Cool Corvettes: A Stealth Bomber C8 with a Subtle Stance

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With Vossen EVO-5R forged wheels, a FabSpeed Exhaust, and KW coilovers, it’s no surprise this stealth bomber C8 Corvette has become Insta-famous.

All photographs provided by Gabe Florido. Used with his permission.

Sure, the eighth generation Corvette is one of the most customizable cars you can spec right from the factory… but what fun would it be if owners stopped there? Enter the aftermarket, some of which you can see right HERE on CorvetteForum! The perfect way to make your Corvette exactly the way you want it, even if it takes a few months for the aftermarket to catch up following a new generation debut.

Regardless, we love seeing what all of the new C8 owners are doing to protect, enhance, and modifying these stunning mid-engine sports cars. One such example caught our eyes over the holidays… It’s not often you see a Corvette hauling a Christmas Tree, let alone a Corvette that looks like a stealth bomber ready to literally take flight.

Gabe Florido — aka gabe.design on Instagram — is the founder of Car Lifestyle and the proud owner of a 2020 C8 Corvette 2LT Z51. Florido “placed his order the day C8 pre-orders became available” in July of 2019 and it arrived at his Louisville Kentucky dealership on March 19, 2020, spec’d out with a black exterior and adrenaline red interior.

I knew I wanted the C8 the day they announced it.

But if you haven’t been following Florido’s mod journey on social media, there’s a chance you wouldn’t recognize the car at all. Even in stock form, the public will ask C8 owners if they’re driving something more exotic (“Hey, is that a Ferrari?” is pretty common). And when you see what Florido did to his C8, it’s even easier to mistake America’s sports car as something born across the Atlantic.

Everywhere I pull over I usually get “HEY it’s the BATMOBILE” or “is that a McLaren/Lamborghini?”

Stealth Bomber C8 Mods

Looking at Florido’s Corvette — and learning more about his car’s evolution — it’s amazing to see what a C8 owner with design talent can do to elevate an already beautiful car into something grander and more original. He started with wheels, as we often do. Specifically, Vossen EVO-5R forged wheels (20×9.5 front and 21×12.5 rear) with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. (Full PS4S tire review HERE.)

Fun fact I drove the C8 from Kentucky to Miami Florida. It was an amazing drive. 1,100 miles.

Next, Florido moved on to exhaust, opting for a FabSpeed cat-back with sport cats before adding Kooks headers to the mix for a nasty growl. He mostly drives Sport and Track modes to enjoy LT2’s uncorked symphony. (As an aside, we’re currently editing a video about installing a FabSpeed exhaust on a C8 and fully agree. We adore the way this cat-back sounds and looks with the carbon fiber quad tips. Definitely recommended if you own a 2020+ Corvette.)

One of my favorite C8 features is the DCT. Amazingly fast.

Like many enthusiasts, Florido wanted to protect his OEM paint, but instead of a typical clear bra, he opted for a full Xpel Stealth Paint Protection Film. That’s right, it looks like a satin wrap, but it’s not. It’s actually a self-healing semi-transparent PPF that makes your car’s color look like a satin paint job or wrap.

Next was an Aero kit by Atomic, which is a replica front lip and side skirts. Florido then added a rear carbon fiber deck spoiler by Racing Sport Concepts. Lastly, and perhaps his favorite mod, Florido stanced his C8 with a KW Suspensions V3 Coilover kit. (Looks mean, man!)

Past Adventures & Future Plans

Florido’s previous GM monster was a sixth-generation Camaro SS converted to ZL1 spec using GM parts. He actually kept both rides for a couple of weeks, “but decided to sell it because I wasn’t going to drive it anymore. I do miss it! Especially the whipped supercharged part!”

There might be a Z06 down the line but it all depends how deep I dive into the C8 Z51 project.

In terms of future mods for his stealth bomber styled C8, Florido is looking to add either a supercharger or twin-turbo setup. He’s open to either and would love to get 600-700 HP. Although, like everyone else, he’s waiting for the aftermarket to crack the LT2’s encrypted ECU. He also has a second, secret plan that he wouldn’t share with us. Whatever it is, I can’t wait to see where he takes this amazing C8 in 2021.

Thanks again to Gabe Florido for taking the time to chat with us and for giving us permission to share a few of his stunning photos. Make sure to check out his Instagram page right HERE for more C8 Corvette photography and video. And what do you think of Florido’s C8 Corvette? Share your thoughts right over HERE in our forums!

Photos: gabe.design 

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