2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe

If we can dream it, we can build it. It's as simple as that. The American people have been begging for a mid-engined Corvette since Ghostbusters movies were still good, and now that it's here, people seem, well, happy. We'd love to call the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe a supercar, but at the price, it's more of a highly exotic sports car that can keep up with cars three times its price. Corvettes have always had the uncanny ability to do so, and the C8 begs the question as to why you should fork over hundreds of thousands of dollars for something with a European brand name and a check engine light if you can just buy American and get the same level of performance. The 6.2-liter V8 under the hood of the Stingray develops only 490 horsepower, but it still launches the RWD Corvette at lightning speed. The interior is pretty, too. The Stingray Coupe goes up against cars such as the Porsche 911 Carrera, Jaguar F-Type, and even the odd Aston Martin Vantage.

The C8 Corvette looks like it was designed in the mind of a prepubescent boy who's seriously into The Transformers and secretly pounding Monster energy drinks on his lunch break. In other words, it looks pretty badass. Being the first mid-engined car in the history of the Corvette, Chevrolet went for an evolutionary look that still manages to grip your attention. It's one of the most exotic-looking American production cars ever built, and the standard removable Targa top just adds to the fun. Standard exterior features include 19-inch front and 20-inch rear alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season tires, auto-dimming power-folding outside mirrors, Carbon Flash exterior accents, and LED headlights. Optional extras for the 2-door speedster include a transparent roof panel, Shadow Gray exterior accents, and totally awesome racing stripes in a wide variety of colors. A thousand buyers can have their Corvettes stand out even more this year with the limited IMSA GTML Championship Edition decked out in either gray our yellow with a Carbon Flash rear spoiler and mirrors.

Compared to the dimensions of competitors such as the Porsche 911 and even the Toyota Supra, the C8 Corvette Stingray Coupe is a lengthy machine, which further accentuates its supercar persona. With a total length of 182.3 inches, the Corvette is almost ten inches longer than the Supra and 4.4 inches longer than the Porsche. Its 107.2-inch wheelbase makes the Porsche 911 Carrera look like an imp. Its width of 76.1 inches (excluding the mirrors) is manageable, but you'll have to bend down low to get inside the cabin, thanks to a height of just 48.6 inches. The track width in the front is 64.9 inches and 62.4 inches in the back. Chevrolet has done its best to keep the weight off: the C8 Stingray Coupe tips the scales at a respectable dry weight of 3,366 lbs.

There's no point in trying to hide the fact that you drive one of the fastest and most capable American sports cars ever made; that's why Chevrolet offers the C8 Corvette Stingray Coupe in an array of colors that range from kinda wild to really wild. The good news is that all of the colors are available on all three trim levels. There are a total of 12 colors available, 8 of which are no-cost options: Arctic White, Black, Ceramic Gray Metallic, Silver Flare Metallic, Torch Red, Elkhart Blue Metallic, Hypersonic Gray Metallic, and Caffeine Metallic - the last two new for 2022. Accelerate Yellow Metallic and Rapid Blue cost $500 while Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat and Amplify Orange Tintcoat - the latter replacing last year's Sebring Orange Tintcoat - cost $995. New owners also get to add some fuel to the fire with a range of ten different accent stripes and decals, depending on choice of body paint, including full-length dual racing stripe packages for $995 and Stinger stripes for $500.

The engine might have moved behind the seats, but the 6.2L V8 remains true to the Corvette ethos: it's large displacement, it's naturally aspirated, and has eight cylinders. This move has also brought with it some serious performance advantages. The weight transfer on launch to the back wheels gives the C8 Stingray a massive grip advantage over the old front-engined Corvettes, and most are stunned at just how quickly this somewhat "rudimentary" supercar can launch off the line. The horsepower figure of 490 might not seem too impressive by today's standards, but that 465 lb-ft of torque more than closes the gap, helping the C8 Corvette Coupe to sprint from 0-60 mph in around three seconds. The optional Z51 package adds a high-performance exhaust that increases power by five horsepower, along with an electronic LSD, upgraded suspension, and a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires. With these modifications, the C8 Coupe will dart to sixty in under three seconds. The quarter-mile line gets crossed in just 11.2 seconds, and those patriotic enough will see a top speed of 194 mph.

Chevrolet hasn't tried to reinvent the wheel when it comes to the C8's powertrain; instead, it has matched up reliable V8 power with a modern transmission, and we must admit, the combination works exceptionally well. Under the engine cover of the 2022 model Stingray C8 Coupe, you'll find an LT4 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine developing 490 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Chevrolet's choice to go with a naturally aspirated V8 means that it can keep costs low, making the C8 Corvette one of the performance bargains of the decade. Get behind the wheel, and you'll be blown away by just how fast that 490 hp feels; the C8 Coupe bolts off the line with a level of ferocity usually reserved for much more exotic machinery. Our only wish is that the exhaust made a bit more noise, but there is an obvious and easy remedy for that. The DCT transmission offers lightning-fast shifts, and the package as a whole just works well.

Those used to the handling characteristics of the old front-engined, rear-wheel-drive Corvettes will experience a slight learning curve when stepping into the C8. Placing the engine behind the seats has completely changed the way the Corvette behaves in the corners, and it will take some time, practice, and a few sets of rubber to link your favorite course of corners at the drift track. Once settled behind the wheel, it becomes clear that the C8 Coupe actually likes to show some understeer when pushed hard. To solve this, you'll have to switch off the traction control and stomp on the loud pedal. This allows the C8 Coupe to rotate more. Most will never be able to exploit this car around a track fully, but those who can will appreciate its sharp turn-in and grip levels. If you're serious about taking your 'Vette to the track, then we'd recommend getting the Z51 package, which includes the excellent magnetic ride control suspension system. The standard car can feel stiff at lower speeds, but this upgraded system makes it feel surprisingly comfortable over most road surfaces. Braking feels good, but we do find that it loses feel towards the end of the pedal. There's lots of room for improvement, but that's what the hardcore versions are for.

What do you get when you build a supercar with a big 6.2-liter V8 engine stuffed behind the rear seats? An expensive fuel bill. In all seriousness, the C8 Corvette Stingray Coupe is a rather heavy drinker, but we've seen far worse gas mileage. The EPA rates that the 2022 'Vette will manage 16/24/19 mpg on the city/highway/combined cycles. That's not bad when you consider that this is a sub-three-second 0-60 mph car with a top speed of nearly 200 mph. Expect to see those numbers drop faster than crispy KFC skin down Cartman's throat when pushed. With an 18.5-gallon tank onboard, the Corvette Stingray Coupe will get you 352 miles outside of New York before the undead masses start to overrun the ill-prepared troops.

When the C8 Corvette was launched, fans were blown away by just how different Chevrolet's approach was when it came to its halo sports coupe's interior design. Where previous generations had struggled with build quality issues and unfashionable designs, the C8 blew a breath of fresh air into the Corvette stable. The 2022 model carries over everything we love about the 2021 edition; the design is modern and decidedly exotic, even when compared to "true exotics" from Europe, and we're pleased to say that the build quality and material choices are still top-notch. We love that the dashboard is explicitly driver-oriented and that narrow strip of buttons running down the side of the center console could feature in a Blade Runner movie.

Sure, the Corvette is an all-out sports car, but it won't turn away a few chunky boys looking for a good time. There's a surprising amount of space inside the cabin of the C8 Stingray Coupe, even for a 2-seater. Getting in and out isn't a significant problem unless you have an injury preventing you from stooping a bit lower than usual. Once inside, you get a generous 42.8 inches of legroom, which is more than enough for six-footers and above, but the 37.9 inches of headroom could be a problem for the tallest of the tall. The sport seats offer generous support, and you can even opt for a set of more hardcore GT2 or Competition Sport bucket seats, which may cut off the blood supply to the outer organs of larger Homo Sapiens.

With a beautifully crafted cabin, the Chevy Corvette Coupe has taken one step closer to closing the perceived quality gap between American and European sports cars. The base model is offered with standard Jet Black Mulan leather upholstery and is also provided with Sky Cool Gray and Adrenaline Red upholstery. The optional Competition Bucket seats can only be had in Jet Black and are trimmed in Performance Textile. The 2LT vehicles expand on this somewhat limited palette by adding a bevy of additional Nappa choices, including Jet Black, Natural, and Sky Cool Gray, which can be paired up with perforated inserts or sueded microfiber. Some options will require you to cash out on the GT2 or Competition Sport bucket seats, though. 3LT cars get cool color combos such as Sky Cool Gray and Strike Yellow seats, with some combos requiring you to get the sueded microfiber-wrapped steering wheel and/or Custom Interior Trim package. The standard seatbelt color is black, but other choices include Tension Blue, orange, yellow, and Torch Red. The standard brushed aluminum trim looks classy and can be upgraded to carbon fiber.

The Corvette has been lauded for its practicality, but ever since the engine decided to emigrate, Chevrolet has had to come up with an interesting storage solution. The Corvette features a very European frunk with a total size of 8.6 cubic feet. Pop the engine cover, and you'll also find a smaller trunk behind the motor. You get 12.6 cubic feet in total. This might not sound all that impressive, but you'll still be able to do a decent grocery run or pack for a weekend away with the partner. Rich country clubbers will also be pleased to hear that you can fit a set of golf clubs in the trunk of the Corvette, or the removable targa top for those sunny California days. Sure it's tight, but it offers a lot more than some of the competition. Inside the cabin, the Corvette offers a small storage bin in the center console, as well as a small slot between the seats, a glovebox, and door pockets.

The exterior of the C8 Coupe might steal the show with its prominent alloy wheels, LED headlights, and targa top, but it's on the inside where the action gets hot. All Corvette Stingray Coupes are offered with standard 4G LTE Wi-Fi, eight-way power driver and passenger seats, a 12-inch digital gauge cluster, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless open and start, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, an oil-life monitoring system, and rear park assist. The 2LT adds a bunch of handy features such as HD front and rear vision cameras, a memory function for the driver's and passenger's seat, steering, and mirror positions, power lumbar control and power seatback bolsters, a performance data and video recorder, a head-up display unit with three selectable modes (Tour, Sport, and Track), a rear camera mirror, and wireless phone charging. The 2LT also features rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and a car alarm for added safety. The top-of-the-range 3LT adds a custom leather-wrapped interior covering the upper instrument panel, door trim panels, and upper console. The track-focused GT2 bucket seats and standard carbon fiber trim add a touch of focus to the interior, and the Nappa leather seating surfaces with perforated inserts and sueded microfiber-wrapped upper interior trim package add a touch of class.

The 2022 Coupe retains the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Plus system, which includes an eight-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth streaming for two active devices, 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity, voice recognition, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, HD radio, a three-month trial subscription to SiriusXM, and a 10-speaker Bose sound system. The 2LT and 3LT additionally gets a 14-speaker Bose system and include navigation as standard. We appreciate the driver-focused cockpit of the Corvette Coupe and the fact that all significant controls are angled towards the driver for easier access. Train your left arm to swat away pesky passengers that try to fiddle with the touchscreen.

The 2020 Corvette Stingray Coupe was recalled four times - for an issue with the front trunk release, for a hood that could inadvertently open at speed, for a malfunctioning seat-belt retractor, and for a faulty sensor in the electronic brake boost system. By 2021, the teething troubles have mostly been sorted out and there was just one recall - for an inoperative airbag light that might not illuminate to indicate an airbag problem. The 2022 model is so far recall-free. The 2022 C8 Corvette has been given excellent scores by J.D. Power: 86 out of 100 overall and a particularly outstanding 89 for quality and reliability.

Chevrolet will cover the Corvette with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty, a five-year/60,000-mile drivetrain warranty, and a one-visit/one-year maintenance plan.

Neither the NHTSA nor IIHS has yet subjected the C8 Corvette Stingray Coupe to review so there are no safety ratings to go on, but judging by its limited number of safety features, we don't expect that it will be winning any awards.

When Chevrolet builds a vehicle capable of doing almost 200 mph, you'd expect it to stuff said car full of the most advanced safety systems, but that's not the case with the C8 Corvette Stingray Coupe. This car comes with your basic airbag setup that includes frontal airbags and seat-mounted side-impact airbags. ABS, stability control, and traction control are naturally on board, and all cars benefit from rear park assist and a teen-driver system. 2LT and 3LT cars get standard rear cross-traffic alert, side blind-zone alert, and HD front-vision cameras. And that's all she wrote.

It's hard not to make a big deal out of the fact that you can buy a mid-engined American supercar for only $60,900. Ok, so it's not exactly a supercar by traditional standards, but it sure does perform and look like one. Chevrolet has gone beyond what Americans thought was possible from a domestic car manufacturer: not only has it kept the price of the C8 Chevy Corvette Stringray Coupe down and retained the naturally-aspirated V8, but it has changed the perception of what we thought it meant to drive an American sports car. The C8 Corvette Coupe goes like stink, has a refined and well-built interior, and will cost you half as much as a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S Coupe. Sure, there are local offerings that deliver more power, but no other American sports car will make you feel this special and involved.

Besides the fact that it looks fantastic, goes like Honey Booboo on ice skates down a ski slope, and feels like a proper luxury sports car on the inside, the Corvette's other major party trick is its price. You can have one of these mid-engined beasts for only $60,900. That's the MSRP of the base model 1LT, of course. Stepping up to the 2LT will cost you $68,200, while the 3LT goes on sale for $72,850. These prices exclude the $1,295 destination charge. To put that into perspective, the cheapest Porsche 911 you can buy is the Carrera Coupe, which, for $101,200, offers only 379 hp and 331 lb-ft. Fully loaded, the 3LT can cross the $100k mark.

The 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe comes in three trims: 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT. They all share the same direct-injected and naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine with 490 hp, sending its power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission.

The 1LT runs on staggered 19-/20-inch alloy wheels and comes with LED headlights and Carbon Flash exterior accents. Inside, it has a 12-inch digital gauge cluster, eight-way electrically adjustable and leather-trimmed GT1 bucket seats, a power tilting/telescoping and leather-trimmed steering wheel, cruise control, dua-zone climate control, keyless open and start, and remote start. The infotainment system has an eight-inch touchscreen and includes Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, HD Radio, Bluetooth streaming for two active devices, Wi-Fi, and a ten-speaker Bose audio system. Safety features include rear park assist and a teen-driver feature.

2LT trim adds to these features auto-dimming and power-folding rear-view mirrors, a memory function for both occupants' seat, mirror, and steering wheel positions, a performance data and video recorder, power lumbar support and seatback bolsters for both seats, and a universal home remote. The infotainment system gets navigation, wireless charging, and a 14-speaker Bose audio system and additional safety features include a rear camera mirror, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, and a head-up display with Tour, Sport, and Track modes.

The 3LT is the top trim and additionally gets extended leather on the door trims, console cover, and upper dashboard, GT2 competition bucket seats with carbon-fiber trim, and a sueded microfiber interior trim package with the material covering the headliner, visors, and A-pillar trim.

No true Corvette fan will pass on the Z51 Performance package, which, for $6,345, will add performance suspension, an electronic limited-slip differential, a performance rear ratio axle, performance Brembo anti-lock brakes, a high-flow exhaust, new front and rear aero parts, summer performance tires, and a heavy-duty cooling system. While you're at it, you might as well brighten up the engine bay with the $995 Engine Appearance Package, which adds a carbon-fiber closeout panel on each side of the engine and an LED lighting system. Of note this year is the limited IMSA GTLM Championship C8R Edition package, only available on the 3LT trim for $6,595 while stocks last - only a thousand are available. This package requires the Hypersonic Gray or Accelerate Yellow exterior paint and requires the Z51 Performance Package, which means it ends up adding $12,940 to the price. It includes special black alloy wheels, yellow brake calipers, the rear spoiler and mirrors finished in Carbon Flash, a numbered plaque, and an interior color-matched to the exterior.

The Corvette Coupe is not the type of car that will get parked in a garage and only driven on special occasions; it's relatively practical and easy to live with on a day-to-day basis, and most owners will use it accordingly. That is why we suggest going with the middle-of-the-range 2LT, which adds many nice-to-haves that new owners will appreciate in the long run. These include integrated navigation, heated and ventilated seats, and a head-up display, all of which go a long way to making a car more liveable in the long run.

The 2022 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe might be the ultimate American sports car, but others offer even more power at little to no extra cost. The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 Coupe is such an option. The ZL1 starts at $63,000, making it just $2,100 dearer than the C8. What do you get for the extra dough? Well, about 160 more horsepower and two more seats. Don't let the four-seat layout fool you, however: in reality, the Corvette is the more comfortable car to live with, and the ZL1's back seats are best used as extra storage space to supplement its 9.1-cubic-foot trunk. The ZL1 Camaro is a potent track weapon and is massively fast in a straight line, but the Corvette is more fun, offers an immense sense of occasion, and is cheaper.

What do these two cars have in common? Cheap horsepower. If power is your main concern, and you don't have the bucks to park a new Corvette in your driveway, then the Ford Mustang GT starts to make a lot of sense. This all-American hero offers an impressive 460 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque from its 5.0-liter V8 at a cost of only $36,285. At around $79 per horsepower, it beats the $124-per-pony figure of the Corvette. The Mustang is also a more practical daily driver with its 13.5-cubic-foot trunk. That low asking price makes itself known in specific areas, though: the interior is filled with cheap plastics, and the infotainment system isn't the greatest. At the end of the day, you get what you pay for, and if it's cheap power you're after, you can't go wrong with the Mustang, but we'll always go for the Corvette if the bucks are there.