Corvette Wins Car of the Year
A jury of 50 automotive journalists has bestowed one of the most prestigious awards in the automotive industry upon the new Chevrolet Corvette. On Monday, January 13, 2020, the Corvette was announced as the winner of the North American Car of the Year Award during an event in Detroit.
This honor comes after the Corvette already won the MotorTrend Car of the Year award in Los Angeles just two months prior. Given the monumental advancements Chevrolet’s engineers made for this model year, we can’t say we’re surprised by all of the accolades.
For the first time in the Corvette’s long and storied history, there is no engine under the hood. This bold twist on traditional American design puts the engine behind the seats to create a mid-engine performance driving machine. Mid-engine designs have previously been reserved largely for imported sports cars with price tags more than three times larger than the 2020 Corvettes starting price.
2020 Mid-Engine Chevy Corvette
Even after the initial excitement that the C8 Corvette is the first of its kind, the most recent model continues to impress. Everything car enthusiasts dreamed about a potential mid-engine Corvette has been beautifully manifested by the legendary American carmaker. All the details of this vehicle — from the aesthetic design to the engine mechanics — work together in concert to create a performance that is absolutely worthy of all the attention it receives.
Take one quick look at some stats and specifications, and you’ll start to get an idea of what kind of thrills await in the 2020 Corvette:
- 495 horsepower certified by the Society of Automobile Engineers (SAE)
- 470 lb.-ft. of torque
- Top speed of 194 miles per hour
- Dual-clutch transmission
Why Use the Mid-Engine Design?
The one and only reason we have mid-engine vehicles is that this design helps bring performance vehicles to the next level. Placing the engine in the middle of the car, instead of at the front, centers the weight of the vehicle and distributes it more equally across all four wheels.
As a result, mid-engine sports cars are more balanced, stable, and precise. When a vehicle has found a true center, the driver can feel it while braking, accelerating, and cornering. As speeds increase, the benefits of a mid-engine design become even more apparent.
Like many sports cars, the Corvette has always been a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, which means all of its considerable power is delivered from the back of the vehicle. Pulling the center of gravity closer to the power source enables this car to steer more responsively and achieve a superior connection with the road.
Given the blazing speeds this car is capable of, it’s fortunate that the design is also conducive to more responsive braking, tighter traction, and smoother rides. The risk of skidding or spinning out around corners, even at high speeds, is considerably lower.
Beauty and Power in the 2020 Corvette
It just wouldn’t be right to trap an automotive achievement like this in anything other than a striking package. Luckily, the designers at Chevrolet were up to the task of creating something that is just as attractive as it is capable. This vehicle received a massive redesign for 2020 to the benefit of both its appearance and its aerodynamics. The door handles, hatch release, and hood release are hidden both from sight and from wind.
Of course, you won’t be able to lift the hood and show off that beautiful engine, but you won’t need to. The 2020 Corvette’s LT2 engine is visible through a window toward the rear of the vehicle. Set the mood for your centerpiece of an engine by choosing an Engine Appearance Package with LED lights.
2020 Corvette Convertible
If you’ve ever seen a 2020 Corvette convertible with the top up, you might not have realized it. The thoughtful work that went into this redesign has made room for a retractable hardtop that doesn’t impose on trunk space. The C8’s appearance is just as well designed as every other aspect of this vehicle. That means you don’t have to sacrifice good looks for the option to take a cruise with the top down.
Brains and Brawn
As if it’s not enough for the Corvette to be stunning and strong, this vehicle is also incredibly smart. The Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system serves as the backbone of a command center that puts drivers in complete control. An eight-inch color touch screen allows for an intuitive user interface, and drivers can use it to get even more from the new Corvette. A Front Lift feature is just one example of this– lift the front edge at low speeds to help clear speed bumps, driveways, and similar obstacles.
At higher speeds, when it’s especially important to keep your eyes on the road, you can do so with a colored Head-Up Display. This makes it easier for drivers to stay in the moment and focus on their performance, which they can review later. The 2020 Corvette collects information about your drives with the Performance Data Recorder, allowing drivers to gain more insights about their outings.
For drivers who still prefer a more traditional display, a customizable arrangement of driver information is available in the dash. Change this 12-inch digital display to display the tools you want in a theme that appeals to you. Navigation tools include the available Enhanced Navigation feature. Chevy created a 3D view to make understanding directions even easier.
Some tools are for work, and others are for fun. Available Bose Performance Series audio components fall in the latter category. To ensure that both driver and passenger can have an audible experience of the highest quality possible, the passenger area can be loaded with 14 different speakers. Pair your smartphone or use an available 4G LTE Wi-Fi connection, and you’ll feel completely integrated with all of your favorite technology.
2020 Corvette Driving Modes
The 2020 Corvette’s dual-clutch transmission helps keep the ride silky smooth without abandoning manual action. Fine-tune the performance even more by adjusting 12 different performance variables that can change the power train or suspension mode. Some driving modes are calibrated for traction and stability in given conditions, while there are two modes (Z-Mode and My Mode) that enable customized performance settings. Make any changes to your driving modes, and the 2020 Corvette will automatically remember them for future drives.
How to Find the 2020 Corvette
MotorTrend expressed their love for the 2020 Corvette in November 2019, and now the next step for American sports cars has received even more validation as the North American Car of the Year. Automotive enthusiasts, despite their occasional struggles to agree on things, seem to have reached a majority opinion that the C8 is everything they’d hoped for and more. There is no shortage of glowing reviews, and not a single one of them can truly do the 2020 Corvette justice. Chevrolet makes Corvettes all about the experience– action over words. Find a Chevy dealer to see for yourself why the 2020 Corvette is so critically acclaimed.