Chevrolet unveils convertible Corvette C8

When Chevrolet launched the Corvette C8, they took the world by surprise with by offering a mid-engined V8 sportscar at an astonishing price point. The convertible version carries the baton forward by adding all the drama a sportscar needs with a folding hard-top, a first for the company.

Let's talk about the Corvette’s roof, or the lack of it.

The C8 convertible gets an electronically-operated folding hard-top that can be raised or lowered at speeds of upto 50kmph in a brisk 16 seconds. The convertible is only 36kg heavier than the standard car, which is an amazing feat. Chevrolet designed the Corvette C8 with a convertible in mind, using the central tunnel of the car delivering the bulk of the structural rigidity instead of the roof so the convertible won’t need to add a bunch of extra components to achieve the same rigidity. The roof is split into two components made of lightweight composites and the car also has a wind deflector that can raise up between the two haunches behind the passenger headrests. The roof is stored over the engine to give it the exact same cargo space as the standard car.

Drivetrain

The C8 convertible shares all mechanical components with its hard top sibling. The C8 has a mid-mounted small-block 6.2-litre V8 making 488bhp and 630Nm of torque to rearrange your organs every time you floor it.
Sadly, there is no manual option on the new Corvette for now. Instead, it comes with an 8-speed dual clutch automatic transmission custom made for the C8 with some smart electronics that enable a burnout mode helping you warm the tyres in a controlled manner before launching the car. Err… controlled manner? In a 488bhp Corvette? Sure.

Performance

Convertible cars are usually slower and handle sloppier than their fixed-roof counterparts. To counter this, Chevrolet has given the C8 convertible the Z51 spoiler as standard, an option on the fixed-roof C8, the spring and damper rates have also been re-calibrated to cope with the different balance and weight. The C8 convertible will sprint to the 100kmph mark in around 3 seconds, roughly the same as the standard car, and Chevrolet say the car will perform "nearly the same" as the fixed-roof variant.

Pricing

The standard C8 starts at $59,995 (Rs 43 lakh before Indian taxes and duties), with the convertible priced at $67,495 (Rs 48 lakh before Indian taxes and duties) onwards, making it truly a bargain, considering what you get for the money. Now let’s all pray to the car gods to help bring the Chevrolet Corvette C8 to India.