The first copy of the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (VIN 001 chassis) will be auctioned by Barrett-Jackson at its sale in Scottsdale, Arizona, from January 11 to 19.
Chevrolet will donate this chassis to the Detroit Children's Fund, an organization that promotes education in Michigan's largest city. The vehicle buyer will be able to specify the interior finishes of his Stingray powered by the 6.2-litre V8 with 495 hp and 637 Nm combined with an 8-speed automatic transmission with dual clutch provided by Tremec, which will be equipped for this sale with several options including the Z51 Performance package.
The American company Barrett-Jackson is used to this type of exceptional sales, as President Steve Davis reminds us: "We have set new standards by selling some of the most emblematic VIN 001 models and prototypes of our time. We couldn't be more proud than to be part of the sale of this first Corvette, for the benefit of the children of Detroit.
In the past, Barrett-Jackson has sold the first copies of the Mustang Bullitt 2018, the Shelby GT500 2020 or the Acura NSX 2017 and the latest Ford GT (2017), both for amounts in excess of $1 million ($1.2 million for the former and $2.55 million for the latter).
The Corvette C8 Cabrio officially unveiled. Not surprisingly, it takes the V8 back from the coupe, but swaps its canvas hood for a hardtop.
Corvette C8 Stingray Cabrio (2020) - No time is wasted on the other side of the Atlantic. While the new generation of Corvette has not yet entered the market, its convertible derivative is already officially on display three months after the coupe's revelation.
Everything's falling apart, poor lady!
As we know, the Corvette is not what it used to be. American sports enthusiasts have begun to mourn the loss of the front engine coupé. It is now a central rear architecture that officiates, for the benefit of weight distribution, but not the look. While in detail this Corvette renews some of the brand's favourite aesthetic gimmicks, the silhouette refers overall to a Honda NSX, or even McLaren productions. Unfortunately, the loss of identity is obvious for Uncle Sam's icon.
Basket canvas
Another revolution for this new Corvette is the adoption of a rigid retractable roof. Once again, nostalgic people will miss the canvas hood that has been used until now. Chevrolet, the parent company, justified its choice by stating that this new Corvette was first designed as a convertible, whose specifications required it to maintain the coupé's look, performance and trunk storage capacity.
Illegitimate daughter
We remain doubtful about these arguments, except in the performance register. It is clear that the rigidity will greatly improve, but on the look side, it is certain that no one would have blamed the Corvette for opting for a canvas hood. It is a choice that would certainly not have affected cargo capacity, on the other hand. To uncap the Corvette Convertible, 16 small seconds are needed thanks to the 6 electric motors dedicated to the roof mechanism. The latter can opt for a carbon finish to boost the profile of the beast.
Identical performance
Chevrolet promises performance equal to that of the coupe, via the 6.2-litre 490 hp V8 given for 637 Nm of torque. The whole system is coupled to an automatic transmission with dual clutch and 8 gears, to go under the 3-second mark during the exercise from 0 to 100 km/h.
Corvette Cabrio Award
The date of arrival of the Corvette C8 Cabriolet in our latitudes is not yet known, but no more than the one on the podium. A blur also remains about the tariff.