Corvette C8: not yet with us and already a facelift

The Chevrolet Corvette - or Corvette for short - has been around since 1953. The elegant sports car has been popular from the very beginning and has thrilled more than 1.5 million Corvette fans in its eight editions to date. GM has always been able to adapt the design and equipment to the tastes and wishes of its customers. Thus the Corvette has remained a successful model to this day. This is probably also true for the Corvette C8, the eighth generation of the sporty racer.

Production was originally scheduled to start in the fall of 2019, but a strike at GM's Bowling Green plant in Kentucky delayed the start of construction. Production only started in February of this year. It is likely to be some time before the Corvette will be on sale in our stores, as the official market launch in Germany can be expected in 2021 at the earliest. Those who want to enjoy the car before then will have to buy directly in the USA, and then import their Corvette C8 here, making this to be interesting in terms of price. But, we'll discuss this more later.

Even sleeker, even sportier - the "new" Chevrolet Corvette C8

The vehicle is powered by a 6.2-litre V8 engine with 495 hp and 637 Nm. An eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, developed by General Motors together with Tremec, ensures that the car runs smoothly. Three equipment lines are planned for the Corvette C8: 1LT, 2LT and 3LT. Standard features on all models include: an electrically adjustable steering wheel, a 12-inch diagonal display as a combination instrument, an 8-inch touch-sensitive screen for the infotainment system, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The 2LT and 3LT lines will be equipped with additional features. The Corvette C8 has two luggage stowage areas - one in the front and one in the back - because of the mid-engine. This will not allow for large transports, but that's not what the Corvette C8 is designed for.

A total of 12 colours are offered for the body. Although the Corvette C8 is still brand new on the market in the USA, there are already reports about a possible facelift. Among other things, additional paint colors with the designations "Red Mist Tintcoat" and "Blade Silver" will be available soon. Rally stripes in various colours will provide an even sportier look. Also intended for a particularly sleek exterior: fairings made of visible carbon for the air intakes behind the doors and visible carbon rear wings. In the interior, GM will possibly offer two new two-tone seat covers: suede in yellow-grey and a leather version in black-grey. Infotainment is now also to support the wireless coupling of iPhones via Apple CarPlay.

Earlier, faster, cheaper - that's why it's worth importing

These new features will probably be available within the U.S. in September, and in our country, only immediately with the market launch in the course of 2021. Those who don't want to wait, can already purchase their Corvette C8 directly "on site". In the USA, the car is offered for around 60,000 dollars (converted to approx. 55,600 Euros). When the Corvette C8 comes on the market here, the price should be around 100,000 Euros. So it is worth thinking about importing it, even if you consider the costs for transport and import. As a partner with many years of experience in importing US vehicles, we are happy to help you!

Photo: Chevrolet