Tomorrow night, Chevrolet will unveil the 8th generation Corvette to the world. Because it is such a radical departure from the last C7 Corvette, we figured on highlighting some of the speculations. So here are the Top 5 2020 Corvette Stingray Possibilities.
Dual Overhead Cams
Instead of one camshaft operating all the valves, the new engine could be the return of 4 cams above the cylinder heads. It is not a new idea, as Corvette’s Chief Engineer always wanted them. Zora Arkus-Duntov fled Nazi Germany and emigrated to NYC. There he developed overhead cam conversion kits for the Ford Flathead V8. The “Ardun” heads doubled the engine’s power and they are worth a fortune today. Also, the 1990 to 95 Corvette ZR1 sported dual overhead cams in a 5.7L V8 designed by Lotus and built by Mercury Marine. Mercury Racing’s latest SB4 is a 7.0L DOHC Chevrolet V8, and they sell it as a crate engine for custom car builds. Perhaps history will repeat itself. The base model C8 will probably stick to a single cam with pushrods, with the Z06 eventually resurrecting this technology.
All Wheel Drive
Not only did Zora beg his bosses for a mid-engine Corvette, but his prototype has a 7.0L aluminum V8 and All Wheel Drive. The system used fluid couplings to divide torque front to rear, but the car was so fast it scared everyone except Zora himself. Corvette Experimental Research Vehicle 2 (CERV II) is the most famous prototype in Chevrolet history. There is no reason to not offer AWD, or at least make room for an electric motor to power the front wheels.
Dual Clutch Transmission Only
Ford and Chevrolet have been collaborating on transmissions for a few years. That is how the Raptor and the Camaro have the same indestructible 10-speed automatic. The 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 has an all-new 7-speed dual-clutch, and the manufacturer mentioned the same internals could be fitted to a rear-mounted transaxle. One major issue with mid-mounted engines is the cost involved with a manual transmission. We hope Chevrolet will find a way to offer a manual transmission, if not, the backlash could lead to bad press.
Carbon Fiber Chassis
GM has invested nearly half a billion dollars in the Corvette assembly plant. This allowed the C7 frame to be several times stronger than the C6. Aluminum is affordable, but the notion of a carbon fiber chassis and body has been tossed around online. The latest Silverado truck bed is all carbon fiber, so we know they are learning how to build complex shapes that are strong and light.
High-Speed Electronics
Chevrolet will use the Corvette to debut an all-new electrical system. Each computer and module will be connected by a network capable of 10 Gigabits per second. Building this network has been a challenge, and it has been blamed for why the C8 missed the New York Auto Show. Could the system be solid-state? Every Koenigsegg has solid-state electronics, meaning that every light is an LED, and you won’t find an analog relay anywhere. Everything is done with transistors for years of reliability.
This might be asking too much from Chevrolet, but it would make for a reliable & efficient Corvette. The countdown clock is ticking, and all will be revealed tomorrow night at 10:30 pm Eastern/7:30 pm Pacific. A massive airship hangar in Tustin, California will be host to Corvettes new & old, so be sure to watch the Livestream at media.chevrolet.com/nextgenCorvette Stay with us for complete coverage following the festivities.