral experience we all expect from Corvette. The LT2 has been designed to deliver excellent low-end torque and high-end power to give thrilling pedal response at any RPM.’
The powertrain’s low position enables a low centre of gravity for optimal handling. Perhaps the biggest update is found in the lubrication and ventilation system.
During serious track driving, oil volume remains high to avoid diminished performance. The new Stingray’s lateral capability is greatly improved, so the LT2’s dry-sump lubrication system had to be redesigned to provide exceptional engine performance even at lateral acceleration levels exceeding 1G in all directions.
Shift: The next generation LT2 is paired with Chevrolet’s first eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which provides lightning-fast shifts and excellent power transfer. This transmission is uniquely designed with TREMEC to provide the best of both worlds: the spirited, directly connected feeling of a manual and the premium driving comfort of an automatic. Juechter commented:
The performance shift algorithms are so driver-focused, they can sense when you’re doing spirited driving — regardless of driving mode — and will hold lower gears longer for more throttle response.’
The new Small Block V-8 has a torque curve optimised to take advantage of the bespoke DCT’s lightning-fast shifts. Engineers set the DCT up with a very low first gear to leverage the additional traction to get the car off the line quickly, and its close-ratio gears 2 through 6 keep the engine near the power peak on track.
Performance: Driver mode choices have been expanded from four to six, allowing drivers to tweak the feel of their Corvettes to their personal preference. The familiar Weather, Tour, Sport and Track modes remain, and there are two new modes: MyMode and Z mode.
The 2020 Stingray benefits from GM’s new digital vehicle platform, an all-new electronic architecture that enables the adoption of the company’s next generation of technologies.
Corvette has always represented iconic American design, performance, technical ingenuity and attainability. The entry 2020 Stingray continues that tradition as a no-compromise value proposition.
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray goes into production at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly in late 2019. Additional pricing and packaging information will be shared at a later stage.
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