How We'd Configure the 2020 Chevy C8 Corvette Stingray

The arrival of a heavily hyped vehicle usually comes with a handful of complementary launches. Our favorite — as is everybody’s, I assume — is the online configurator. This is where we get to put our designer hats on and create our ideal model, which in this instance, happens to be the all-new Chevrolet Corvette C8. Mind you, this isn’t your typical hyped of a release. This is the Corvette C8, the current hype beast of the automotive world that also happens to be the first mid-engine Corvette in the nameplate’s long and illustrious history. You don’t just aimlessly wander around its online configurator and throw one splashy color to its body and call it a day. You take your time building it, and if you have to go to the minutiae of why you chose this package over that package, then so be it. Some of us may not get the opportunity to buy the Corvette C8 so this is the next-best-thing. Better believe that we’re taking this configurator seriously.

2020 Chevy C8 Corvette Exterior Configuration

The first order of business is picking out a color for my all-new (virtual) Chevrolet Corvette C8. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Since I fancy myself as a man of great personality, I’m veering away from the Arctic White and Blade Silver Metallic finishes. They’re nice colors, sure, but they’re not in keeping with my goal to build a stand-out Corvette C8 that doubles as a magnet for attention. I tried the Sebring Orange Tintcoat but I realized it made the Corvette look like a McLaren. I had the same reaction with the Torch Red color (Ferrari) and the Accelerate Yellow (Lamborghini) finish. That left the Rapid Blue paint finish, and boy, oh boy, I’m pretty stoked that I chose this color.

The Elkhart Lake Blue Metallic paint finish is the best of both worlds. It’s equal parts classy and daring, exactly how I like my Corvette to look like. I’m throwing in a carbon-fiber roof, too, only because I think it looks good with the Elkhart Lake Blue Metallic paint finish. Even better? This color comes standard on the Corvette C8, or at least it did in the Corvette C7. I'm praying the status quo holds on this one. Picking the right wheel design threw me in for a loop because I like all of them. Thanks to a loose process of elimination, I eventually landed on the Spectra Gray Machined Trident Spoke wheels. I like this design better than the Open Spoke design and the Spectra Gray finish abides by “best of both worlds” design principle. I even threw in yellow brake calipers because why not, right?

I liked the look of the Chrome badge, but I just liked the Carbon Flash badge a bit better. Besides, it goes better with the Carbon Flash racing stripes that I somehow convinced myself to get. That's an extra $950, by the way. In keeping with the theme, I also scored mirrors, ground effects, and side rockers that are all finished in Carbon Flash. All these add-ons should set me back another $2,000, but in the name of consistency, I'm getting them.

-* Elkhart Lake Blue Metallic paint finish

-* Carbon fiber roof

-* Spectra Gray Machined Trident Spoke wheels

-* Yellow brake calipers

-* Carbon Flash Chevrolet badge

-* Carbon Flash racing stripes

-* Carbon Flash exterior mirrors

-* Carbon Flash ground effects

-* Carbon Flash side rockers

2020 Chevy C8 Corvette Interior Configuration

Since money isn’t an issue here, I’m going all out with the interior goodies. First up is the trim level, and I’m not settling for the 1LT and 2LT trims. No, folks, I’m going straight to the top with the 3LT trim. Not only does it come with a custom leather-wrapped interior of choosing, but it also includes a pair of GT2 seats with Nappa leather carbon-fiber trim, a suede-wrapped upper interior trim, and leather-wrapped lower doors. Be advised, though, because if you get the 3LT trim for your Corvette C8, you're immediately resigning yourself to the inevitability of paying more for the sports car.

On a side note: Chevrolet should probably start paying someone to make a better online configurator for the Corvette C8. I don't know if I'm the only one experiencing this issue, but the page keeps reloading by itself, even if I'm not using it. Then it goes into error mode once it's gotten tired of the incessant refreshing.

The distraction certainly isn't making it any easier for me, especially now that we're in the business of picking out an interior color that would match well with the exterior look of my Corvette. It gets even trickier because I ended up picking three interior colors that I like. I can’t decide among these selections: Morello Red, Two-Tone Blue, and Sky Cool Gray. I know I’ll get the color consistency I like with the Two-Tone Blue color but the Sky Cool Gray color also works well with my chosen exterior color. The Morello Red is a bit on the flashy side, but you can’t go wrong with a red and blue mix, right? I could go with the custom interior combination but no two-color combination speaks me to quite like the choices I mentioned above. It is interesting, too, that of the three interior colors that I narrowed my choice down to, none of them are available on the Corvette C7 3LT. Perhaps Chevy just changed the names - Adrenaline Red became Morello Red - to make them seem like they're new, but either way, it didn't make my choice any easier.

A few minutes of pondering was interrupted by the configurator going haywire again. A quick refresh and a quick rejigging of the items I already chose ended with me picking the Sky Cool Gray interior. Maybe that's going to stop the configurator from acting like it has its own brain. Either way, whatever works. Speaking of which, I like how the blending of a blue exterior works well with a gray interior. It’s a natural blend; there’s nothing forced about it. I also like the fact that the colors lean towards the understated side. I get it that some people prefer a Corvette C8 that screams for attention so they opt for flashier and far more flamboyant colors to get their intentions across. Not me. It’s aggressive enough on its own without fancy colors adding more fuel to its fire. On the contrary, the colors I chose go well in establishing a naturally cool vibe in my Corvette C8. The Sky Cool Gray interior works best that way, especially when I throw in the Carbon Fiber Interior Package. The package should add another $2,000 to my growing list of equipment for my C8.

Granted, the configurator doesn’t identify which parts of the interior will get the carbon fiber treatment, but I suspect the usual digs will get it. Parts of the dashboard and steering wheel should be fitted with carbon fiber. The Corvette C8’s very inviting center console should also benefit from a little carbon fiber love. Then there’s the expected carbon fiber trim spread throughout the cabin, ranging from the door handles, console trim, and the gear shift knob. I don’t think Chevrolet's going to go all-out and drown the interior with carbon fiber as per this package. Enough bits and pieces in enough locations should do the trick.

-* 3LT Trim

-* GT2 seats

-* Nappa leather and carbon fiber trim

-* Suede-wrapped upper interior trim

-* Leather-wrapped lower doors

-* Sky Cool Gray interior color

-* Carbon Fiber interior package

Should I Equip the Z51 Performance Package for the 2020 Chevy C8 Corvette Stingray?

Yes, if there’s an opportunity to get it, you should take it and run away with it. The Z51 Package is geared primarily towards track enthusiasts but even if you’re pre-disposed to hitting the race tracks as often as you can, it doesn’t hurt to at least give your Corvette C8 the full Z51 experience. You never know when or where you’ll end up needing it.

An electronic limited-slip differential is also part of the package as is a standard FE3 Performance Suspension kit. You can opt for the FE4 Suspension with Magnetic Ride Control, but that’s going to cost you an extra chunk of change. You can also stick with the standard rear spoiler on the Corvette C8, but if you want one that generates up to 400 pounds of downforce, the Z51 package comes with a larger rear spoiler that can address those needs.

All told, the Z51 Performance Package provides measurable benefits to the Corvette C8. It also includes a new performance exhaust system that adds an extra five horsepower to the Corvette C8’s total output, bringing the total up to 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Considering that the Corvette C8’s 6.2-liter LT2 V-8 engine already has 490 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque at its disposal, that extra five ponies, according to Chevrolet, helps the Corvette C8 sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than three seconds. Sure, that number is yet to be verified, but for the promised performance gains that will undoubtedly manifest itself in the race track, the Z51 Performance Package is a small price to pay relative to the benefits it provides to the Corvette C8.

Chevrolet Corvette Z51 Performance Package

-* Michelin® PS4 Performance 3 Season tires†

-* Standard FE3 Performance Suspension

-* Available FE4 Suspension with Magnetic Ride Control™

-* Larger 345 mm front and 350 mm rear brake rotors

-* Extra cooling with additional rear-mounted third radiator

-* Electronic Limited-Slip Differential

-* Larger rear spoiler provides up to 400 pounds of downforce

-* Performance exhaust results in 495 horsepower

Other Options and Accessories for the 2020 Chevy C8 Corvette Stingray

That’s to be expected since we are dealing with a completely new Corvette that’s far removed from Corvettes of the past. For what it’s worth, it’s going to be interesting to see what kind of options and accessories it’ll have for the Corvette C8.

A few of the expected ones should still be offered. I’m thinking along the lines of an exterior package that deals mostly with aesthetic upgrades. The Corvette C7, for example, could be fitted with Stingray wheel center caps, an underhand liner with the Stingray logo, and an indoor vehicle cover. I don’t expect this package to change because it mostly deals with minor points of vanity for the Corvette. It costs $800 to add to the Corvette C7. The cost should be the same for the Corvette C8, that is if Chevrolet offers it.

If you’re the type who proudly shows off the Stingray heritage to your Corvette, you might as well get the Stingray Logo Package, too. This package includes a chrome trim badge in the interior with the Stingray logo, custom door sill plates with the Stingray logo, a cargo mat with the Stingray logo, and a custom leather-wrapped floor console lid with, you guessed it, the Stingray logo. If this package returns for the Corvette C8, it should fetch around $645.

The Corvette C7’s Wing-Style Spoiler with Wicker Package is one of the more curious ones I can point to, in part because the Corvette C8 has a completely different rear wing from its predecessor. The overall makeup of the Corvette C8 as a mid-engine car means that the aerodynamics of the car is completely different from the Corvette C7. Now, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the package return for the C8, but if it does, the wicker bill and the body-color wing spoiler should look different and the price — $1,100 for the Corvette C7 — will probably be different, too.

You can buy cheap battery chargers for $11, a 2,000-amps battery jump starter for $199, or even dash cams for as much as $500. If you want some Corvette-branded luggage, you can choose to buy a 40-liter duffel bag for $155, a 70-liter duffel bag for $195 or a roller suitcase for $300.

Battery chargers	$11
2,000-amps battery jump starter	$199
Dash cam	$500
40-liter duffel bag	$155
70-liter duffel bag	$195
Roller suitcase	$300

Every single one of these options and accessories is available to the Corvette C7. Whether they become available to the Corvette C8 is a different question. I’d like to think that a lot of these options and accessories will be available, but at this point, it’s still hard to tell which ones make sense on a mid-engine Corvette.

Whatever the case is, you can expect Chevrolet to drop the motherload when it’s time to announce all the options, accessories, and packages that will be available to the Corvette C8. Something tells me that future owners of the mid-engine Corvette will have a laundry list of options and accessories to choose from.