Newly Unveiled C8 Set to Make a Big Splash at Corvettes at Carlisle

Not one but two C8 Corvettes will be on display at the annual Corvette gathering from August 22 through 25.

The C8 era of the Corvette certainly kicked off with a bang upon its unveiling July 18 in Los Angeles. All of those decades of mid-engine concepts and teases, all of the spy shots showing a camo’d unit over the past year, all of the waiting now over. The most powerful base Corvette to date, with possible Z06 and ZR1 variants taking the 495 ponies and 470 lb-ft from the LT2 6.2-liter V8 to heights never before seen, and still capable of fitting a full bag of golf clubs.

What could possibly top seeing the C8 debut online on that fateful night? Seeing it in person for the first time. Corvettes at Carlisle is ready to make that dream come true August 22 through 25 at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and they’re going big with the in-person display.

“The new generation Corvette is the biggest transformation Corvette in history,” said Corvettes at Carlisle host Lance Miller. “I’m a huge advocate of mid-engine sports cars and I’m thrilled Chevrolet ran with it! I drove my C7 daily and truly cherished each drive I took in the car. I’m eager to get behind the wheel of the new mid-engine C8.”

In the meantime, the next best thing is seeing not one, but two C8s on display under the big top of Team Chevrolet’s tent. One of the new Corvettes will be housed in a 30×30-foot glass box with monitors telling each and every guest nearly everything about the C8. The second car will be on an open-air platform, which will be the spot for several walk-arounds by the Team Chevrolet crew each day.

“The Corvette team shares a sincere passion about the car and this passion spills over to the lucky owners/drivers of the Corvette,” said Miller. “I often hear people talk about how great the 60’s era sports cars were, but today is simply mind boggling. It’s a great time to be alive! The best American made sports car just got better.”

With expected guests like Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter and marketing manager Harlan Charles appearing alongside the C8, the new era of the Corvette will likely smash the attendance record at Corvettes at Carlisle’s Fun Field, set in 2013 with 2,823 checking the then-new C7 era of America’s sports car. This year’s affair will see over 60,000 in attendance overall.

“Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better it has and I applaud the Corvette team for looking outside the box and running with what they feel is the best product for the enthusiasts to enjoy.”

Away from the spectacle of the double C8 display, Corvettes at Carlisle will host a Corvette Challenge Car reunion, an autocross, a 50th anniversary display of 1969 ‘Vettes, the traditional parade of Corvettes through downtown Carlisle, and so much more.

If you’d like to see the C8 first-hand, tickets to Corvettes at Carlisle are currently $15 for a single-day pass, $35 for the full gathering. Pricing is expected to go up to $20 for single-day passes Thursday through Saturday, then drop to $10 for Sunday. And little ones 12 and under enter free.

Photos: Carlisle Events