GM unveils a radically new Corvette

By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNN Business
Updated 9:33 AM ET, Fri July 19, 2019

Tustin, California (CNN Business) -- General Motors has unveiled the eighth generation of the Chevrolet Corvette. The model is, arguably, the biggest change for the Corvette since the sports car was first introduced in 1953.

The Corvette has changed a lot over the years, but it has always remained a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car. The new 2020 Corvette has its engine behind the seats, a change that radically alters the car's appearance and, certainly, how it will feel to drive.

Related article: GM adds 400 jobs in Kentucky to help build a radical new Corvette

"In terms of comfort and fun, it still looks and feels like a Corvette, but drives better than any vehicle in Corvette history," said GM president Mark Reuss.
....

The base version of the 2020 Corvette Stingray will have a 495-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 engine. It will also have an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. No manual transmission will be offered. Besides being able to shift up or down using the paddles, drivers will be able to uncouple the transmission altogether by pulling on both paddles at once. This will be like holding down the clutch pedal in a car with a manual transmission.

Prices for the new Corvette Stingray will start at just under $60,000, not much more than the current version costs. That announcement came as a surprise to many analysts who had expected that, given the amount of engineering work that had to be done, this price would increase substantially. But Reuss told CNN Business that it was important that the new Corvette remain accessible to the same customers who could afford the current one.
....