Chevrolet announced that the new mid-engine 2020 Corvette C8 has been delayed until February due to the six-week GM work stoppage. Originally scheduled for delivery around Christmas time, the strike delayed finishing the final few C7 Corvettes and then the complete retooling of the factory for the C8, which only has one single part in common with its predecessor. The convertible version is scheduled to begin after the new year, and there has been no word on if there will be a delay of that model.
It has been 50 years since the automaker industry has seen a longer strike than this one. The 48,000 workers involved overwhelmingly ratified a new deal that was not the big win that they were looking for, but it did not hurt them either. Among the checks in the win column was keeping the Hamtramck factory open to build electric vans and trucks. GM will also invest in another Michigan factory and a Tennessee factory to produce mid-sized SUVs. Workers are guaranteed a 3% pay raise and 4% lump-sum increase in alternating years. Also, the costs for health care coverage, which were already among the lowest in the nation, will remain the same as before.
The all-new Corvette C8 will feature a frame that is 10% more than front-engine models. Depending on which of the LT trim levels you choose, the tires will be wrapped around either 19- or 20-inch wheels. The interior has been described as intuitive for the driver and buyers will have a choice of three seat types that have been completely redesigned ergonomically. According to the Chevrolet website, “With the engine in the rear, engineers were able to lower the cowl, hood, instrument panel, and steering wheel for the utmost in forward vision.”
The real excitement is centered on the new 6.2 Liter LT2 V8 mounted mid-chassis under a clear bonnet for all to see. 495 horsepower and 470 foot0pounds of torque push the C8 to a 2.9 second 0-60 time and a top speed of 194 miles per hour. For the quarter-mile fans out there that translates to a 11.2-second run. Keeping driving purists happy, the new C8 will remain a manual transmission with a new dual-clutch setup for smoother, quicker shifts. Patience, it seems, will be rewarded.
