Automotive

Chevrolet unveils new Corvette hardtop convertible and surprise C8.R racer

Chevrolet unveils new Corvette hardtop convertible and surprise C8.R racer
Corvette Convertible and C8R
Like the C7 before it, the C8 Corvette was engineered as a convertible from the get-go
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Corvette Convertible and C8R
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Like the coupe, the Stingray convertible’s design was inspired by fighter jets
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“Our goal from the beginning was to make sure customers didn’t have to sacrifice any functionality, performance or comfort when choosing the hardtop convertible,” said Josh Holder, Corvette program engineering manager
Corvette Convertible and C8R
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The tonneau cover features aerodynamically shaped nacelles influenced by the housing used for jet engines
Corvette Convertible and C8R
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The two-piece top can be activated at speeds up to 30 mph and retract in as few as 16 seconds
Corvette Convertible and C8R
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A body-colored roof is standard, while Carbon Flash metallic-painted nacelles and roof are optional
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With its tremendous success on the track over the last 20 years, Corvette Racing has helped push the development, performance and popularity of Corvette’s top-line performance cars
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Since 1999, Corvette Racing has won 107 races – the most of any professional sports car team in North America
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The Corvette C8.R No. 4 car dons a new silver livery, inspired by the color of iconic Corvette concepts
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In 2015, Corvette Racing became the first sports car team in 15 years win endurance racing’s Triple Crown
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The C8.R will make its racing debut at Rolex 24 at Daytona in January 2020
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While the convertible was where the attention was meant to be, the C8.R blasted into the hangar as a mid-engined GTLM race car
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Corvette Convertible and C8R
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Like the C7 before it, the C8 Corvette was engineered as a convertible from the get-go
Corvette Convertible and C8R
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Corvette Convertible and C8R
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Chevrolet chose an aircraft hangar in Florida as the location for the unveiling of the newest addition to the Corvette Stingray family, the 2020 Corvette convertible. The convertible Stingray follows on from the reveal of the the mid-engined C8 Corvette in July ... and it came with a surprise in tow.

Said surprise was the Corvette C8.R, the GTLM race car version of the Corvette’s new eigth-generation car.

“The C8.R is much more than just a race-tuned version of the 2020 Corvette Stingray,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports. “It’s a culmination of many years of testing and development between GM Design, Propulsion, Engineering and the Corvette Racing team.”

Corvette Convertible and C8R
While the convertible was where the attention was meant to be, the C8.R blasted into the hangar as a mid-engined GTLM race car

The Corvette Racing team has been on the track for two decades, pulling top-line performance from Corvette-derived race cars. Corvette Racing has notched up 107 wins over that twenty years, including a bumper year in 2015 where it took flags at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. So with the new generation of the ‘Vette came the obvious plan to bring it to the races.

The C8.R No. 4 car that was on show has a new silver livery inspired by the 1973 Aerovette and 1959 Corvette Stingray Racer, both of which were in stainless. A No. 3 car will have the team’s traditional yellow color scheme with silver accents to complement its sibling. The new C8.R will debut at the Rolex 24 Daytona in January 2020.

Meanwhile, the main attraction was still the 2020 Corvette convertible, which features a hardtop that stows into the car’s body without affecting trunk space behind the engine and leaves the front storage compartment (“frunk”) unchanged. Chevrolet says it chose the hardtop design over a soft top in order to preserve the mid-engined ‘Vette’s look and to improve safety and sound dampening on the road.

The new Corvette convertible will enter showrooms in the US and abroad in the first quarter of 2020, shortly after the Corvette Stingray coupe enters the market. Pricing will start at about US$7,500 above the $59,995 price of the standard coupe.

Source: Chevrolet

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3 comments
3 comments
warren52nz
I wonder if the new Corvette still has leaf springs! I doubt they'll take on the European high performance cars on a track if so. I could be wrong of course.
RangerJones
C8 The first Corvette to leave the leaves behind, Warren. it's the first to support all four corners on coil springs between control arms.
ljaques
Beautiful car, except in that turquoise color, which belongs on a Vega. Exotic cars should have exotic colors. That would look good in a nice midnight purple with crimson afterglow. Why the heck didn't they give it 4 torsion bars which would be adjustable for the drivers? Dumb.