Page 37 - MotorTrend (March 2020)

As I accelerated off slow corners, like
Shelby’s Carbon Fiber VIR’s Oak Tree, the C8’s ground-gripping
Track package lowered
the GT500’s lap time by traction rockets the car forward, and it
more than 3 seconds. remains well balanced even though it feels
like it might wheelie. I found a consistent
gradual side slip in third and fourth gears
exiting faster sweepers. The C8 has more
power oversteer at 80 mph than it does at
40, which is unusual.
The new Corvette’s braking was strong
and stable with moderate nose dive. There
was some isolation, if not the degree of
e-pedal numbness I feared, and the brakes
were cooled with some really nice Z51
brake ducts. Last, there was no more float,

LAP TIMES better suspension damping, but not harsh.
Crawling under the hood (see pg. 34),
we then adjusted the C8’s suspension to
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 (CFTP) no passenger................................1:56.30
its track settings—which simply comes
Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 no passenger .............................................1:59.68
down to much more negative camber,
Chevrolet C8 Corvette track suspension no passenger...................... 2:00.96
front and rear. When added to the 8
Chevrolet C8 Corvette track suspension with passenger.....................2:01.91
degrees of caster (the same in Street or
Chevrolet C7 Corvette track suspension with passenger ....................2:03.14
Track mode), the Corvette creates camber
Chevrolet C8 Corvette street suspension with passenger.................. 2:03.68
gain when the wheels are turned, which
is especially good for tight turns, and a
strong self-centering force for stability
and good on-center feel.
SPEED COMPARISON
High caster will also cross-weight a
chassis because the outside wheel swings
180
GT500 in an arc upward as the inside wheel
GT500
swings down. These will both typically
166.5 mph
160.2 mph
150 CORVETTE
CORVETTE
work to reduce the understeer that we
153.6 mph
squawked about in earlier tests.
150.9 mph
The effect of the added camber was
120
much improved grip everywhere,
MPH 90 reducing but not eliminating traits of
midcorner understeer and drop-throttle
oversteer and raising speeds with better
60 manners. The basic traits of midcorner
understeer and trailing-throttle oversteer
were still there, just not as much.
30
In Track setup, the Corvette’s lap times
improved by 2 to 3 seconds with less
falloff and better grip on a long run. Tying
0
this all together was an eight-speed dual-
clutch transmission that worked quite
1 4A 9 12 14 16B
well at full chat, completing the perfor-
mance of a much improved product.
Far more than deserving of the title,
HOW FAR AHEAD? this fresh offering is a 21st century new

chapter, with more room to improve. One
300
step back with the engine is a giant leap
forward for the Stingray.
250
The GT500, on the other hand, has
FEET AHEAD 150 regarded thoroughbred, the GT350. As
200
sprung from the loins of another highly

such it comes from a known source that
100
has been developed for years. It shows on
track, especially.
50
Whereas the C8 is precise, the GT500
hoons. Toss it around. Grab it by the
0
0
scruff of the neck. This pony encourages
2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
aggression. Its version of refinement
TRACK DISTANCE, FEET
manifests in confidence for the driver.
GT500 CORVETTE MARCH 2020 MOTORTREND.COM 37