Top-down, mid-engined V8? Sound like a good recipe.
Behold, TFL community — the awaited 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible. Beyond existing just as the first mid-engined Corvette in history, this C8 Corvette Convertible debuted Wednesday, complete with its power-folding hardtop. But what else has changed from the coupe?
Apart from the hardtop, precious little, thankfully. Drivers can operate the roof at speeds up to 30 mph, and it takes just 16 seconds for the top to go down. This new top, replacing the old softtops in previous models, is electric as well, which Chevrolet says is better reliability. Like the coupe, the Corvette Stingray Convertible took inspiration from cars like the Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle (CERV) I and II, as well as the Chevrolet SS and SR2 concepts.
Mounted midships is the same 6.2-liter LT2 V8 found in the Corvette Stingray Coupe. That engine produces 495 horsepower when fitted with the optional performance exhaust and 470 lb-ft of torque. Unlike the old Corvettes, however, this one comes mounted to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. The trunk still stores two sets of golf clubs, and keeps the coupe’s frunk, so the practicality hasn’t been dramatically impeded by picking the drop-top version.
Even with all the thoughtful engineering, the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible is still 80 pounds heavier than its coupe counterpart. To that end, the suspension setup has been altered to cope with the extra weight. Other than that, this looks just as dramatic as the coupe and sports a similar interior. Speaking of interior, you still get the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus system with an 8-inch touchscreen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support still comes standard, while a 14-speaker Bose audio system is available.
Like the coupe, the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible still comes in 1LT, 2LT and 3LT trims. This version will go into production early next year, and will come in right-hand drive for certain markets. The 1LT will start from $67,495 — or $7,500 more than the coupe. We’ll have a full reveal video coming soon to TFLcar.com, so stay tuned for more updates!
