As Chevrolet embarked on the historic introduction of its first mid-engine Stingray Corvette, marketing chief Steve Majoros admitted that he lost sleep as to whether the iconic sports car's new direction would be a success or a tone-deaf failure like New Coke.
He's resting easier these days.
“We are experiencing unprecedented demand in anticipation for the car,” said Majoros. “At some point we just tell (dealers) we can’t build the number you are asking us to build.”
The numbers tell the story. Demand is five times greater than dealer allotments for the C8 Stingray. Chevy has gotten an unprecedented 192,131 “hand-raisers” customers who express an interest in buying for a nameplate that has averaged 24,000 copies sold a year since 2006
The Corvette website has been deluged by 6.9 million visits since its introduction in July of last year with Chevy’s “Visualizer” car-configuration page receiving 2.5 million visits. “It has blown away all daily, monthly and annual numbers for a nameplate on Chevy.com,” said Majoros who was in Nevada for the C8’s media track test at Spring Mountain Raceway.
The Stingray’s combination of European styling and Ferrari-like performance numbers have opened it to an exotic car buyer who traditionally only shops for $200,000-plus Italian supercars.
“We’ve gotten a lot of interest from people who can afford anything,” said Corvette product manager Harlan Charles. “They really appreciate it because they can drive it every day, cross-country, and take trips with confidence knowing they have Chevy dealer support.” Charles says that such luxury buyers traditionally buy mid-engine exotics as “point A to point A” cars. That is, vanity cars to take to the country club or race track on weekends.
The C8, says Charles, introduces a mid-engine exotic that, for the first time, is not only affordable at a base price of $59,995 but also has ample cargo room, comfort, and a reliable dealer network that defies the stereotype of mid-engine sports cars as fragile toys.
Boosting the Corvette’s insatiable demand is the fact that the car is also offered as a hard-top convertible a luxury heretofore only seen on cars like the $300,000 Ferrari 488 and McLaren 720S.
Even though the $7,000 drop-top option has only been available for order since October (after the base C8 coupe’s July intro), it’s already running at 25% of orders north of Corvette’s traditional 20% convertible demand. Charles predicts that number will continue to grow. “There is no compromise with the convertible,” says Charles. "It stows on top of the engine, so customers don’t sacrifice cargo space or chassis stiffness.” As the broader customer base suggests, the new car has put pressure on Chevy to raise its marketing game.
Thousands of new customers have flooded Chevy dealerships to view the C8’s traveling showroom many of them buyers who have never considered a Chevy. The first cars should be delivered to buyers in the next couple of weeks.
Charles says every dealership that sells Corvettes now must train a staffer here at Spring Mountain Raceway. That's to make sure they have a Corvette expert who has driven the Stingray on the track and experienced its state-of-the-art technology. So-called “signature” Chevy dealers who sell high numbers of Corvettes will send two sales people and a service staffer.
Additionally, Chevy has added a concierge service so Corvette customers can ask detailed questions about their purchase. Dozens of videos have been crafted for YouTube so that buyers learn how to use new tech like the Performance Data Recorder (which records real-time track data) and multiple drive modes.
"The mid-engine design attracts new buyers, so there's going to be people darkening the doorway of a Chevy dealership for the first time,” said Rebecca Lindland, automotive consultant with RebeccaDrives.com. “These buyers may test the dealer on their knowledge of the most minute of details, armed with a very specific car in mind of the 15,000 different build-configurations Corvette offers. But the Corvette is so good; the key strategy is just to get the person to drive it.”
Hundreds of owners pass through Spring Mountain Raceway’s gates each year to learn about GM’s latest toys. The Ron Fellows racing school (ahead of gaining a fleet of new C8s in April) has been testing the Stingray for three months. The verdict from instructors is overwhelming: the C8 belongs in the rare air breathed by Italian exotics.
“It’s handles better than a Lamborghini, and is somewhere between a Ferrari 430 and a Ferrari 458,” said veteran instructor Jason Aquino who teaches enthusiasts how to go fast in Lamborghinis and Ferraris at the Exotics Racing School at nearby Las Vegas Speedway.
Bomnin Auto Group in Miami, one of the country’s biggest 'Vette peddlers, plans to give the Chevy sports car its own showroom as it converts an abandoned Toys R Us building near its Chevy showrooms. By shifting its mass rearward, the mid-engine Corvette is fastest-accelerating introductory Corvette ever 2.9-seconds zero-60. And it is speeding new challenges to the 108-year old Chevy brand.
“This is the greatest opportunity we’ve ever had to get a new generation of enthusiasts interested in Corvettes,” said Charles.
Mike Rockenfeller admits that Corvette Racing's second race outing with the new C8.R at the Circuit of the Americas is likely to be "tough" after qualifying at the back of the GTE Pro field.
The #63 Corvette shared by Rockenfeller & fellow team returnee Jan Magnussen ended up seventh & last of the GTE Pro cars during Saturday evening's qualifying session for the Lone Star Le Mans race, 2.2 seconds off the pace of the pace-setting Aston Martin.
Their average time left them 1.7s adrift of the next-slowest car in the class, and behind the fastest three GTE Am runners. Audi DTM regular Rockenfeller, who hadn't driven the mid-engined C8.R prior to the start of track action at COTA, said he anticipates an equally difficult time in what will be the car's second race outing following its debut in last month's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
"For me obviously there were a lot of things to learn," he said. "It's not so easy when you have to adapt quick. You don't have a lot of tires here with these regulations. "I tried to use my time in the Corvette as much as I can. I thought we made a lot of progress over the day in improving the setup of the car. It looked like we are behind and in qualifying showed the same tendency but we always try our best.
"For me, the handling was pretty decent and I hope we have a good race car for tomorrow [Sunday], but for sure it is going to be tough." Magnussen had driven the C8.R during its development phase last year before being replaced in Corvette's IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship line-up by Jordan Taylor.
The Danish veteran regretted an issue in qualifying that dragged down the average of the car.
"We had good improvement from first practice to second practice; I was quite happy with everything after second practice," said Magnussen. "Qualifying was a step back with an unfortunate issue that we were able to address for Mike's run, but it meant I was unable to go for a lap time. That's obviously very disappointing, but we're here to learn everything we can. We're definitely doing that.
"Hopefully we can have a problem-free race tomorrow and get the best out of it."
2020 Chevrolet Corvette full review. In this 30 minute video we get behind the wheel of the 500 horsepower V8. We drive it and find out, is the new Corvette a good buy? With a top speed of nearly 200 MPH this car performs in Ferrari and McLaren territory for a starting price of just $60,000.
Corvette Racing will embark on its next step in the development of the new Chevrolet Corvette C8.R this weekend. The program returns to competition in the FIA World Endurance Championship at Circuit of The Americas with one mid-engine Corvette for Sunday’s Six Hours of COTA.
Jan Magnussen and Mike Rockenfeller will team in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R in the Lone Star State. It’s the first of two FIA WEC rounds for the pair with the 1,000 Miles of Sebring upcoming in March with Magnussen and Rockenfeller competing in the GTE Pro category.
COTA is a familiar place for Corvette Racing. The team is a two-time winner at the 3.4-mile, 20-turn layout just outside the Austin city limits. Magnussen was part of those two victories in 2013 with the Corvette C6.R and 2017 in a Corvette C7.R. Meanwhile, this weekend’s trip will be the first for Rockenfeller to Circuit of The Americas, although he has spent time learning the circuit through simulation and video.
The Six Hours of COTA will be the second event for the Corvette C8.R following a successful debut at the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. Each of the two Corvettes finished their first race with the No. 3 C8.R finishing fourth and covering more mileage than any previous Corvette at Daytona.
The goal for the WEC rounds at COTA and Sebring is continue development of the mid-engine Corvette against similar manufacturer-backed competition that Corvette Racing faces in the IMSA GT Le Mans class. A mix of track testing and simulation has been the backbone of testing and development of the C8.R for nearly two full years.
The return of Magnussen and Rockenfeller, past endurance teammates with Corvette Racing, allows for the team to focus on technical and mechanical improvements to the Corvette with familiar drivers. Magnussen spent 16 years with Corvette Racing and won four times at the 24 Hours Le Mans, once at the Rolex 24 and captured four IMSA Driver’s Championships. Rockenfeller was a winner with Corvette Racing at the 2017 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with Magnussen and Antonio Garcia.
The FIA WEC’s Six Hours of COTA will air Sunday on MotorTrend Network from 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. ET and 6-7:30 p.m. ET.
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"I’m looking forward to getting back to Austin and COTA. It’s a new car obviously, and I’m excited to drive the Corvette C8.R at COTA. I’ve had some really good experiences with the C7.R at COTA in the past. Hopefully this will be another great result for Corvette Racing."
"We are going against the best in the business in the middle of their season, so we will go in there a little bit on the back foot. We’ll go in there to see where we are, what we can do and will make the best of it. We have high hopes with the new C8.R, so we’ll do the best we can to get the best possible result."
MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"I’m really looking forward to feel in reality how the new Corvette is. I’ve been in the team shop for a seat fitting during a couple days. So I know the car in detail sitting in it and looking at it. I followed the team closely at Daytona. The mid-engine Corvette looked very fast and competitive at Daytona going that distance and being in contention for a win this early is a good sign. But for me, it will be great to be behind the wheel on the racetrack. That’s what I’m really looking forward to."
Race Schedule :
"What I have done and will continue to do is drive the track on my simulator at home. I’ve already done several laps already so I know the track from that. But I do want to do that more in preparation for the race. I have heard now nice Austin is from a lot of people in different categories. So I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully we have a good race that’s even more important!"
With an all-new mid-engine layout and a 495 horsepower V8 moving it along, you expect the 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray to be quick. But how quickly can it really go from 0-60 in the real world?
This weekend, Jan Magnussen will join Mike “Rocky” Rockenfeller as the duo team up in the brand-new Corvette C8.R at the Lone Star Le Mans in Austin (22-23 February). Magnussen is an endurance racing supremo having competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans a staggering 21 times (including four category wins), but this will be his first time out in the C8.R and at a resurfaced Circuit of The Americas.
Below is what Denmark’s Magnussen had to tell us in our exclusive Q&A
1. Welcome back to Corvette Racing, Jan! What are you most looking forward to about the upcoming raceat COTA? "I'm looking forward to getting back to Austin and COTA. It's a new car obviously, and I'm excited to drive the Corvette C8.R at COTA. I've had some really good experiences with the C7.R at COTA in the past. Hopefully this will be another great result for Corvette Racing."
2. Have you completed much testing with the new Corvette C8.R? If so, what can you tell us about the car?
"Obviously I don't have a reference from anything this year. Last week was the first time I've driven the car in the simulator this year. The first time we drive it will be at COTA. But since I drove the sim last year, things have moved along the entire system and process is better now. Already this year the team has gotten a lot of good information from the simulator. That learning curve is a lot steeper now; they're getting a lot more information being able to prepare ourselves for a race meeting."
3. Does going to the mid-engine platform change how you approach a track?
"The C8.R is a big step forward. It will suit every track better! COTA is more of a modern F1-type circuit, and the new Corvette is perfect for it. The front-engine design was great but it did have its flaws. It was tricky to drive but it was a fast car not everyone could get their head around how to drive it well. But it was definitely quick and we had good results with it at COTA in the past. The new mid-engine layout from my experience is just a better balanced car easier to read and easier to race."
4. What do you think will be the biggest challenges at COTA?
"The resurfacing will be new for everyone. Whoever gets their head around that the fastest will be in the best position, for sure. We are going against the best in the business in the middle of their season, so we will go in there a little bit on the back foot. We'll go in there to see where we are, what we can do and will make the best of it. We have high hopes with the new C8.R, so we'll do the best we can to get the best possible result."
5. You’ve competed at Le Mans 21 times including four category wins with Corvette, do you have any stand-out moments or memories?
"Everyone's first Le Mans is very special because it's such a fantastic place with so much history. The track is unlike anything else that anyone goes to the first time. Obviously the first win with Corvette Racing in 2004 was fantastic. I don't know if that's the best win but it certainly sticks out being on that podium for the first time. The other one that stands out for the wrong reason is 2015 when we had a big crash in the Porsche Curves in qualifying. Unfortunately, we couldn't make the race which our teammates won so that stands out as well. But that's Le Mans it's merciless at times."
6. You spent 16 years of your racing career with Chevrolet, what is so special about the manufacturer?
"The longevity of my time with Corvette Racing means that there are a lot of friendships. I've become close friends with so many people. When you go through a long period of time like that, you'll have some amazing highs and some horrible lows. But all those feelings are super special and makes you feel like part of a big racing family, which I'll remember forever.
The absolute best time of my career has been the time I've spent with Corvette Racing, and I feel privileged that I get to do another couple of races with them in the new Corvette."
Later this month, Mike “Rocky” Rockenfeller will battle it out in the FIA WEC’s competitive LMGTE Pro category in a brand-new Corvette C8.R at the Lone Star Le Mans in Austin (22-23 February). Rocky is certainly no stranger to endurance racing having competed at the 24 Hours of Le Mans on ten occasions, but this will be his first time out in the mid-engine Corvette and his debut at COTA. Below is what the German driver had to tell us in our Q&A.
1. Welcome, Rocky! How does it feel to be back with Corvette Racing?
"It is very exciting! I have heard a lot from the other drivers about how the Corvette C8.R is much more advanced than any other Corvette out there. I'm extremely happy and it's great to be back with the team for these two FIA WEC rounds. What is really great is to be in the new C8.R for the first time and to drive it. All in all, I'm super happy it worked out.”
2. This will only be the second time the Corvette C8.R is seen in competitive action after last month’s Rolex 24 At Daytona
"Yes, I'm really looking forward to feeling how the new Corvette is in reality. I've been in the team shop for a seat fitting for a couple days so, I know the car in detail sitting in it and looking at it. I also followed the team closely at Daytona. The Corvette looked very fast and competitive at Daytona going that distance and being in contention for a win this early is a good sign. But for me, it will be great to be behind the wheel on the racetrack. That's what I'm really looking forward to."
3. So, can you tell us how you’ve got familiar with the C8.R?
"There was a manual we went through with the older car, even with some of the smaller changes. For the new car, everything is new. The other drivers are familiar with it as they have been testing and racing it. Even Jan knows most of everything about the car and the controls. For me, it will be all new. I think it's always best to sit in the car, go over things with the guys and ask questions if things aren't clear. I had a chance to do that already at the shop during the seat-fitting. I tried to use that time as best I could for that.”
4. You’ve competed at Le Mans on ten occasions, but what are your impressions of the WEC and is this a series you enjoy?
"As a driver, you always want to be part of big races and big championships. For me, Le Mans has always been the dream to be part of. The WEC rounds, especially in GTE, are as in America: extremely competitive. It's not easy to just arrive and do a couple of events but we will try to do well. I love racing in America so I'm happy to do these two rounds in the WEC. I've never been to Austin so it's great to see that facility and that part of the country. And, of course, Sebring is great with the two championships [IMSA and the WEC] running on the same weekend. It couldn't be much better."
5. You will be up against Aston Martin, Ferrari and Porsche in the LMGTE Pro category who do you see as your biggest competitor?
"The battle between all the manufacturers is as the battle is in America a tough fight for all the brands. The entire WEC is a difficult championship with many teams and drivers we know well from Le Mans. I'm looking forward to it."
6. You’re back with Jan for the Lone Star Le Mans, how well do the two of you work together?
"We have texted quite a lot. We’re both looking forward to these two races. Having the two of us do this is positive as we know each other well from the past four years. I don't foresee any struggle or needing extra time for us to adapt to each other or know each other's preferences in setup and how the car should drive. That's also a good opportunity for us to be close straightaway on pace. It's not like we don't know each other after all these years!"
7. How have you been preparing for COTA?
"What I have done and will continue to do is drive the track on my simulator at home. I've already done several laps so I know the track from that. But I do want to do that more in preparation for the race. I have heard now nice Austin is from a lot of people in different categories. So, I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully we have a good race that's even more important!"
Global B architecture will underpin nearly all newly developed GM vehicle platforms, enabling advanced digital capabilities that include OTA functionality. General Motors recently offered media a deeper look at the company’s all-new vehicle electrical architecture that was first confirmed in mid-2019, saying the vehicle-wide electrical system is associated with more than 100 new patents.
The advanced “digital vehicle platform,” known internally as Global B debuted with the 2020 Cadillac CT5 sedan. It serves as the electrical foundation for the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GM Yukon and Cadillac Escalade.
Gary Bandurski, executive director of Global Electronic Components and Subsystems said the new electrical architecture has approximately five times the processing capacity of GM’s current systems enough to move 4.5 terabytes per hour, the equivalent data of 980 digitized movies or nearly a mile-and-half of books on a shelf. In addition to multiples of speed and functionality, the advanced electrical system also greatly bolsters cybersecurity strength, Bandurski added.
But more noticeably for vehicle owners, he said, the advanced architecture will provide for a wide spectrum of over-the-air (OTA) software-update functionality and enhanced driver-assistance and safety capabilities.
Apparent dynamic aspects will include faster brake response, smoother and more accurate accelerations and decelerations while using adaptive cruise control and the increasingly sophisticated versions of GM’s Super Cruise SAE Level 2 driver-assistance system, while all onboard cameras now display high-resolution images (to now, a mix of analog and digital has been employed), all with at least 1 megapixel resolution.
“Our new digital vehicle platform and its eventual successors will underpin all our future innovations across a wide range of technological advancements, including EVs and expanded automated driving,” summarized GM President Mark Reuss in the company’s initial release announcing the new electrical system.
Saving material, weight
Bandurski said the new electrical platform reduces the amount of wires and other hardware and brings corresponding packaging advantages, although the company has yet to specify how much material or weight can be saved.
The system also provides greater bill-of-material sharing between internal-combustion-powered vehicles and its coming generation of fully electric vehicles. The company said the new system lends itself to more intensive validation methods that come with increased digitization of all systems. Knowledge from past system designs was used to internally validate with a mixture of laboratory and road work that includes a 100,000-sq.ft. validation lab and a high degree of automation in the testing process.
A full-system test bench, an active safety bench and a harness verification frame are used in the validation lab to assure comprehensive and safe testing. Meanwhile, a specially outfitted lab tests up to 90% of current combinations of the new system’s infotainment functions; one part of the lab features a robotic testing rig that runs 24-hours-a-day to mimic user actions to identify potential functionality or compatibility issues. The lab also includes a station dedicated to validating Bluetooth and wi-fi connectivity for a spectrum of current mobile phones and upcoming models.
Corvette Racing is adding rounds in the FIA World Endurance Championship to its 2020 program. Races at Circuit of The Americas and Sebring International Raceway will allow Corvette Racing and Chevrolet additional opportunities to develop and test the new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R.
For the two FIA WEC rounds, Jan Magnussen and Mike Rockenfeller will team together in the No. 63 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R, featuring a primary yellow livery with silver accents. It will be the first race experience for both drivers in the new Corvette, which made its competition debut during the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
"These two events provide us the opportunity to obtain further learnings on the new Corvette C8.R while competing against world-class competition," said Mark Kent, Chevrolet Director of Motorsports Competition. "Having experienced Corvette drivers such as Jan and Mike in the car will provide us a good opportunity to contend for the win in the very competitive World Endurance Championship series."
The FIA WEC’s six-hour Lone Star Le Mans at Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas on February 23. Corvette Racing also will compete in both races of the Super Sebring Weekend the 1,000 Miles of Sebring for the FIA WEC and Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring for the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship from March 18-21.
The return of Magnussen and Rockenfeller, past endurance teammates with Corvette Racing, allows for the team to focus on technical and mechanical improvements to the Corvette with familiar drivers. Magnussen spent 16 years with Corvette Racing and won four times at the 24 Hours Le Mans, once at the Rolex 24 and captured four IMSA Driver’s Championships. Rockenfeller was a winner with Corvette Racing at the 2017 Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring with Magnussen and Antonio Garcia.
The Corvette C8.R recently made its competition debut in the Rolex 24 At Daytona. The No. 3 Corvette of Antonio Garcia, Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg placed fourth in class while covering 2,794.6 miles the longest distance ever covered by a Corvette at that event.
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"I’m very happy to be back with Corvette Racing at Circuit of The Americas and Sebring with the mid-engine Corvette C8.R. For some time, we have been working together on plans for additional races that will help develop and prepare the team and mid-engine Corvette for the IMSA season and hopefully other big races this year. Even in early testing, I was very impressed with the level of engineering and performance of the C8.R. I’m excited to drive it again, now in race conditions."
MIKE ROCKENFELLER, NO. 63 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"This is a very exciting time to return with Corvette Racing. I have heard a lot from the other drivers about how the Corvette C8.R is much more advanced than any other Corvette out there. So I’m really looking forward to these two upcoming events. The mid-engine Corvette looked very fast and competitive at Daytona going that distance and being in contention for a win this early is a good sign for Corvette Racing. I’m excited to be part of making this car as good as it can be."
Jan Magnussen & Mike Rockenfeller are set to drive the new Chevy Corvette C8.R in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Lone Star Le Mans race later this month.
Both drivers are poised to make returns to the Corvette lineup after leaving the team at the end of the 2019 season.
While Corvette has yet to announce its drivers for the race, the pairing has been named on the latest version of the entry list for the six-hour contest at Circuit of The Americas.
Magnussen departed Corvette Racing’s full-season IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship squad in October after 16 years of association with the GM brand.
The quadruple 24 Hours of Le Mans class winner left after a long career with Corvette that included four IMSA championship titles and 35 race victories.
Rockenfeller, meanwhile, was forced out of Corvette’s extended endurance lineup because of a date clash between Le Mans & the DTM round at Anderstorp which couldn’t guarantee his participation in the 24 Hours.
The German driver is a pillar of the Audi DTM program and was confirmed for a fourteenth season with the manufacturer last week.
Rockenfeller’s seat in Corvette’s IMSA endurance squad alongside Antonio Garcia and Magnussen’s replacement Jordan Taylor ultimately went to Nicky Catsburg.
It’s unclear if the Lone Star Le Mans WEC race will mark the first in a series of Corvette comeback appearances for Magnussen and Rockenfeller, or if both drivers have regained formal race positions within the team.
Chevy is celebrating the Start of Regular Production (SORP) of the 2020 Corvette Stingray Z51 today & they released this photo of a Black mid-engine Coupe on the Corvette assembly line in Bowling Green, KY.
Believed to be the VIN #1 Corvette that was purchased by Rick Hendrick for $3 million last month at Barrett-Jackson. Chevy said previously that the first 2020 mid-engine Corvette produced for customers would be a Black Coupe with the Z51 package.
Chevy’s tweet celebrating the start of C8 production from this afternoon:
Regular production for the 2020 #Corvette #Stingray coupe began today at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly in Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/zYemFNDv2l — Chevrolet (@chevrolet) February 3, 2020
Congratulations to all those who worked on the new Corvette to get it to this point and we are excited for all of our friends that have a new C8 Corvette on order.
The new Corvette Stingray is a grand slam home run for Chevy and from it, we will see a paradigm shift in how people will view mid-engine sports cars in the future. And with VIN 001 coming of the Corvette assembly line today, that future is now!
For whatever the reason is the C8.R does not use the same 8 speed DCT tranny in production C8 It is a 6 speed sequential transmission that has a clutch pedal that is only used from a dead stop and reverse
Uodate : 9 hours #3 cracked into another GTD car, not a lot of damage #4 broke down and behind the wall, to find some oil leak and having to rip ass end apart :-(
Corvette Racing sped its way through the opening quarter of the Rolex 24 At Daytona on Saturday as the new mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette C8.R completed its first six hours of racing competition. The pair of Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.Rs were inside the top-five of GT Le Mans (GTLM) with 18 hours left in the opening round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
Nicky Catsburg, making his first start with Corvette Racing, ran as high as second in class ahead of the six-hour mark in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Chevrolet Corvette C8.R. Contact with a slower car, however, sent Catsburg off-track just past the start/finish line but with no lasting damage. Teammate Antonio Garcia, who started the race, rejoined just past the six-hour mark in fifth place.
That put the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette of Tommy Milner as the team’s highest-running entry at the quarter-mark. He ran fourth, the same spot from which he started, following stints by Oliver Gavin and Marcel Fässler in the first six hours.
The pace of the Corvette in the opening hours is an encouraging start for the mid-engine C8.R – the program’s first such effort since its debut in 1999.
Corvette Racing;s next update will follow the 12-hour mark Sunday morning.
TALK ABOUT THE OPENING PART OF THE RACE.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"I don’t think we can complain. I had a good start and ran the first stint with both Porsches. We were learning where we are strong and where they are strong. I think in the second stint we had a shifting issue that took me awhile to get going again. It is still very, very early in the race. We are learning and definitely need to improve things learning pressures and things like that for adjusting. Up to this point, we were always guessing what the new Corvette would be like over a few stints. We are reacting and being a little more productive as we gain experience. There are many hours to go. If you’re going to make mistakes, this is the time to do it."
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"We had flip-flop stints there to start. My first was a struggle there with car balance, and we made a good change at the first stop to make the Corvette better for the second stint. As Antonio said, we are learning all the time. The track conditions are warmer they have been all weekend. In general, I’m happy with how it’s going so far. We have a little bit of work to do for sure. We’re losing a little bit more time than we’d like on out-laps.
The guys are working hard to figure out where we are losing it and where we can pick it up. Pace-wise, we are about where we expected today… close to what we saw in practice."
CAN YOU REALLY NOTICE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE PREVIOUS CORVETTE AND WHAT YOU HAVE NOW?
Garcia: "The driving style changes for sure. It also changes how you approach the stint. You need to adapt yourself not only for a lap but for 30 laps. You need to know when you can push, when you need to save the car and save tires. We are still at that point of learning. Looking at how close GTLM is, we need to nail that quickly. We may not be just at the right spot now but I think we are close. Let’s see. Hopefully a few yellows would help us resettle things."
Milner: “The C8.R for sure feels different. There are lots of things about it that are better than the previous generation. For example, we’re sitting more centrally located in the car so when it snaps out, you feel that it and that feedback gets back to us through the driver’s seat that little bit quicker where we can naturally react. Sometimes with the C7.R and sitting so close to that rear axle, the car is sliding all the time. You find yourself over correcting sometimes when it’s not necessary. I’ve found with the Corvette C8.R that generally when it is sliding a little bit that my natural instinct to correct that slide always comes at the right time.
You’re not second-guessing yourself at times like you could do with C7.R So in that sense, the C8.R is much nicer to drive for sure. The little details that you get with a newer car are there. The driver comfort factor is better, the new A/C system is working well. The layout of the cockpit is improved on what we developed for C7.R. There are always little small gains it seems like, but there’s a much better jump in aspects like feel and sound. I’d say before the race we were all comfortable with what to expect with this new Corvette. Put us in the race situation obviously, now we’re finding the little details that need attention and we need to improve."
IS IT EXPECTED BY CORVETTE RACING THAT YOU WILL HAVE TO CONTINUE TO LEARN ABOUT THE CAR AND DOES THAT MEAN YOU MIGHT HAVE TO MAKE MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS AT NIGHT?
Garcia: "I hope we don’t have to make major adjustments. We are learning from every time in the car. In the second stint I found something not perfectly right so that is why I am saying we are reacting to what the car is doing instead of knowing. In the past we would know exactly how the previous Corvette would react and how the track would develop, so you would be way more reactive to that and making the change before even feeling what the car would do. We are still in the phase where we need to find how this car will react to different temperatures at night; that is why I feel like we are a little bit reacting to what the car is doing instead of knowing. But that is what experience gets you."
DOES THE WARMER TEMPERATURE IMPACT THE CAR MORE THAN EXPECTED?
Milner: "Talking to Ricky Taylor, he said that the wind was different today and they noticed it considerably more with their cars today. I didn’t notice a huge difference. The track plays a major role especially when track temperatures are higher, which it is now, and that oftentimes magnifies some issues you might have in the car balance-wise. We found that pretty quickly with our car. We had a bit of an issue of getting the power down so we were able to make a change to address 90 percent of that. Again, as the track develops and as Antonio says, this team has such a huge history here with the previous generation cars, it’s almost second-nature of what the track does and what to expect.
We are definitely still building that knowledge base and that’s obviously why we go racing to learn. That is the goal here is to learn as much as we can… make the cars go as fast as we possibly can and that will hopefully get us to the front.
IS THERE ANY PRESSURE AS WE HAVE SEEN WITH OTHER TEAMS IN THE PAST TO WIN RIGHT AWAY HERE AND LE MANS?
Milner: "The feeling is that with all the testing and development we have done with this new Corvette C8.R, we are here to win the race. I wouldn’t say that has been a stated goal, but it is sort of an unstated goal that the goal here today and tomorrow is to win the race. So we are doing everything we can to do that. Obviously this one and Le Mans are two big races of the year so we are putting a lot of effort into having good results here.
Garcia: "Every time we race we go for the win. That is the goal of the No. 3 and the No. 4. This is the first year and the first race for us, and we will go every race for the goal. I know being a new car, it won’t be in our favor, but every lap we produce, we have more experience so come Le Mans time we will have experience enough to fight everyone for the win."
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"That first stint was interesting. I was trying to figure out how hard we could push and look at the rear tire life. That was a challenge during the first run. The second stint was a little better. I couldn’t maybe push as hard as I wanted to because I wanted to look after the rears. It was going fine but I was really trying to save everything before kicking it in for the second half of the run.
About halfway through we had some kind of electrical glitch where we lost everything in the car for about 10 or 15 seconds. As I rolled all the way through Turn Five, it just turned back on again. That certainly wasn’t ideal but had to get myself going again. We are obviously find things and discovering things to work out some of the small issues and what tire (compound) will work with the car. I enjoyed the run, but there are some things we need to fix."
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"It was definitely an enjoyable first stint with Corvette Racing. I was pretty nervous before I got in because I was watching the coverage and seeing how close the racing is in GTLM. Once I got in and strapped in, the first couple of laps were a little nerve-wracking with the Ferrari right behind, but I was able to gap it pretty quickly and settle into our own pace. At this point I think that is all we can focus on running our own race program.
The C8.R is pretty easy to drive. I think it has pace and we are able to maintain the gap to the leader. Just keep chipping at it through the night.
"The biggest thing for me (compared to driving a prototype) was getting used to the traffic again. I was a little sporadic with the LMP2 cars about when not to block them and when to block them. I am pretty sure I lost a few seconds here and there. I have to get used to that again. We are four hours in to a 24-hour race. I didn’t take any risk so we will push on through the night and hopefully we will be in position tomorrow."
NICKY CATSBURG, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R:
"The car feels good. We were still finding our rhythm in the race, but I feel quite comfortable in the car. I think we are quite competitive at the moment with the competitors around us. The Porsches are very strong in the infield, maybe a little bit stronger than us. It was a good stint.
I was finding my way in the Corvette. Getting by (Nick) Tandy was obviously cool but quite useless at that moment in the race. Unfortunately on my very last lap – I was going to box the next lap I got together with an Aston Martin; I just viewed the video and honestly it looks like it might be more on me than him. We kinda moved into Turn One together. He clipped my right rear but I don’t know if he could do something about it, but we both spun.
We don’t seem to have any damage, but we lost everything that we had gained. Antonio is back out and he is doing good times. I wish it didn’t happen, but it did. We will take it from there and next time hopefully we stay out of contact with others."
Explaining Corvette’s move to one transmission for all buyers, global chief engineer Tadge Juechter notes, “Our customers began requesting a dual-clutch automatic transmission [DCT] several years ago.
Following the introduction of the C7 Corvette in 2014, our take-rate for sticks [manual gearboxes] fell from 50 percent to less than 20 percent this year.” Searching the globe read Europe for a suitable DCT, Juechter’s team found none with sufficient torque capacity to survive behind the lively LT2 6.2-L V8 planned for the all-new 2020 mid-engine edition of GM’s re-imagined sports car.
To solve that dilemma, discussions began with Tremec, the Mexico City-based manufacturer which has supplied GM, Ford and FCA with manual transmissions for two decades. While Tremec had the expertise to make the mechanical components packed inside a dual clutch box, the automated half of the equation mechatronic actuators to engage the clutches and shift the gears was beyond their ken.
Tremec filled that need in 2012 by purchasing Hoerbiger Drivetrain Mechatronics, a Belgium based supplier of electronic dual-clutch actuators with a customer list including AMG-Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren.
Invented by Citroen in the 1930s and patented by Imre Szodfridt in 1969, DCTs consist of a mix of manual and automatic transmission components and attributes. Celebrating the DCT’s claim to fame, Corvette chief engineer Ed Piatek notes, “They change gears quicker than any human can shift a manual transmission.” Like conventional automatics, DCTs upshift without interrupting the flow of torque to the drive wheels. Like manual transmissions, they employ clutches and helical gears versus a torque converter whirling planetary gears.
Porsche especially has enjoyed great success with what it calls PDK (Porsche DoppelKupplungsgetriebe), the most popular transmission type across its lineup. Understandably, GM and Tremec engineers used PDK as their key performance target.
Packaging triumph
Tremec owner Grupo Kuo announced its investment in DCT technology in 2016. The new TR-9080 family is aimed at high performance rear-drive applications. The first mLSD and eLSD (mechanical and electronic limited-slip) versions are capable of handling 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) input torque at up to 7,500 rpm. Higher performance and efficiency versions are in development.
A look inside the Corvette’s TR 9080 reveals the densest package of shafts, gears, actuators and electro-hydraulic servos to be found in any modern automobile. Five aluminum castings support the two clutches, six shafts, five synchronizers, two dozen gears, five shift rods and multitude of bearings needed to provide eight forward speeds, reverse, and lockup for parking.
Add to that three electrohydraulic control bodies, an assortment of speed and position sensors, and a master electronic controller managing every aspect of the TR 9080’s operation.
The 8.8:1 overall ratio spread yields impressive launch acceleration, quiet and efficient cruising, and a gear for every in-between occasion. The mLSD variant is standard in the base Corvette and the eLSD optional (with the Z51 Performance Driving package).
Connecting the LT2 engine’s crankshaft to the TR 9080’s clutch basket is the responsibility of a flywheel carrying the starter ring gear and a centrifugal pendulum damper that’s needed to quell torsional vibrations erupting during the engine’s migration between V4 and V8 firing modes (a fuel efficiency improver). Tremec purchases this assembly from a Tier-2 supplier.
Next in line are the two normally open wet clutches positioned concentrically to save space. Hydraulic pistons rotating with the clutches force them into engagement when commanded to do so by the transaxle’s electronic control module. The outer clutch’s five driven plates spin the main shaft carrying odd-numbered gears located at the rear of the transaxle. The inner clutch’s six driven plates (more because they’re smaller in diameter) spin the other main shaft which carries even numbered ratios located forward in the transaxle. These two main shafts are concentric, with the inner clutch connected to the outer shaft and vice versa.
As in manual transmissions, all main shaft gears are permanently meshed with mating gears spinning on the counter shaft. No torque is delivered until two of the five triple-cone synchronizers are moved by a computer-controlled actuator to connect the selected gears to the main (input) and counter (output) shafts. Torque exits the counter shaft via helical gears that spin the adjoining pinion shaft which is in mesh with a spiral-bevel ring gear.
To facilitate mounting the Corvette’s engine one inch (25 mm) lower than the C7 edition, the TR 9080’s architecture has the input shafts located at the bottom of the transaxle, below the final drive and counter shafts. Base Corvettes are equipped with a multi-plate limited-slip differential with a 4.89:1 final-drive ratio. Customers opting for the Z51 option receive an electronically modulated limited-slip diff with a 5.17:1 ratio.
Transmission gear ratios are common. During an upshift, the next ratio begins engaging before the gear in use is fully released. That process lasts 100 milliseconds, during which there is no interruption in torque delivery.
To assure expeditious response, hydraulic circuits are as short as possible and the solenoids are engineered for fast action. Because the torque has to go somewhere (unless neutral is selected), no gear is skipped when the car accelerates from rest or slows for a turn or stop.
The exception is when the driver floors the throttle to command maximum forward thrust. In this instance, the TR 9080 will skip ratios, as long as both even and odd gears participate in the downshift as in 7th to 4th, 6th to 3rd, or 5th to 2nd.
‘Burn-out’ mode
Tremec assembles the TR 9080 at a $50-million, 125,000 ft2 Wixom, Michigan, facility opened in 2017, using global-sourced components. One of the major challenges engineers faced was developing a single fluid to serve all of the TR 9080’s lubrication, cooling, clutch conditioning, and hydraulic servo actuator needs. The magic elixir is a Pentosin FFL-4 synthetic fluid supplied by Fuchs Lubricants. An 11-liter supply is carried in a bottom pan, pressurized by a gear-driven pump, and cooled by a stacked-plate heat exchanger (circulating engine coolant) mounted atop the transaxle.
The fluid change interval is 22,500 miles (36,210 km) with a recommended filter replacement every 7,500 miles (12,070 km).
Aside from the remarkable acceleration available with eight gear ratios and the lack of thrust interruption during shifts, the new TR 9080 is programmed to interpret the driver’s intentions and respond with impressive performance. Shift paddles attached to the Corvette’s steering wheel provide the driver instant authority.
A Driver Mode knob on the center console selects Tour, Sport, Track and Weather calibrations tailored to prevailing road conditions. Two additional modes allow drivers to customize engine, transmission, suspension and instrument display functions to their liking.
This smart transmission will downshift early during aggressive braking before a corner, delay an upshift during hard lateral acceleration exiting a bend, and hold a gear during a throttle lift to avoid unnecessary shifts.
To achieve the car’s 2.9-3.0-second 0-to-60-mph performance claimed by Chevrolet, the TR 9080 provides a ‘burn-out’ mode to warm the rear tires, and launch control to optimize engine rpm during the race through the lower gears. The engine is held at 3,500 rpm before the first-gear clutch engages.
Pulling both shift paddles simultaneously releases both clutches. In Drive, pulling one paddle will switch the transmission to Manual shift mode.
To compensate for eliminating a traditional stick-shift transmission from the options sheet, Corvette engineers had to venture far beyond the placid behavior provided by past automatics. Early press reviews have already declared that the TR 9080 DCT is Mission Accomplished. The tougher critics to satisfy and the ones who matter most, are Corvette buyers who will wait for delivery, set to begin March 2020.
General Motors will open a new technical center focused on performance and racing in the Charlotte region, a major racing hub in the United States.
The facility will expand GM’s performance and racing capabilities, with a focus on transferring knowledge and resources from the racing programs to core vehicle engineering. The goal for the Charlotte Technical Center is to eventually house future technology and engineering development capabilities.
The 75,000-square-foot facility will be located in Concord, North Carolina, off of Interstate-85 and less than 10 miles from the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The new technical center will provide an opportunity to recruit potential GM employees from the growing pool of technical talent in the Charlotte area.
It is expected to open by mid-2020.
“We’re thrilled to expand GM’s U.S. footprint by establishing a greater presence in Charlotte, a community that has become a racing and engineering mecca,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of Performance and Motorsports. “The new facility will be close to a number of key Chevrolet and Cadillac racing partners, teams and suppliers. This will allow for improved collaboration as well as access to some of the industry’s best talent.”
The new technical center provides GM the opportunity to expand and enhance its support for Chevrolet NASCAR race teams as well as various other GM racing teams. The facility will feature Driver-in-the-Loop simulators, vehicle simulation, aero development and other practices designed to advance racing and production capabilities.
“Chevrolet and Cadillac Racing are two of the winningest brands in motorsports. This new facility will build upon their legacies and hopefully lead to even more success on the track,” said Campbell. “Racing helps us accelerate the development, performance and popularity of our cars and trucks across the world.”
Development technologies often make their way from the racing world to production vehicles. Computational Fluid Dynamics, scale model testing and rolling wind-tunnel testing were all pioneered in racing and are now used extensively in production vehicle development.
New C8.Rs just not quick enough to get the pole position for this weekends Rolex 24 hour race
Corvette Racing will roll off third & fourth in the first race for the Chevrolet Corvette C8.R following GT Le Mans (GTLM) qualifying for Saturday’s Rolex 24 At Daytona. A three-time winner of the Rolex 24, the Corvette Racing program hopes to start the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship with a debut victory for the mid-engine Corvette.
Antonio Garcia set the quickest time for the team in the No. 3 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R that he shares this weekend with Jordan Taylor and Nicky Catsburg. Garcia’s time of 1:42.545 (124.979 mph) put him just 0.338 seconds off Nick Tandy’s pole-winning time.
Tommy Milner, in the No. 4 Mobil 1/SiriusXM Corvette C8.R, was right behind his teammate at 1:42.801 (124.668 mph). He’ll share his Corvette with Oliver Gavin and Marcel Fässler the GTLM-winning trio from 2016.
Thursday’s two practice sessions prior to qualifying were in mixed conditions overcast skies on an alternating dry and wet track.
Qualifying was fully dry and was the first time Corvette Racing ran the Corvette C8.R on a fully dry track since the three-day Roar Before the 24 earlier this month. Corvette Racing’s first Rolex victory came in 2001 with the Corvette C5-R, and the team went back-to-back in 2015 and 2016 with the Corvette C7.R.
The Corvette C8.R is the fifth racing version that Corvette Racing has fielded since its first season in 1999. The team’s record since its debut is unmatched 107 victories, 13 IMSA Team Championships, and 12 Manufacturer and Driver titles.
The program also can reach another landmark at Daytona:
It needs to complete 870 miles, 245 laps to go over the 300,000-mile mark more than 50,000 miles longer than the Apollo 13 mission.
The Corvette C8.R is based on the strong foundation of the 2020 Corvette Stingray with both developed simultaneously. There is a deeper level of technology transfer between the race car and production Corvette than ever before, which helps contribute to many of its advancements. As a result, the C8.R shares the highest percentage of parts between the production and race car than any previous generation.
The Rolex 24 At Daytona is set for Jan. 23-26 with live television coverage on NBC, NBC Sports Network, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App. IMSA Radio will broadcast all practice and qualifying sessions as well as the race on IMSA.com, which also will host live timing and scoring.
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R QUALIFIED THIRD IN GTLM:
“It’s not bad. It is difficult to predict where you will end up. I’m happy with my laps. Before the rain we were still working on setup. I don’t know if that is where we will end up racing . What is important is there is still 2.5 hours left of practice time.
We definitely need to use that time to improve the Corvette a little bit. Porsche is still faster than us so we definitely need to work a little bit more and I’m sure there is room for improvement.
“I am pleased with the lap I put together. Maybe getting a little bit longer session, we could have gotten a little bit better time. It is a good comparison to know where we are in the field. We still have the two hours of practice and we have a long race in front of us.
The main thing about this race will be the actual pace. I’m sure this C8.R will be good but I think we will learn as we go along. We need to be prepared for that and be ready for the race.”
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 MOBIL 1/SiriusXM CHEVROLET CORVETTE C8.R QUALIFIED FOURTH IN GTLM:
“Third and fourth not bad for the Corvette C8.R first qualifying effort. I think we were shooting for a little bit more, but all things considered not too far off. We still have work to do for sure. We are learning every time we are taking this Corvette out on the track.
“This was another learning experience for us. We made some setup changes in practice and we wanted to stick with that, but we may have gone the wrong way with that. I’m not unhappy by any means. Third and fourth are good starting places. Most of all we learned more about the car and getting ready for the race is the most important thing. We gave it a good shot in qualifying we were looking for some more but definitely a not disappointed.
“Thankfully I can trust the guy who is starting next to me! As always, it is a long race so where you start doesn’t matter too much. We use these opportunities whether it is a 24-hour race or a two-hour race; we use those opportunities to keep learning.”
