By Steve & Tamami Laser
What’s orange and black and surrounded by hundreds of people? It’s not the Great Pumpkin. It’s the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible. We got our first look at this amazing new sports car last Saturday during South OC Cars & Coffee.
Chevrolet staged the world debut of the mid-engine 2020 Corvette Coupe in nearby Tustin, Calif., three months ago. While the coupe features a removable targa-style top panel, the new convertible has a retractable hardtop that disappears at the touch of a button.
Following its reveal in Marina Del Rey, Calif., (and Cape Canaveral, Fla.) on Oct. 2, Chevrolet delivered a prototype to the Outlets at San Clemente on Saturday, Oct. 5, for the weekly car show. We take a closer look at the 2020 Corvette Convertible in our above video.
Chevrolet says that the two-piece hardtop can be activated “at speeds up to 30 mph and retract in as few as 16 seconds” under the hard tonneau cover, thanks to the assistance of six electric motors. The prototype featured an optional Carbon Flash metallic roof and nacelles (a bodycolor roof is standard).
The Corvette is gorgeous, whether the top is up or down. The exotic-car profile is also highly functional. Aerodynamically inspired nacelles help reduce air recirculation inside the cabin. And there’s a midship divider glass window that can be adjusted separately by the driver.
Like the coupe, the convertible’s interior features a squared-off, two spoke small diameter steering wheel that offers a clear view of the 12-inch reconfigurable display. Vertical climate controls and ultra-thin vents are designed to minimize the height of the instrument panel.
The 2020 Corvette is powered by a 6.2-liter LT2 V8 engine rated at 495 horses and 470 lb.-ft. of torque. A new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission, designed with Tremec, provides the direct connected feeling of a manual and the driving comfort of an automatic. Drivers can adjust the feel and response of the Stingray using six drive modes.
At the conclusion of the show, the Corvette returned to an enclosed transporter for the journey to its next destination. Meanwhile, we look forward to seeing more of this car on the road next year. Chevrolet plans to put the new model into production late in the first quarter of 2020.
Note: Features and specifications for future production models are subject to change without notice
Story, photos and video © 2019 CarNichiWa.com