The Corvette C8: Chevy’s crowd-pleasing supercar

The new Chevrolet Corvette has yet to land in the UK because General Motors has not yet made it in right-hand-drive form, says Paul Horrell on Top Gear. But the new eighth-generation, mid-engined Corvette was designed to compete with European supercars and it will be available in the UK from late 2021. “Crucially, it will have the steering wheel on the right side.” 

The C8, when bought with a “high specced” Z51 package of extras, features several “tasty bits of sporting engineering”, says Horrell. The nose of the car lifts hydraulically for ramps and speed bumps, and it’s connected to the satnav too, so it will remember to rise automatically next time you’re there. Most importantly, the car features “performance you can use, in its entirety, on the road. Give it full throttle, hear – feel – the noise, and enjoy holding it there.”

With its 495-horsepower, 6.2-litre V8 engine, the C8 is “stupidly easy to drive fast”, says Lawrence Ulrich in The Drive. It feels most alive in “race” mode, but in other modes it will still allow less-experienced drivers to exit corners “without excess drama or danger”. That “lack of drama” means few would call the C8 “playful”, but its comfortable ride, luxury features, and versatility “make it a far-better choice as an everyday sports car”. On the street, the C8 proves itself as a “total crowd-pleaser”. There’s a convertible option for a few extra thousand pounds, but the manually removable roof option is just as effective. 

This is easily the best Corvette to drive there has ever been, says Rory White on CarWow. The C8 is the first Corvette to have its engine “behind the driver, in the middle of everything” – its rightful place – and it comfortably makes its way over bumps and feels agile on country roads. The engine “loves to rev”, coming to life with a staggering roar. 

The C8 puts its 495 horses to the road without issue in an incredibly addictive way, says Aaron Brown on Road and Track. The growls, mid-shift rev changes and wind-buffeted pops off-throttle are pure bliss. With the roof down and the exhaust fully open, “it’s borderline mixtape worthy”. Its usable for running errands and everyday use, but at the same time, it’s ready for “spirited driving whenever demanded”.

Price: around £81,700. Engine: 6.2-litre V8. Power: 495bhp. Top speed: 184mph. 0-62mph: 2.9 secs (claimed)