Is This The Z51 Package For The Mid Engine Corvette C8 Stingray?
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For the past week or so, Chevrolet has been at the famed Nürburgring track putting the new 2020 Corvette C8 through its paces. In addition to providing the Bow Tie brand with critical test sessions at the track, the time spent at the ‘Ring have also provided our spy photographers with a chance to capture the camouflaged mid-engine Corvette prior to its big debut this Thursday in Southern California. As such, something interesting caught our eye earlier on Monday: a Corvette C8 with what appears to be a Z51 performance package!
While we’ve always known the new Corvette C8 would offer a full range of performance packages and go-faster models/trim levels, this is the first time we’ve captured photographic evidence of such. Apparently, Chevy had no less than six examples of the Corvette C8 at the ‘Ring, and lucky enough for us, we managed to snag a shot of two of the models with differing exterior specs side-by-side.
In this photo, we see what appears to be a standard, base-level Corvette C8 Stingray parked ahead of an upgraded Corvette C8 Stingray Z51. While the lead car is equipped with silver-painted five-spoke wheels, the Corvette C8 Stingray Z51 behind it has larger multi-spoke wheels in a darker grey finish. Also notice the difference in the aero packages: the lead base-model Stingray is fitted with a small lip spoiler along the deck lid, while the Corvette C8 Stingray Z51 behind it has a much more pronounced three-piece spoiler.
Zooming in, we also notice that the brake calipers, with the standard C8 Stingray equipped with black calipers, while the C8 Stingray Z51 red calipers. In fact, the Z51 might get larger rotors, but we can’t tell from this angle. That said, we would expect the rotor differences to be at the front, rather than at the rear, but we don’t have a clear angle to do a side-by-side comparison.
Corvette C8 Stingray Z51 rear brakes
Corvette C8 Stingray rear brakes
All this definitely falls in line with our expectations for the optional Corvette C8 Stingray Z51 performance package. Of course, the rest of the package details are still under wraps, but to provide additional clues as to what it may contain, here are the current Corvette C7 Stingray Z51 package contents:
- Dry sump oil system
- Electronic Limited-Slip Differential (eLSD)
- Larger front brakes (13.6 inch vs. 12.6 inch) with black calipers
- Specific shocks, springs and stabilizer bars
- Differential and transmission cooling
- Unique Aero Package that reduces lift for high-speed stability
- Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP summer-only tires that are aggressively tuned to provide outstanding handling, grip and road-holding capability
- Available Magnetic Selective Ride Control and Performance Traction Management
- HD cooling
- Slotted brake rotors
- Performance Gear Ratios
Stay tuned, as we have loads of new Corvette C8 content coming down the pipeline leading up to and after the big reveal on July 18th, 2019. In the meantime, subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Corvette news, Chevrolet news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
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Yes! An opportunity to eliminate that goofy looking three-piece spoiler… much better with the lip spoiler.
Elsewhere on the interwebs, someone zoomed in on the Corvette with the orange and yellow book on the windshield and enhanced the image. The 12 O’Clock indicator on the steering wheel is distinctly red, as opposed to the black one shown in the official image that GM provided. Currently unsure if this is done to match the red seat belts, red interior option, or if it’s for the Z51 cars since that one is also sporting the “batwing” spoiler and upgraded rims.
And I realize I’m totally in the minority here, but I really like that spoiler so far.
I will be completely floored if at least one C8 model doesn’t offer an Active Rear Wing like literally most modern Sports Cars do today.
Cannot wait for Thursday Night though. I have a feeling the C8 will blow us away even if it will be missing some minor wants that everyone has different takes on.
If you want to see the C8 in person, and you live on the East Coast, there will be at least one C8 at the Kerbeck Corvette dealership in Atlantic City on July 26th, and 27th………go to the Kerbeck website…….
Expectations are that the new base car will deliver performance closer to the Z06 than present base Stingray in handling. Then as the other models come they should each leap frog the present model they replace. That has been the pattern the Vette team has always followed.
The handling I expect will be more organic as it will not need as much electronic intervention as the present car does. It will still have electronics but they will not kick in as much. Even now the present ZR1 is at the limit and can hardly use all the power and put it to the ground.
I am sure there will be some thing here or there some will say why did they not do this or that but the overall package should get rave reviews and if you want anything better you would have to pay 2-4 times more. That is the most impressive point of the Corvette is the performance per dollar delivered.
More performance is cool, but it only benefits the small subset of customers who actually take advantage of it. And that begs the question: do we really need more performance? Is that what the market is asking for?
Would the development resources not have been better spent making a car that’s better at being a car, rather than delivering higher levels of performance – which is like answering a question few seem to be asking.
Note in my statement “handling I expect will be more organic as it will not need as much electronic intervention as the present car does”. This means an easier car to drive and more rewarding to drive as it will rely more on the driver than some computer.
As for more performance you know as as well as the rest of us that performance numbers sell. A car that can put down amazing lap times and be done by a non professional driver will always sell.
While most drivers will not do lap times the prestige and image of owning a car that can sells. .
Also you would be surprised on how many do find the track. My boss is an older gentleman who owns a Z06 with the Z07 option and i saw he was wearing the tires out. I asked and he said he was doing track and autocross.
Anyways breaking milestones in the industry and posting big numbers helps marketing and image. Cadillac could learn a bit here.
if performance numbers sell, what happened to the camaro?
in just about every comparison, reviewers rave about the camaro’s perfomance yet the mustang and now even the challenger is outselling them.
Steve it is not just a Camaro issue it is a two door limited use vehicle issue.
The Mustang, Challenger and Camaro all three are down. Even the equinox out sells all three combined.
You can try to blame vision sight lines or black paint on the nose but the trouble is much deeper than that.
The C8 will be a better cst in a number of ways but in this image sports car class numbers still count for marketing.
The key to the C8 is it is not like the Hellcat that can not use s the power but it will be given all that it can use over time.
As for marketing while the hellcat sales are limited it has done much to promote an old overweight car.
so here is the deal. we are talking about pony cars not suv/cuvs.
the camaro is the best track car amongst the three but it is far from the best selling.
you could try to spin it all you want, but those are the facts.
apparently, performance numbers don’t sell when it comes to the camaro.
So…you guys are just figuring this out? After all the spy photos showing two different wheel designs, and cars with and without rear wings? For like a year?
Cool beans. Just wait until tomorrow and all will be told.
Figuring it out? No. Reporting on it? Yes.
And hey, no one else in the world has reported on Z51 or even mentioned it. You’re welcome.
Z51 wheels look really nice.
The devil is in the details as we’re trying to decipher what’s what from camouflaged pictures; but what the heck for when we’ve not even had a second of seat time and will it mean very much as the Z51 package was not a dramatic upgrade over the base C7 Corvette and one has to think it will be a similar situation as it will feature some tweaks over the base car and ask why not incorporate it as the base given it wouldn’t add significantly to the car’s price.
Another question people are still wondering is whether Cadillac be getting access to the underpinnings of the C8 Corvette to develop their own halo car.
Yes, it will be called the Allanté.
I remain hopeful (and am wishing) that the C8 will be everything that the next generation Corvette should be, however I am growing increasingly concerned about its styling. The fetish to get to a mid-engine car should NOT have eclipsed the importance of its style and aesthetics. With that ugly mottled surface to “hide” the car, I am forced to look at bulbous “hints” of what may turn out to be a non-elegant styling. The C7 made my heart pound when I first saw it. The “Stingray” prototype was amazing as well. But a non-impressive front and bulbous back will not do the trick for me in the C8 I fear…Ever.