Wednesday 20 / November / 2024
MUSCAT: The all-new mid-engine 2020 Corvette Stingray was launched recently in Oman by Salim Saad Bahwan, Mohamed Saad Bahwan, Directors and Sudhir M, CEO of OTE Group in the presence of ardent Corvette fans.
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is the culmination of over 60 years of evolution, ever since the first Corvette in the year 1953. Over the years and seven generations past, the eighth generation Corvette marks a radical leap forward in terms of capability.
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has altered the landscape when it comes to performance cars. With an unprecedented mid-engine layout and a substantial 495hp, as well as the exceptional value it provides, the 2020 Corvette Stingray delivers supercar performance. 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 optimized the appearance of every wire, tube, bolt and fastener.
The first Corvette with mid-engine:
The biggest change in the 2020 Corvette Stingray is the engine layout: this is the first Corvette ever to sport a mid-engine configuration. Apart from the stunning exterior design that it affords, there are several benefits to this new approach.
The 2020 Corvette Stingray is largely being hailed as an everyday supercar. The all-new LT2 V8 engine, which is visible through a rear hatch window, enables the driver to hit 100km/h from standstill in mere three seconds – that’s supercar performance. Even in its base form, this is the most powerful Corvette in history.
Mid-engine Corvette is indeed a dream-come-true of Corvette’s creator Zora Arkus-Duntov, also considered as the father of Corvette. Duntov became Corvette’s first true chief engineer and pursued the mid-engine layout through various concepts and saw the mid-engine layout with the engine located ahead of the rear axle as the optimal configuration for weight distribution, excellent handling and forward visibility. Despite the layout’s innate performance benefits, its implementation in the scheme of mass manufacturing proved problematic. The previous mid-engine Corvettes were relegated to concept status by issues including engine cooling difficulties, limited passenger and luggage space, loudness and the inability to produce a convertible variant.
Advances in development, aided by computer-assisted engineering and virtual reality, helped the current Corvette team carefully plot out the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray’s architecture. Engineers worked closely with designers to ensure that the vehicle’s form met all of the necessary performance benchmarks while preserving the Corvette legacy.
Mid-engine was always part of Corvette’s destiny. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray pays off the vision of thousands of people who came before it and lives up to Corvette’s core fundamentals of performance, functionality and attainability.
Form with function:
The mid-engine layout of the new Corvette enabled designers to chart a new course when it comes to exterior 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. The short front and extended rear deliver performance intent. The several air intakes, while serving an aerodynamic purpose, also add to the visual appeal of the 2020 Corvette Stingray. For instance, door handles and the hatch and hood releases have been hidden for a sleek appearance and improved aerodynamics to boost performance.
Dynamics are key:
Every supercar must be able to deliver when it comes to dynamics. The 2020 Corvette Stingray does, and more. To ensure that the Stingray performs as well around corners as it does in a straight line, Chevrolet engineers paid special attention to ride and handling. It boasts Magnetic Ride Control that can read the surface of the road and can adjust damping accordingly. This means that the ride quality can be stiff during hard driving and supple while cruising, without any intervention from the driver. All in all, it’s the perfect performance car for those who want the best of both worlds.
Ground-breaking performance:
Jaws dropped when Chevrolet first announced the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray coupe would accelerate 0 to 100 kmph in less than three seconds with the Z51 Performance Package. Today, the brand confirms the sports car with the Z51 Package can reach 100 kmph in 2.9 seconds and cross the quarter-mile mark in 11.2 seconds at 121 mph (195 kmph).
This groundbreaking performance is achieved through a formula of rear weight bias, tire technology, aerodynamics, chassis tuning and of course, the powertrain. The 6.2L LT2 Small Block V-8 engine and eight-speed dual-clutch transmission are in many ways the stars of the show.
The LT2 is the only naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment and is SAE-certified at 495 horsepower and 637 Nm of torque when equipped with performance exhaust, making it the most-powerful entry Corvette ever.
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. The double-paddle de-clutch feature even allows the driver to disconnect the clutch by holding both paddles for more manual control.
Engineering decided to use a dual-clutch design because it better supports the Stingray’s new mid-engine architecture and desired performance. The DCT aids vehicle performance with a very low centre of gravity enables desired weight distribution and offers maximum traction under acceleration. It is a highly integrated system, as it houses the differential, final drive, controls system, sensors, lubrication and cooling hardware.
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. The car has a solid, connected-to-the-road feel with minimal vibrations at high speeds or on long road trips.
It’s your Corvette:
Unsurprisingly, the all-new Corvette Stingray offers several options that discern it from other cars in the segment. Take the ability to record your driving performance in 1080p. It captures your acceleration, speed, braking, gear choice, sound and more with this available feature. Daily, the Performance Data Recorder (PDR) can also act as a dash cam with auto-record for your daily drives.
Additionally, PDR is equipped with Valet Mode that can be used to monitor the use of your Corvette when others are behind the wheel, recording video and vehicle data, letting you hand off your car with peace of mind.
C8 offers customers options to create their design statement, with the most personalisation options ever for Corvette such as 12 exotic exterior and 6 interior colour themes, Six seat belt colours, Two optional stitch packages, 3 seat options GT1, GT2 & Competition Sport, etc.
Premium interior:
The 2020 Stingray boasts premium interior materials executed at a high level of quality and craftsmanship such as hand-wrapped, cut-and-sew leather components with thick press stitching, generous use of real metal, stainless steel speaker grilles with Bose Performance Series audio system, carbon fibre trim on the GT2 and Competition Sport Seats, etc.,
Other rides and handling upgrades include Z51 Performance Package, electronically limited-slip differential, Magnetic Ride Control 4.0, Front suspension lift that raises ground clearance by approximately 40mm at the front bumper in 2.8 seconds, etc.
2020 North American Car of the Year:
Undoubtedly, the all-new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray has been selected as the 2020 North American Car of the Year by a 50-member jury of independent journalists. The Stingray was selected not only for its revolutionary mid-engine design but for its level of refinement and impressive performance. The Corvette was previously honoured with this award in 1998 for the introduction of the fifth generation and again in 2014 for the introduction of the seventh generation.
True to its origin, 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. Overall, the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray covers all the performance bases and more, while delivering superb control.
