Convertibles are an interesting thing. They’re like a car, but not as good. Sure, they have almost all the same components a car has, but they’re missing more than a roof. They’re structurally weaker, heavier, weigh more, and don’t look as good. They’re also driven by people that don’t need so much public exposure.
That last point is especially true with the Corvette. While a bonafide American sports car that can compete with the best from around the world should be cool, it most certainly isn’t. Not for several decades now (the C3 was something special. At least until it gave way to the self-parody that was the C4 Stingray.)
Now, to be fair, the C7 Stingray went a long way to improving the image. The too-obviously phallic front-end was replaced with a broader gaping maw that, well, still looks better than the previous generations. It also offered serious performance.
The upcoming C8 will be something else altogether. Forgoing its traditional front-end/rear-drive layout, Chevy engineers have moved the engine behind the cabin, offering a new addition to the rather short list of American mid-engine cars.
The result is an all-new style for the fabled Chevy, approximating something much more exotic, much more exciting. Much…cooler. It feels weird. Even with those ridiculous Camaro-esque taillights, its silhouette suggests something that won’t be found exclusively outside country clubs or swinger bars.
The Corvette C8 Convertible Makes Sure the Car Will Never Be Cool
Now, before we get too comfortable stanning a Corvette, GM engineers have thrown us a bone. With one massive swoop, they’ve managed to undo a lot of what works on this new model by introducing the 2020 Corvette C8 convertible.
And while the amount of open space above the cabin appears to be what, a foot-and-a-half, knowing that it’s occupied by someone with the Taken boxset and an extensive collection of Robert Ludlum books really brings the brand back to where it belongs. And that’s nestled between ads for Cialis.