The Chevrolet Corvette (C8) is the eighth generation of the Corvette sports car manufactured by American automobile manufacturer Chevrolet. Following several experimental CERV prototype vehicles, it is the first mid-engine Corvette since the model’s introduction in 1953 (as well as GM’s first production mid-engine sports car since the Pontiac Fiero was discontinued in 1988), differing from the traditional front-engine design. The first production model of the C8 Corvette is the Stingray with its new mid-mounted 6.2 L LT2 V8 engine. 2022 Chevrolet Corvette is available as a 2-door targa top or a retractable hardtop convertible. The targa top is available in body color, transparent, or visible carbon fiber. The 2021 Corvette started production on December 8, 2020, due to extended production of the 2020 model year. The 2021 model year saw production issues due to parts constraints. The LT2 saw fuel management system upgrades for the 2022 model year which featured a new fuel pump and injectors. A new IMSA GTLM Championship Edition package, limited to 1000 units, was introduced for 2022.
The Corvette remains a pure two-seater, and the futuristic interior is lined in materials such as leather, real metal trim, and imitation suede; it even has a fancy stitched headliner. The interior design takes the driver-focused concept to the max, bisecting the cockpit with a tall bank of switches for the car’s climate-control system. Speaking of the roof, it’s removable on the coupe, just like those of previous Corvettes, and it fits inside the trunk that’s just aft of the engine compartment. The rear trunk also can accommodate two golf bags, and a front trunk offers space for luggage or cargo while the roof is stowed. The driver sits behind a squared-off steering wheel and a 12.0-inch reconfigurable gauge display; a large infotainment touchscreen is angled toward the driver for ease of use. Overall, the new Vette’s cabin is quite good. Upgrading to the 3LT package gets you upgraded materials such as sewn leather on most of its interior surfaces, plus carbon-fiber trim. The new Corvette offers two trunk areas, one ahead of the passenger compartment and one behind the engine, for a total of 13 cubic feet of storage space. Chevrolet says the Corvette can fit two sets of golf clubs in the rear compartment when they are stacked on top of each other.
2022 Chevrolet Corvette is a mainstay of performance-car culture, and the current C8 model takes that tradition to a new place with a 490-hp V-8 engine mounted behind the passenger compartment and a still-affordable price tag. Performance in the supercar range and surgically precise handling make the Corvette a track day darling when equipped with the Z51 package—but its ride over rough stretches is unexpectedly smooth and its cabin is comfortable enough for daily use. Both a coupe and a convertible are offered, and the coupe has a lift-off roof panel for open-air motoring. To celebrate the C8.R race car’s inaugural season, Chevrolet is offering a limited-edition appearance package on the Corvette which was inspired by the IMSA GTLM championship-winning competition version. The Corvette racing logo appears throughout the design and the cabin is done up in a yellow and gray scheme to match. Other changes for 2022 include a new optional low-profile rear spoiler, three new colors, and a few changes to the Corvette’s mechanicals including a new fuel pump and fuel injectors.
Although the engine is in a new location—now behind the passenger compartment instead of in front of it—it remains a 6.2-liter V-8, albeit one making 490 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. With the dual-mode performance exhaust that is part of the Z51 package, it makes 495 horsepower. The Z51 option also adds an electronic limited-slip rear differential, more aggressive brakes, and summer tires. The Corvette earns EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined. The last generation–remember the Corvette with the engine in the front?–managed a 27 mpg result in the same test. An eight-speed dual-clutch automatic (a Corvette first) is the sole transmission. It is controlled either by a push-button gear selector on the center console or by using two large steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. A manual transmission is not available. In our testing, we recorded a zero-to-60-mph time of 2.8 seconds and the quarter-mile in 11.2 seconds at 122 mph in a car equipped with the Z51 performance package and the optional FE4 magnetorheological dampers.
