Overview: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in brief
The mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette has been out for a few years now, with exciting models like the track-focused Z06 and the all-new, part-electrified E-Ray hybrid in the American car's line-up. However, does that mean the 'regular' (for want of a much better word) Stingray can be overlooked? To find out, we sampled the base-level 'Vette in Convertible format over in the UK.
Pros & cons of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Pros: exceptional ride comfort and refinement, easy-going nature, still sharp in the corners
Cons: lurid cabin colour scheme not for all, not available in Ireland, pricey
What's different from the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray?
Unlike the E-Ray, and indeed the Z06, the Stingray uses the regular bodyshell for the C8 Corvette, which means it is 90mm narrower than its stablemates. It was also the only car during our drive of the entire European 'Vette range that wasn't on the pricey-yet-desirable carbon-fibre wheels, instead sitting on a set of optional 19-inch front, 20-inch rear alloys in a 20-spoke design with a machined face.
Further, the Stingray is the only Corvette which doesn't have its model name mounted down behind the doors, as both the E-Ray and Z06 do, and that lack of badging couples to air intakes just ahead of the rear wheels which are less fulsome than they are on the 600hp-plus variants of the car.
So, does that mean the Stingray is the ugly duckling of the group? Hardly. Its cab-forward stance and angularity might be a little challenging for some, especially staunch fans of the old C1-C7 era of Corvettes, but this is a car that still has oodles of presence.
It helps painting it in glorious 'Rapid Blue' paint, of course, and that this one is the Convertible (which uses a neat, electrically folding hard-top that can even be activated on the move at speeds of up to 50km/h) only enhances its show-stopping status, but the response to this car was quite extraordinary.
Not only did many other drivers and passengers in vehicles near the Stingray on the roads want to express how much they liked the car (no, really; none of the hand gestures were the bad ones), this little blue Corvette (RIP, Prince) even managed to move other traffic in front of it effortlessly out of the way on dual carriageways.
This didn't need us to come haring up behind traffic menacingly, flashing our main-beam lights and edging over to the right of the lane in that passive-aggressive way we all experience on the road; no, other drivers simply saw the Corvette in their mirrors and moved respectfully out of the way.
Driving this car was like being Moses parting the Red Sea, or that bit in Bruce Almighty where Jim Carrey, with all the powers of God, simply 'magics' the other vehicles out of the way of his Saleen S7 on a congested high street.
So don't let anyone tell you, for a second, that the Stingray doesn't have an effect on bystanders, because it most clearly does.
Performance of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
• Lovely sound from mid-mounted V8
• Ride comfort and refinement deeply impressive
• Great all-round drive
Being the only current Corvette that doesn't broach the 500hp barrier, you might be tempted to call the Stingray underpowered. Its giant 6.2-litre V8, called the LT2 and breathing naturally without recourse to forced induction, is in the finest American traditions - it doesn't make a lot of specific hp-per-litre, uses archaic and rather simplistic technology (pushrods for its overhead valves) and is centred on low-down torque rather than high-revs fireworks (it's all done and dusted by 6,450rpm).
Boiling it down in such a reductive way, however, is to grossly undersell the Stingray's wonderful driving experience, of which the majestic engine is a central and starring component. The noise the LT2 makes is utterly glorious from grumbling idle through barrel-chested midrange to bellowing redline, and the only criticism we have of it is that we wish the car were even louder than it already is, which is pretty loud indeed.
The eight-speed DCT fitted to the Corvette is as good as any similar gearbox from this side of the Atlantic, shifting crisply and quickly at all times, and responding well to both large inputs of the throttle and clicks on the paddles behind the steering wheel. And a 3.5-second 0-100km/h is only marginally indicative of just how quick the Stingray is when it's on the move; this is a seriously, seriously fast car in the grand scheme of things.
What we love about it, though, is that it's the most GT-like of all the Corvettes, eclipsing both the E-Ray and (obviously) the much more hardcore Z06 for the beautiful way it can cover cruddy tarmac with aplomb.
There's real light-and-shade between the three main drive modes of Tour, Sport and Track, with the steering and suspension firming up as you step through the settings, while the engine and exhaust wake up fully in the latter two programmes.
Track mode does make the suspension a little too stiff for the worst country back roads, so Sport is the best setting for a spirited drive on your favourite routes - where the lovely steering, superb brakes and balanced chassis all come to the fore.
But in the Tour setting with the hood down, the sense of impeccable ride comfort and impressive mechanical refinement in the Corvette Stingray is quite wondrous. The only two comparable mid-engined cars we can think of that get even close to the Chevy's elegant comportment are the original Honda NSX and the much-missed Audi R8.
Like those two cars, the 'Vette has the chops to comprehensively entertain and thrill its driver when you want it to, but it can also play the complete pussy cat and ooze along in dignified comfort and quiet for those times when you're dealing with the grim reality of traffic-congested, real-world roads.
Unquestionably, and understandably, the Z06 is the better outright driver's car when comparing it to the Stingray... but we think the latter might be our favourite C8 Corvette of all, simply for its staggering all-round abilities at the expense of a small degree of on-the-limit track talent. That's a most worthwhile dynamic trade-off.
Interior, practicality, tech & comfort of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
• Feels suitably different to European norm
• Blue-and-black leather might be excessive
• Switchgear takes familiarisation
Like all C8 Corvettes, the Stingray has a cabin which feels beautifully put together, uses swish materials across the board, has an individuality of design which sets it apart from any European or Japanese competitors, and is genuinely a very enjoyable place to spend some time.
That runway of buttons up the side of the transmission tunnel takes some getting used to, sure, and the placement of things like the hazard-warning lights and the switch for the lane-keeping aid up on the windscreen's header rail is an odd one, but with a fabulous digital instrument cluster and some lovely haptics, the interior of this vehicle is a true winner.
We just wish the seats were mounted a little lower so that you don't feel like your head is brushing the roof lining at times (not such a concern with the top down on the Convertible, of course, but you get the idea). Oh, and while we loved the pictured colour scheme, we have to concede that blue-and-black leather is not going to be to all tastes. Regrettably.
One handy little trick of the Stingray Convertible relates to its interior mirror. All Corvettes have a camera-view interior set-up that, as on other cars with the same tech, can be switched between the digital rear view and just the plain reflective glass of the mirror by toggling the tab underneath the housing. On the Coupe 'Vettes, the view out of the rear window isn't great, although it's not the worst we've ever experienced in a mid-engined supercar. However, in the Convertible, the mirror automatically switches from the digital view with the hood in the raised position, to the glass when the top is down, and vice-versa.
It's a slick transition and you don't notice it the first few times you operate the roof, but once you do you realise how good both views are in relation to the hard-top's position, and so you tend to leave the mirror alone to do its thing.
Irish pricing & rivals of the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
• Like all Corvettes, Stingray not available here
• Would be the least expensive version to import
• Broad spread of talents opens it up to more rivals
Chevrolet is highly unlikely to officially offer any Corvettes here in Ireland, so your best bet is importing one from the UK where the Stingray is many tens of thousands of pounds cheaper than the other two cars in the range - although as a 3LT (higher spec) Convertible car like this, it's still a six-figure car; and the 277g/km CO2 will make it terrifically expensive here once VRT is factored into the equation.
Also, because it's less specialised than either the E-Ray or Z06 models, the Stingray has far more rivals in the world - not least the multitude of Carrera-badged Porsche 911 Cabriolets and Targas, any of which is far easier to get hold of here in Ireland if you've got deep pockets.
Verdict - should you buy the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray?
Getting one into Ireland will be the issue, as will the expense, but if you have the means to ignore these considerations then the C8 Corvette Stingray Convertible is a tremendous car. It's full of character, it has a rarity factor here like little else this side of a Koenigsegg or Rimac, and rather wonderfully it also backs all of this pre-drive promise up with a thoroughly talented, engaging and loveable drivetrain-and-chassis combination. If you get the chance, give the C8 Stingray a whirl - because it will completely alter your preconceptions about just how good a Corvette can be.
FAQs about the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Has the Chevrolet Corvette always had a Stingray model?
No, only four generations of the Corvette (the C2, C3, C7 and this C8) have used either Sting Ray or Stingray epithets. Nevertheless, it's a phrase that's intrinsically linked with Corvettes in the minds of motoring enthusiasts, and its first usage dates back as long as the Z06 moniker to 1963. This base model C8 (and its E-Ray relation) both have cool little stingray emblems mounted on the top surface of the car's rear deck, which is a nice touch.
What body styles can you get the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray in?
It is available as both a Coupe and this Convertible, with its folding metal hard-top. Interestingly, every 'Coupe' C8 Corvette has a chassis that is so structurally strong that it can have a pop-out roof section, which has to be removed manually. So, all Corvette drivers can enjoy the fresh air while motoring along, although the Convertible has the fancier, all-electric mechanism to play with. The Stingray is also sold in its own two luxury-oriented specifications, called 2LT and 3LT, whereas the E-Ray and the Z06 have their own trim grade called 3LZ.
Is the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray more polluting than the E-Ray?
If you want an indication of how hybrid power for the Corvette is not about cutting emissions and is instead all about boosting the car's performance, look no further than the official figures of the Stingray versus the E-Ray. Partly because the latter car is a good 177-179kg heavier spec-for-spec and body-for-body than the Stingray, it actually has marginally worse CO2 and fuel consumption figures (289g/km and 12.6 litres/100km, respectively).
However, it's six tenths of a second quicker to 100km/h from rest and has the traction benefits of all-wheel drive plus a limited amount of electric-only driving ability, so there are advantages to having the E-Ray over the Stingray.
Want to know more about the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray?
Is there anything else you'd like to know about the C8 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray? Or anything you feel we haven't covered here? Then just head over to our Ask Us Anything section and, well, ask us anything.
