The new Corvette C8 costs $59,995 which is good value for money but just like any car, it’s still a big commitment. Should you spend almost $60,000 on the new Corvette or should you save that money and look elsewhere? Well, today we are going to look into that and see whether or not this “budget” supercar is worth the asking price of just under $60,000 or not.
Everyone has praised the new Corvette C8 and a lot of magazines have named it their “car of the year.” Many say it is stupidly fast and that GM has really upped their game in quality and the driving dynamics. It’s a car that seriously rivals the European competition and it’s also a car that provides a lot of value for money. It features a 6.2 V8 with 490hp (495hp on the Z51 pack) and 465 lb-ft of torque (470 lb-ft on the Z51 model). This means a 0-60 time of 2.8 seconds with a top speed of 194 mph.
The new C8 then packs performance figures we would usually see from a car costing twice or even three times as much as the new Corvette. Even inside the interior looks and feels much so like a cockpit. It is very driver-orientated. The quality is great for the price, though could be improved and the exterior design is extremely special.
Is the new C8 really as exciting as people say it is? Well, today we are going to discuss whether or not you should buy the new C8 Corvette, the car that’s getting all the awards yet also many issues.
The New C8 Corvette Is Winning All Of The Awards.
The new Corvette C8 is winning awards everywhere it goes. Car of the Year in North America, Motor Trend Car of The Year, Popular Mechanics Car of The Year, and of course Doug De Muro’s car of the year. The top journalists are giving this car a solid ten out of ten and most owners are loving their cars. The waiting list is enormous and dealers are selling these things on a $60,000 $70,000 premium on the MSRP.
So why on earth are people obsessed with the first-ever mid-engined Corvette? It has the same engine as the C7, just it’s positioned behind the driver this time instead of in front. Well. to put things simply check this out. Old C7 ZR1 Corvette, the top of the range model did a 0-60 time of 2.9 seconds. The new Corvette C8 standard model, no superchargers, etc does a 0-60 in 2.9 to 2.8 seconds. That’s insane.
The new Corvette is stupidly fast. In fact, it’s the fastest one they’ve ever made and this is just the standard model. The ZO6 and ZR1 cars are yet to come out, and we are expecting them to be stupidly fast. The new Corvette is also so balanced too as it’s now mid-engined. This means the handling is tighter and the centre of gravity is lower. Furthermore, the new Corvette is also so much more aerodynamic than all the previous ones making a massive increase in downforce which then improves handling and speed.
The New Corvette Also Has Its Issues
The new Corvette is GM’s first mid-engined American car since the Pontiac Fiero which was made in the 1980s and it was rubbish. Ultimately then after a 30 plus year absence of making mid-engined cars, GM had to re-invest into the Corvette platform creating an entirely new mid-engined platform. Now that may sound not too difficult but when you’ve been making a car front-engined for over 60 years, it’s massively difficult. Hence why the new C8 for the moment isn’t exactly a polished product.
The first models have already had transmission issues, rear-engine hatch issues, interior quality issues, etc. There have already been recalls showing that the new C8 has its issues. Our advice. Do not buy a first-year model since they will be the ones with the most issues. A second-year car will most likely have all of the issues of the first-year model sorted.
It will take a bit of time for the C8 Corvette to be polished up. It needs more real-world testing for that. Maybe on a facelift or so the issues will be sorted. One of the main problems though is the interior. It looks cool but it’s disorganised with the buttons all going down in a vertical line. Plus the touchscreen is also hard to use and some of the interior details such as stitching are completely off on some new cars. The seats are also getting marks a lot easier than other cars.
The rear wheel needs to be spaced. It looks like it doesn’t fit in the arches at all. Ultimately the C8 needs to be stanced a bit with lower suspension and wheel spacers. Then it will look a lot more aggressive.
The New Corvette Smacks Other Cars at Its Price Point and Beyond
Do you want another sports car for similar money? The Porsche 718 is around two seconds slower to 60, over 100hp deficient on horsepower and its like 20 mph slower top speed wise. The 911 is slower than the C8, the R8 is slower, the 570s is slower, etc. These are all 6 figure cars that are double or triple the price of a C8 Corvette.
In fact, we reckon you could get the new C8 to hit a speed past 200. It’s known that GM sometimes underestimates their figures. The C8 then is a true supercar at sports car prices. This has been GM’s goal for a long time. Make the Corvette into an affordable supercar with blistering performance and striking looks. GM is expecting the C8 to really sell like crazy, and we are too. Its such good value for money and none of the European or Japanese manufacturers can compare.
The Corvette name is exotic too. Its always been respected globally so there is no badge snobbery at all. Is there now any reason to buy a 911? Well, maybe not anymore with the C8 and of course things can only get better and better.
The real issue though with this car which is just absurd is the fact that the waiting list is huge and dealers are putting stupid markups on the car. In some cases $60,000 to $70,000 upwards on the MSRP, and yes people are buying them for that much since everyone wants the first ever mid-engined Corvette. This has caused issues between Corvette dealers and GM. Some dealers have made “dealer editions” which are cars basically exclusive only to that dealer. They may be slightly tuned or have more cosmetic upgrades.
The tuners like Hennesey have also gotten their hands on the C8 so that means more speed and more power. The future is bright for America’s newest supercar and despite its issues, you should put your name down for one. Though be prepared to wait for ages though if you want a new one at MSRP. If you want to skip the waitlist you can but it will cost a heck of a lot more. `the waiting list is like 6 months to a year. It’s ludicrous. However, it’s worth it 100%.
For all the RHD people, the C8 will also be offered in RHD configuration. In the UK it will be launched this year with the Z51 pack as standard. Though it will cost a lot more than $59,500 due to taxes, etc. It will be around £83,000 (just over $113,000) and pre-orders can be done now. Again the waitlist is huge and there is one LHD C8 for sale in the UK for over $160,000 which is stupid.
Featured image credits via: carbuzz.com