Auto review: A legend is reborn in the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

In what was possibly one of the worst-kept secrets in the auto industry, Chevrolet unveiled the eighth generation of the 2020 Corvette Stingray last week at an old blimp hangar in California. Was this a corporate comment on the old car’s engineering?

Nevertheless, the new Stingray is stunning, and its redesign to a mid-engine configuration places the engine behind the driver, rather than in front. This allows Chevrolet to put 60 percent of the car’s weight over the rear axle, not unlike Ferrari. It’s a historic change for the 66-year-old marque.

The new configuration allows GM to increase the car’s performance, something that was no longer possible with the seventh generation’s front engine, rear drive configuration. The new layout is similar to the one used by race cars and supercars, and has long been sought after by the car’s engineers, including GM engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov, long considered the father of the Corvette. In fact, GM had been planning to switch to a mid-engine layout at the turn of the century, but the company’s trip into Chapter 11 bankruptcy put such plans on the back burner.

“We’ve been thinking about this for a long time,” said Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter. “So it looks like it was a snap decision, but it wasn’t.”

Powering the new Corvette is GM’s classic small-block 6.2-liter V-8 that produces 495 horsepower through a new eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. For the first time since 1982, a manual transmission will not be offered.

With the Performance Package, the new Corvette is running 0-60 mph in less than three seconds.

And the car is filled with thoughtful touches. There’s a Z-mode button that allows the driver to customize the car’s settings and activate them with this button. A high-definition front video camera works in concert with the performance data recorder for point-to-point recordings; perfect for days at the track. There’s even a front lift system that raises the nose up to two inches so you won’t scrape the front end while parking. It’s also GPS-enabled, and can memorize up to 1,000 places so that when you park in the same spot, it will lift automatically.

Climbing inside, you’ll find there’s no large sill to climb over as in other mid-engine cars. Once seated, you’ll find an exquisitely well-crafted cabin wrapped in leather and accentuated with carbon fiber and aluminum. It’s also more spacious than the C7 Corvette, with a useful, stunning layout.

As in other Corvettes, the roof is removable and stores in the trunk. Speaking of the trunk, there are two, one in front and a larger one in the rear, with the latter capable of holding two golf bags, according to GM.

Despite the changes, the 2020 Corvette remains true to its mission of delivering a high-performance sports car at a fraction of the price of its competitors. GM says that when the 2020 Corvette Stingray hits showrooms early next year, it will start at less than $60,000. While that may sound pricey, it’s extraordinarily affordable in this segment of the market with competitors that range from the $70,000 Porsche Cayman to the $300,000 McLaren.

And this is just the start according to Mark Reuss, president of General Motors.

“Just like there’s a portfolio of Corvettes today, we’ll have a portfolio like that for Corvette as we expand and go through the years. There will be lots of things to come.”