Corvette Forum’s Year in Review: 2019

Wondering what it was like to be a Corvette fan in the final year of the 2010s? We’ve got it all in this look back at 2019!

This year was the tops for Corvette fans far and wide. The summer alone packed more milestones than a fully loaded railcar! We know July 18 will go down as the day the C8 era began, with the long-awaited reveal of the first-ever mid-engine ‘Vette. Late August witnessed the National Corvette Museum’s 25th anniversary. And early October delivered the convertible C8 of our dreams.

Of course, more ‘Vette things happened in 2019. We at Corvette Forum combed through hundreds of stories to bring you our year in review. Here’s what it was like to be a Corvette fan in the final year of the 2010s.

C8 Corvette Z51 Officially Crowned Quickest Accelerating ‘Vette Ever

Back in early November, General Motors dropped another Corvette bombshell upon the world, relating to its Z51 package. In short, the new ‘C8 can hit 60 mph in 2.9 seconds, and cross the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds.

A Comprehensive History of Corvette, from Concept to Mid-engine C8

Prior to the unveiling of the new mid-engine ‘Vette, we took a look back on the path America’s sports car took to get there. Hard to believe it all began with 300 convertibles with inline-sixes aimed at the Brits in 1953. The Corvette certainly changed with the times since then.

2020 C8 Corvette Revealed, Meet Chevy’s Mid-Engine Porsche Slayer

Inside a hangar in Orange County, California, the long-awaited C8-era Corvette delivered on all counts in its debut. The $60,000 price of admission isn’t all that bad, either.

After the C8 convertible’s reveal, it was time for two of the biggest auto publications to give their two cents. Motor Trend declared the targa-topped model “the most premium-feeling Corvette” Chevy ever made. Road & Track countered, stating it was good, but it wasn’t great.

Nearly Everything You Wanted to Know About the New LT2 V8

The heart of the new Corvette is its all-new 6.2-liter LT2 V8. With the Z51 package, it delivers 495 horses and 470 lb-ft of torque to the rears. It also has a dry-sump system to keep everything lubed up around the hard corners.

Is a Corvette SUV in the Works?

With Ford slapping the Mustang name on an electric crossover, more than a few wondered if GM would do the same with the Corvette brand. Though the chorus grows louder for a ‘Vette SUV, all CEO Mary Barra can say is she appreciates how strongly all view the brand.

Breaking: C8 Z06 will Receive Twin-turbo Flat-plane V8

Though the new ‘Vettes have yet to be built, let alone delivered, fans are looking forward to the high-performance models to come. The first of these, the Z06, will deliver in spades, with a flat-plane, twin-turbo V8. The source? The Corvette C8.R!

2020 Corvette: What Chevy Got Right, and Wrong with Its New Sports Car

A few days after we attended the world debut of the C8-era Corvette, we looked at what we thought GM did right and wrong with it. On the plus side, its good looks, excellent interior, and price tag won us over. On the minus, no manual for the handful who still worship at the altar of the stick shift.

Has Your Spouse Ever Denied You from Buying a Corvette

While more than a few of us have a ‘Vette in the garage, others have had to deal with disapproving spouses. One of our forum members, in particular, had to convince his wife on two occasions to be able to buy one, despite his upgrade in income and job title.

Jim Mero Ran a 7:04 at Nurburgring in the C7 Corvette ZR1

The ‘Vette and Nurburgring haven’t been the best of friends over the C7 era. Retired test driver and GM engineer Jim Mero revealed through his new venture the best time he could get out of it: 7:04 in a 2019 ZR1 from cold tires. As it wasn’t under seven minutes, though, GM never announced the time in an official capacity.

Where to Buy the 2020 Corvette at MSRP

We’re only a season away from the first of the C8-era ‘Vettes finally hitting the showroom. That means one thing, of course: some dealers can only see stacks of cash in their eyes. Our list will help you pay as close to MSRP as possible.

How Will ZR1 C8 Shape Tomorrow’s Hypercar Landscape

One day, a new ZR1 will rise. Through our crystal ball, we speculated upon what such a ‘Vette would change the hypercar game, from pricing, to the big power from its proposed hybrid powertrain.

Motor Trend Names Corvette 2020 Car of the Year

It’s not often a car wins a major award before it hits the production line for the first time. Yet, that’s what the new ‘Vette did, when Motor Trend awarded it its coveted Car of the Year trophy. The magazine’s decision came down to the big risk General Motors and Chevrolet took in building such a revolutionary car as the C8-era ‘Vette.

Photos: Corvette Forum; Chevrolet; Jim Mero Vehicle Dynamics/Facebook

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