{"id":25819,"date":"2020-08-08T16:54:23","date_gmt":"2020-08-08T20:54:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=25819"},"modified":"2020-08-08T16:54:23","modified_gmt":"2020-08-08T20:54:23","slug":"payne-mid-engine-corvette-wows-as-a-daily-driver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2020\/08\/payne-mid-engine-corvette-wows-as-a-daily-driver","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Mid-engine Corvette wows as a daily driver"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/167fb99f-6ea1-40b2-9d67-8a7bc25897ba-c8_american-flag.JPG?width=520&amp;height=390&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The Made in America supercar. The 2020 Chevy Corvette, assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky.\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p>The Made in America supercar. The 2020 Chevy Corvette, assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">The Corvette C8.R race car has been an instant success, winning three of its first four races against its formidable Porsche and BMW competition. In no small part that\u2019s due to its mid-engine layout.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">\u201cGoing to mid-engine C8.R (from front-engine C7.R) is night and day difference. It feels like a proper race car the way you drive it, you can really attack corners and be aggressive with it,\u201d Corvette team driver Jordan Taylor told me ahead of his team\u2019s 1-2 finish at Sebring on July 18.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I can attest to that in the production car as well, which I have driven in anger around GM\u2019s Nevada race track. But the real genius of the first Corvette to put the engine behind its driver can\u2019t be fully appreciated until you\u2019ve lived with it as a daily driver.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-S6re9kUi2uI\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/14ce6e80-2ad9-441f-a43f-3c935acaafb2-c8_rr3-4-lake.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 version is the first Chevy Corvette with the engine behind the driver.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/14ce6e80-2ad9-441f-a43f-3c935acaafb2-c8_rr3-4-lake.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/14ce6e80-2ad9-441f-a43f-3c935acaafb2-c8_rr3-4-lake.JPG\" \/>The 2020 version is the first Chevy Corvette with the engine behind the driver.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">At $72,000, my base tester Corvette C8 was drop-dead gorgeous, quick as lightning, yet a practical mule for a weekend road trip up north.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">And the next generation is in love with it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cThis is a chick magnet,\u201d said my 20-something friend Kevin (about the same age as Jordan Taylor) as we cruised down M-32 near Traverse City. \u201cI got to take a picture for\u00a0my brother, he talks about this car all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Millennials like Kevin and his brother were a big reason GM made the mid-engine Corvette. As the 21st century dawned, chief engineer Tadge Juechter and his elves had\u00a0stretched the front-engine concept as far is it could go. A new generation had been raised on sexy\u00a0mid-engine Ferraris, McLarens and Ford GTs. Put a mid-engine Corvette on their dorm wall and they would covet that, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Especially since you can buy four C8s for the price of one Ferrari 488. Same rapid-fire\u00a0dual-clutch transmission, same eight cylinders, same 0-60 time.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-S6re9kUD3ts\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/0f399fdd-a3d4-4d2c-9e1d-29c891476e56-c8_screens.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 Chevy Corvette has its own digital instrument panel \u2014 but the infotainment screen will be familiar to other GM products from Chevy and Buick.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/0f399fdd-a3d4-4d2c-9e1d-29c891476e56-c8_screens.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/0f399fdd-a3d4-4d2c-9e1d-29c891476e56-c8_screens.JPG\" \/><span class=\"mycapture-btn-wrap\"><span class=\"mycapture-non-priority-horizontal-image mycapture-btn-with-text js-mycapture-btn js-mycapture-photo-asset\">Buy Photo<\/span><\/span>The 2020 Chevy Corvette has its own digital instrument panel \u2014 but the infotainment screen will be familiar to other GM products from Chevy and Buick.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cGaaaah! I love the sound of that engine!\u201d exclaimed Kevin as we used launch control to rocket from 0-60 mph in about 3 seconds.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That\u2019s been Corvette\u2019s genius for years \u2014 using GM\u2019s parts bin to create a supercar many times cheaper than its competition. The pushrod V-8 is fundamentally the same small block that powers thousands of Chevy and GMC trucks. The infotainment system is shared with the Chevy Equinox.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But that sharing was a double-edged sword for Corvette, giving it a reputation as a poor man\u2019s sports car. The C8 sheds that baggage. This rocket is one of the world\u2019s best supercars, regardless of cost.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Start from the inside out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I blanched at the chemical smell that greeted me every time I opened the last-generation C7\u2019s door. It reeked of lack of attention to detail. The smell is gone in the C8 \u2014 solved, say engineers, by \u201cpre-baking\u201d materials before installation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">What I notice instead is the jaw-dropping interior. It&#8217;s better than the Ferrari 488, the McLaren 570 and\u00a0the Audi R8 \u2014 all cars that cost\u00a0at least twice as much as C8. The C8 beats these giants in digital switchgear \u2014 and personality.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The \u2019Vette wraps its driver in a unique environment with a square steering wheel (to better see the big digital dash), \u201ctrigger\u201d shifter, clever climate controls\u00a0and an instrument display that changes as you toggle through six drive modes, from Tour to Z mode (more on that later).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">It adds luxe touches like the OMG-that\u2019s-cool rear camera mirror and a center \u201cridge\u201d of climate controls. You can even remove the roof if you want (storing it in back like a Ford Bronco stores its doors).<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I could have spent all day inside. And did.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-S6re9kV0BjE\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/1bf0a62d-b8c7-4d05-a92e-8388dbe53753-c8_int.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The interior of the 2020 Chevy Corvette includes a center spine with climate controls, a &quot;trigger shifter&quot; and ample room for big folks.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/1bf0a62d-b8c7-4d05-a92e-8388dbe53753-c8_int.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/1bf0a62d-b8c7-4d05-a92e-8388dbe53753-c8_int.JPG\" \/>The interior of the 2020 Chevy Corvette includes a center spine with climate controls, a &#8220;trigger shifter&#8221; and ample room for big folks.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The interior loses nothing in size from the front-engine car, meaning it fits 6-foot-5, 230-pound basketball players like me. On I-75 north of Saginaw I had to pull over to file a breaking news story. In other sports cars, I might have searched for a coffee shop. Not the C8.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">So space efficient is the \u2019Vette that I was carrying a luggage bag in the \u201cfrunk,\u201d tennis racquet bag\/cooler\/briefcase in the trunk, and an iRacing steering wheel\/pedals in the passenger foot well.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I turned on the \u2019Vette\u2019s 4G Wi-Fi and wrote the story on my laptop from the passenger seat in a service station parking lot.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">A day later, two 20-somethings towing Jet Skis ogled the Corvette as I emerged from an ice cream shop.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cIt looks awesome in the flesh,\u201d exclaimed one.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cYou should see the interior,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">\u201cI already looked,\u201d came the reply. \u201cIt\u2019s really cool.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">They will be able to afford one in a few years as C8 volumes rise and their used prices drop into the $40,000\u00a0range with high mileage. Can\u2019t expect that from a European supercar.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Though the sheet metal is busy, the design should wear well. Proportions are impeccable, the look distinctly Corvette.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Its livability will endear it to 30,000-plus buyers a year. It looks good. Rides great. But for those who want to push it, the C8 also transcends its predecessors in balance and tech.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-S6re9kVTZ5Y\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/425a2ce8-b511-492d-9ada-b6fb8b55aa36-c8_sunset.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The lovely profile of the 2020 Chevy Corvette at sunset in northern Michigan. The 'Vette has huge bandwidth as a track \u2014 and trip \u2014 car.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/425a2ce8-b511-492d-9ada-b6fb8b55aa36-c8_sunset.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/08\/03\/PDTN\/425a2ce8-b511-492d-9ada-b6fb8b55aa36-c8_sunset.JPG\" \/>The lovely profile of the 2020 Chevy Corvette at sunset in northern Michigan. The &#8216;Vette has huge bandwidth as a track \u2014 and trip \u2014 car.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Engineers managed to squeeze another 35 horsepower from the ol\u2019 V8 nail to a healthy 495. Place it over the rear wheels for better traction, marry it to a lightning-quick\u00a0eight-speed gearbox, and it\u2019s magic.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Over Charlevoix County\u2019s rural roads I did multiple launch-control\u00a00-60 burnouts. It\u2019s as thrilling as a Cedar Point roller coaster. Where the old C7 felt like you were hanging on to a rodeo bull, the C8 is on rails. Warning: Like a Cedar Point roller-coaster, it wants to go to the moon. Beware instant triple-digit speeds that local cops will frown upon.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Thrills come standard without moving up to the $5,000 Z51 performance track package. Drive modes allow you to explore multiple personalities. Luffing through the quiet town of East Jordan, I kept the Corvette in \u201cMy Mode\u201d where I had set the engine to Stealth\u00a0so as not to attract attention.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Outside of town, the roads turned twisty. Z Mode time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Pre-programmed in the touchscreen like My Mode, Z Mode allows you to instantly switch to preferred performance settings. I like Track\u00a0settings \u2014 steering, suspension, engine note \u2014 but without turning off traction control should I encounter gravel or a slick patch of road.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Over hills and turns, the Corvette was a treat. This is a big car at 182 inches long and 3,647 pounds, so it can\u2019t be flung about like a Porsche Cayman or Alfa Romeo 4C. But its bandwidth as a people-mover outdoes those smaller, comparably priced mid-engine rivals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That\u2019s Corvette\u2019s secret sauce. Now more than ever.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-S6re9kUeKjg\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\"><strong>2020\u00a0Chevrolet Corvette<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Vehicle type: Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, two-passenger sports car<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Price: $59,995 including $1,095 destination fee ($72,075 as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Powerplant: 6.2-liter V-8<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Power:\u00a0495 horsepower, 470 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Transmission: 8-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Performance: 0-60 mph, 2.9\u00a0seconds (mfr.); top speed, 184 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Weight: 3,647\u00a0pounds<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Fuel economy: EPA, 15 mpg city\/27 highway\/19 combined<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Report card<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Highs: Looks like a Ferrari for the price; superior interior<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Lows: Poor rear visibility; no adaptive cruise control<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Overall: 4\u00a0stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Made in America supercar. The 2020 Chevy Corvette, assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky.\u00a0(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News) The Corvette C8.R race car has been an instant success, winning three of its first four races against its formidable Porsche and BMW competition. In no small part that\u2019s due to its mid-engine layout. \u201cGoing to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25819"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25819"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25820,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25819\/revisions\/25820"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25819"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25819"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}