The 2020 Corvette finally went mid-engine, shedding old limitations for performance.

Well, Chevorlet finally did it.

The iconic Chevorlet dream-car finally became available as a mid-engine vehicle after over 20 years of discussion and rumors. Now it remains to be seen how consumers respond.

Corvette Stingray, an Everyday Supercar

During the live reveal event in Tustin, California on Thursday night, Chevy management, designers and engineers all talked about the affordable supercar.

Management and engineers alike spoke about the 2020 Stingray being a car consumers could use for long road trips and a trip across town.

While selling that concept might be difficult when speaking about a car with 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, the new Corvette did come with practical design aspects:

• Outstanding ingress/egress for a mid-engine vehicle, making it easier to enter and exit the vehicle.
• Excellent stability due to a low center of gravity and outstanding handling.
• Preservation of Corvette’s beloved standard removable roof panel, which can easily be stored in the rear trunk.
• A front storage compartment that can fit an airline-spec carry-on and a laptop bag.
• Availability in both left- and right-hand-drive variants — a first for Corvette.

An Everyday Supercar Inspired by Rocket Ships and Race Cars?

As was alluded to earlier, Chevy will need more than a fancy presentation to convince the average consumer the 2020 Stingray should be considered an everyday automobile.

The car goes from 0-60 in three seconds with Chevy’s next-generation 6.2L Small Block V-8 LT2 engine, the only naturally aspirated V-8 in the segment. It will produce 495 horsepower (369 kW) and 470 lb-ft (637 Nm) of torque when equipped with performance exhaust — the most horsepower and torque for any entry Corvette.

The next generation LT2 is paired with Chevrolet’s first eight speed dual-clutch transmission, which provides lightning-fast shifts and excellent power transfer. This transmission is uniquely designed with TREMEC to provide the best of both worlds: the spirited, direct connected feeling of a manual and the premium driving comfort of an automatic

The double-paddle de-clutch feature even allows the driver to disconnect the clutch by holding both paddles for more manual control.

Paddle shifters allow drivers to choose a specific gear.

The new Small Block V-8 has a torque curve optimized to take advantage of the bespoke DCT’s lightning-fast shifts. Engineers set the DCT up with a very low first gear to leverage the additional traction to get the car off the line quickly, and its close-ratio gears 2 through 6 keep the engine near the power peak on track. Tall seventh and eighth gears make for easy long-distance cruising with low mechanical stress and excellent fuel economy.

The DCT is mated to a new Electronic Transmission Range Selector. With this electric shifter there’s no mechanical interface between the shift lever and the transmission. The Corvette’s electric shifter incorporates two pull toggles for Reverse and Drive and push buttons for Park, Neutral and Low/Manual. The shifter has been designed to be more attractive and compact than a standard shifter.

A Cockpit Designed to Serve the Driver

The Corvette became synonymous with astronauts during the height of America’s Apollo Moon program. Pilots like to be in control.

The 2020 Corvette Stingray caters to the needs of the driver—or in this case the pilot.

The Stingray ‘cockpit’ surrounds the driver with information and convenience. Designers removed almost all the buttons from the dash. The digital speedometer cluster provides a wealth of information.

As with previous Corvette models, the 2020 Stingray comes with various driving modes, including a track mode to record performance metrics and map tracks.

Three different seat options will be available. All 3 options resemble the race car seat you always wish you had in any car you owned.

Other new technology features include:

• Corvette’s next-generation infotainment system is faster and simpler, with a higher resolution display.
• Chevy-first one-touch Bluetooth pairing with Near Field Communication.
• Wireless charging.
• Learn-as-you-go voice recognition.
• Improved real-time traffic.
• A new, 12-inch customizable instrument cluster tailored to all six driver modes.

How Much Does it Cost?

The entry 2020 Stingray hopes to live up to the everyday supercar value proposition, saying entry level models will start under $60,000.

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray goes into production at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly in late 2019. Additional pricing and packaging information will be shared closer to launch.