FRANKFURT: Already on the market in the US, the new Corvette is now heading across the Atlantic and Chevrolet has announced that the eighth generation of the super sports car will line up against Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren in Europe this autumn.
The European price for the Targa Coupe with a removable roof element starts at €86,900 (RM422,000), while the convertible, which for the first time has a retractable hardtop, costs €93,400 (RM453,000).
After more than 70 years of Corvette history, the makers have switched their muscle car from a front- to a mid-engine drive for the first time, hoping for more precision and better handling.
Despite the new design, the engine remains the same: The C8 model also drives with the 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 engine, which in the latest stage of development comes to 482hp.
Combined for the first time with a dual clutch, the Corvette is supposed to accelerate to 100kph in 3.5 seconds and only stops getting faster when you hit 296 kph.
At the same time, the Corvette is said to consume an average of 12.1 litres of fuel and achieve CO2 emissions of 277 grams per kilometre.
Although faster than ever, the car is still set to be a super sports car suitable for everyday use. In addition to a particularly comfortable set-up in Tour mode, the Corvette also offers two luggage compartments with a combined capacity of 360 litres.
In light of the climate crisis, criticism of this type of excessive car is growing. Chevrolet, however, is trying to clean up its image with an electric variant announced by no less than US President Joe Biden.
Biden, after a visit to General Motors when still presidential candidate, had said the Corvette would also be available as an electric car in the future.
