2020 Goes Mid-Engine

The Chevrolet Corvette rolled out of Flint, Michigan in 1953 and has never stopped—eight generations, no domestic rivals left standing. It nearly didn't happen fiberglass body, straight-six engine, two-speed automatic, and at its Waldorf-Astoria debut, almost none of its 300 hand-assembled units sold. 2020 The Corvette Finally Goes Mid-Engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette For the first time in Corvette history, the C8's eighth-generation factory build places its engine behind the passenger compartment and forward of the rear axle. Decades in the making, the production car makes a strong impression, particularly at a starting price under $ 60,000. The base Stingray runs a 6.2-liter "LT2" V-8 mated to an all-new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic; a manual is not available. Equipped with the Performance exhaust, LT2 puts out 495 horsepower and redlines at 6600 rpm. The C8's styling is cluttered but communicates clearly that America's sports car has moved its engine out of the nose. Chevrolet also made serious strides inside, delivering a cabin that is genuinely distinctive and well-appointed by any measure—let alone within the brand's own lineup. The eighth-generation convertible also trades the traditional cloth top for a power-folding hardtop.