What's new
By:
Advanced search…
Club Scuderia

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • Please take a minute to read this thread about our recent server issues and forum platform Switch

2020 Corvette Stingray.

Nosevi

Nosevi

Administrator
Staff member
Never been a particular fan of American cars but has anyone seen the new 2020 Corvette Stingray?

They’ve dropped the traditional front engined layout in favour of a mid-engined V8. Not interested in saving the planet they’ve opted for 6.2 litre V8 rather than turbo charging etc. It seems pretty basic in many ways, they’ve gone back to a lift out targa which stows in the boot to save weight and cost rather than a folding hard top. It does have a dual clutch transmission and plenty of driving modes though. And it’s relatively practical (if you’re not buying the petrol) with 2 ‘trunks’ the rear one being big enough for 2 golf bags.

Looks wise it won’t be to everyone’s liking but it could be worse:

View attachment 154681

But here’s the kicker - 0-60 in round about 3 seconds for the base model (talk of quicker for later variants), base price of under £50k (in the US). If they’ve worked out how to make a car that’ll go round corners too that’s an insane price for a mid-engined car with that sort of performance.
 
I just wished they had stopped before they put the side "blades" on ...... but you can ( and IMO should ) option them body colour :thumbsup:
 
At that price/performance level they will sell as many as the factory can produce. So what it its not going to be so good as current Feza/Lambo/MCL.
50K is silly money and what else can you get brand new thats as fast? I also think it looks pretty good and might even have a test drive when it hits the UK. Lets hope we get the trade deal with Trump to see these with no import duties :) Who said Brexit was all bad !!
 
You just know that however good it is the base headline price is unobtainable deliveries are probably a year out and in the UK it'll be nearer £ 100 000 for the official cars (old model is £ 80 000 before options I believe) - sadly a few percent less import duty will not help much
 
jos said:
You just know that however good it is the base headline price is unobtainable deliveries are probably a year out and in the UK it'll be nearer £ 100 000 for the official cars (old model is £ 80 000 before options I believe) - sadly a few percent less import duty will not help much
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure, Jos, they're really pushing the price for performance thing in a big way. The current minimum 'drive away' price for a Stingray in the UK is about £75k vs just under $60k in the US. given the new mid-engine Stingray is set to cost the same as the current one I can't see why the new one will be any more.

I also read (on a US site) that the EU charges 10% tariffs on US cars so there is potential for a £7,500 drop in that price, after October the 31st obviously...……… :laugh:

Either way, it's still a huge price drop for that sort of performance from European manufacturers and when they strap a Supercharger to it, which let's face it they will, it'll be a hideously fast machine.

Regarding waiting times etc. you can configure and order yours now. I think it actually looks pretty good in black.

https://www.chevrolet.com/upcoming-vehicles/next-generation-corvette


Regarding what the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini will do better, my wild stab in the dark is probably everything in terms of tech, engineering, style etc. I mean, I just can't see a Ferrari having a lift out targa and I'm guessing the suspension on this car is nowhere near as advanced as say a 488. But it'll be less than a 1/3 of the cost of a 488 Spider, or around £175k less, for what on the face of it seems to be comparable performance in a similar (if 'low tech') package. If engineering excellence is your thing then this beast and a Ferrari or Lambo probably aren't on the same page. But if it's just about the fun then they just might be.
 
Last edited:
I think the Italians will be worried about car sales in the US . Americans are very patriotic and the American petrol heads do like a stonking big V8. Choice will be a home grown V8 or an Italian thoroughbred smaller engined turbo/suprcharged/hybred/gizmo machine for 4 times the price. Looks like a no brainer for the yanks :laugh:
 
sssdu01 said:
I think the Italians will be worried about car sales in the US . Americans are very patriotic and the American petrol heads do like a stonking big V8. Choice will be a home grown V8 or an Italian thoroughbred smaller engined turbo/suprcharged/hybred/gizmo machine for 4 times the price. Looks like a no brainer for the yanks :laugh:
Click to expand...

It does look like Chevy going mid-engine with the Corvette is a bit of a game-changer, at least over there.

I do wonder whether we’ll see American car parts and maybe even cars being built here 10 or 20 years from now simply replacing European ones currently made here if we do end up more closely aligned economically to the US than Europe.


As an aside, the US site I saw talking about import/export tariffs for cars into and out of the EU said the EU places a 10% tariff on US cars coming into the EU but European cars going into the US have a 2.5% tariff. Is that correct? Seems a little unfair on US car manufacturers if it is.
 
If I lived in the states I’d have one for sure at that money...why wouldn’t you!

Over here, I think there are better things to spend your money on more suited to our roads and driving. Besides whilst it looks good, I’ll bet the interior is still horrible American plastic ( they never seem to get this right, or anywhere near German standard.
 
A348W said:
If I lived in the states I’d have one for sure at that money...why wouldn’t you!

Over here, I think there are better things to spend your money on more suited to our roads and driving. Besides whilst it looks good, I’ll bet the interior is still horrible American plastic ( they never seem to get this right, or anywhere near German standard.
Click to expand...

They seem to have addressed this too - 3 levels of trim, the top level has plenty of leather rather than plastic:

View attachment 154695

View attachment 154696

It does seem like they’ve upped their game a bit without upping their price. Do take your point about other options over here it was just I’m a bit blown away by the relative costs of what you’d have to pay to get anything close to this in terms of performance in this type of overall package (ie mid-engine, V8, 2 seat ‘Spider’). The compromise appears to be tech (although you can spec reactive elecro-magnetic dampers etc if you wish) but tech doesn’t always equal fun and things like a lift out targa seem like a sensible compromise to make, guessing it saves weight too.

I’m not going to rush out and buy one, I was just impressed with the direction they’ve taken. And with the fact it’ll be in RHD which I believe the site said is a first.

Edit: Yep, this is the first time a Corvette has been offered in RHD, previously you’ve had to convert from LHD.
 
Last edited:
There's a couple of threads over on Fchat. I think it will sell very well in the US.
The market it will most likely affect is Ferrari 360/F430 because they're priced similar. However if you want a Ferrari and not a Chevy then you will probably buy the Ferrari. If you are being a bit more cautious then the C8 is a damn good choice.

It was said $60k in the US for a base model. I suspect with import costs and such it'll be £80k car here and with options closer to £100k. Think about the cost of a V8 Mustang here compared to the States and this C8 is mid-engine and as such a little more exotic.

It will sell here but I am not sure it will sell in large numbers, which for exclusivity that you won't get in the US is good for us.

I like it but reckon my 40k miles 360 will leave me adding at least £20k for one which will plummet like a rock when you drive it off the forecourt. I do really like it though.
 
MalcH said:
There's a couple of threads over on Fchat. I think it will sell very well in the US.
The market it will most likely affect is Ferrari 360/F430 because they're priced similar. However if you want a Ferrari and not a Chevy then you will probably buy the Ferrari. If you are being a bit more cautious then the C8 is a damn good choice.

It was said $60k in the US for a base model. I suspect with import costs and such it'll be £80k car here and with options closer to £100k. Think about the cost of a V8 Mustang here compared to the States and this C8 is mid-engine and as such a little more exotic.

It will sell here but I am not sure it will sell in large numbers, which for exclusivity that you won't get in the US is good for us.

I like it but reckon my 40k miles 360 will leave me adding at least £20k for one which will plummet like a rock when you drive it off the forecourt. I do really like it though.
Click to expand...

Agree with all of the above, Malc :thumbsup:
 
Interesting switch to mid engine - otherwise nothing new to see.

Bottom line they are / will be very common sports cars every US town will have one.

If Ferrari did corvette volumes (120,000 cars per model) they would be way cheaper than corvettes.

Prestige / rarity is a major part of the appeal in the supercar market.
 
Modificato said:
Interesting switch to mid engine - otherwise nothing new to see.

Bottom line they are / will be very common sports cars every US town will have one.

If Ferrari did corvette volumes (120,000 cars per model) they would be way cheaper than corvettes.

Prestige / rarity is a major part of the appeal in the supercar market.
Click to expand...

Agree with some of the above with a couple of exceptions - it'll be the first Corvette Stingray actually made in RHD for the UK or Oz markets so not requiring conversion from LHD. That implies they are looking to push it harder outside the US than previous models.

I'm also not convinced a Ferrari would be for sale on the 'home market' for under £50k no matter how many they made of the model. Maybe they could be but that's a different thing from saying they would be :)
 
Last edited:
sssdu01 said:
Looks like the first years production is sold out allready !!
Click to expand...

Yep, you can go online and spec and order now, seems lots of people have. Not sure Chevy have really got the hang of allocating build slots to favoured customers, it's almost like anyone can just go buy one. Whatever next?!?!?!?

Mod's right, it won't be excusive. But then it's not priced as exclusive. I still think it'd be a fun car to own.
 
Nosevi said:
They seem to have addressed this too - 3 levels of trim, the top level has plenty of leather rather than plastic:

View attachment 154695

View attachment 154696

It does seem like they’ve upped their game a bit without upping their price. Do take your point about other options over here it was just I’m a bit blown away by the relative costs of what you’d have to pay to get anything close to this in terms of performance in this type of overall package (ie mid-engine, V8, 2 seat ‘Spider’). The compromise appears to be tech (although you can spec reactive elecro-magnetic dampers etc if you wish) but tech doesn’t always equal fun and things like a lift out targa seem like a sensible compromise to make, guessing it saves weight too.

I’m not going to rush out and buy one, I was just impressed with the direction they’ve taken. And with the fact it’ll be in RHD which I believe the site said is a first.

Edit: Yep, this is the first time a Corvette has been offered in RHD, previously you’ve had to convert from LHD.
Click to expand...


It will still feel cheap, even with lots of leather; just look at the silver surrounds for the window switches. Have you ever been in any American car that didn’t feel cheap?

But at that money who would care; especially in the US!!

I think it will do amazingly well in America and Australia (if it’s not taxed to hell). I’m sure it will do well here, judging by the number of mustangs now on the roads.

As to exclusivity etc, I don’t think that is on the list for potential owners; cheap high powered motoring is though! Never though I’d say it but well done Chevy!
 
A348W said:
It will still feel cheap, even with lots of leather; just look at the silver surrounds for the window switches. Have you ever been in any American car that didn’t feel cheap?

But at that money who would care; especially in the US!!

I think it will do amazingly well in America and Australia (if it’s not taxed to hell). I’m sure it will do well here, judging by the number of mustangs now on the roads.

As to exclusivity etc, I don’t think that is on the list for potential owners; cheap high powered motoring is though! Never though I’d say it but well done Chevy!
Click to expand...

Regarding feeling cheap, quite possibly. I certainly doubt you’ll mistake it for being in a high end European car. And I just know it’ll beep at you the whole time to tell you you’ve opened the door, or the keys are in the ignition, or you’ve not yet put the seat belt on, or because the lights are on, or because the lights aren’t on, or.......... it’ll drive you nuts. But it’ll be fun, not that well engineered but fun. And that’s sort of the point of a toy, is it not?
 
Nosevi said:
Regarding feeling cheap, quite possibly. I certainly doubt you’ll mistake it for being in a high end European car. And I just know it’ll beep at you the whole time to tell you you’ve opened the door, or the keys are in the ignition, or you’ve not yet put the seat belt on, or because the lights are on, or because the lights aren’t on, or.......... it’ll drive you nuts. But it’ll be fun, not that well engineered but fun. And that’s sort of the point of a toy, is it not?
Click to expand...

Agree!!

As an aside my 5 series drives me nuts sometimes. Doesn’t let me reverse with the door open or open the boot with the engine running! Next it will be telling me when to wipe my nose!!!!:laugh:
 
Top