2020 Chevrolet Corvette the quickest ever
V8-powered mid-engine American sports car officially the "quickest in its history"The new 2020 Chevrolet Corvette will be quick – the fastest Corvette Stingray ever, according to the company that builds it.
Chevy says the new Corvette will rip from 0-60mph in 2.9 seconds with the Z51 performance package and a dedicated launch control system that manipulates the sports car's eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) in all the right ways.
Standard models achieve the same speed in 3.0 seconds.
Generally speaking, the 0-60mph (0-97km/h) speed test is around one-tenth of a second quicker than the metric benchmark acceleration test commonly used in Australia, the 0-100km/h sprint.
Pricing in the USA starts at $US60,000 but the 2020 Corvette Stingray is tipped to cost at least $150,000 when it comes to Australia.
By comparison, the V10-powered Lamborghini Huracan Evo (470kW/600Nm) is a smidgen faster, with a 2.9 second 0-100km/h dash. That mid-engine exotic costs a lot more at around $460,000.
Quarter mile times? It takes the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette 11.2 seconds to cover 400 metres, at a top speed of 121mph (195km/h). The quarter mile is done and dusted in the same time for the Z51 pack, albeit at a slightly higher speed, 123mph (198km/h).
However, Chevrolet is quick to point out that "Performance numbers may vary, as different climates, tyre conditions and road surfaces may affect results."
The launch control system included in the eight-speed transmission's bag of tricks should, in theory, deliver reliable and repeatable acceleration runs.
It is engaged by selecting track mode, tapping the stability control button twice to engage the performance traction management mode, picking any of the five modes available then just pushing on the brake pedal and nailing the throttle for engine revs held at 3500rpm.
Release the brakes and it's go time.
This is achieved by pressing the brake pedal, pulling both steering wheel gear change paddles in to disconnect the transmission from the engine, dialing in some throttle and then releasing the paddles to light up the rear tyres.
Given that the Ford Mustang had a similar feature removed for Australia, it's not clear whether the burnout mode will make the cut Down Under.
The M1L transmission, built by Tremec, has plenty of tricks up its sleeve, as Ed Piatek, chief engineer on the new C8 Corvette, explained.
The transmission performs an unseen ballet of sorts, ensuring more constant forward thrust than is possible with a manual transmission says Piatek.
"We also found that during very aggressive launches we can actually drive torque through both shaft clutches simultaneously, so you'll be on an upshift, engaging third gear, but still driving torque through second as you're engaging third.
"This actually improves the 0-60[mph] performance of the car beyond what you could achieve in a manual transmission," he stated.
The transmission has a few other trick functions too.
Hold both paddles to simulate pressing a clutch pedal in a conventional manual transmission, for instance, or hold fast the downshift paddle to downshift sequentially and select the lowest available gear. Touching either shift paddle at any time will briefly engage manual mode.
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