2021 Corvette Still Under $60,000
The C8 Corvette heads into its sophomore year with minor changes. After ushering in the era of the mid-engine Corvette for the 2020 model year, new colors and additional tech features are the only significant changes for the 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, but the sub-$60,000 price stays the same.
The 2021 Corvette coupe's base price remains $59,995 and the convertible stands pat at $67,495.
New exterior color options for 2021 include Red Mist Metallic Tintcoat and Silver Flare Metallic, along with a Sky Cool Gray/Yellow Strike interior color option. Also new are optional full-length dual racing stripes in blue, orange, red, or yellow. The previously available Stinger stripes, which go only on the hood, return in Carbon Flash/Edge Red, Carbon/Flash Edge Yellow, and Carbon Flash/Midnight Silver.
On the tech front, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard, along with a Buckle to Drive feature that prevents the driver from shifting out of park for up to 20 seconds if their seat belt is not buckled.
The powertrain is unchanged, so the Corvette still packs a 6.2-liter naturally aspirated LT2 V-8 making 490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque in standard form, and 495 hp and 470 lb-ft with the Z51 package. Power from the mid-mounted engine is sent to the rear wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
For 2021, the Magnetic Selective Ride Control adaptive suspension can be had without the Z51 package. That package also includes a performance exhaust system, upgraded brakes, an electronic limited-slip differential, a performance final drive ratio, a rear spoiler, a front splitter, heavy-duty cooling, and stickier summer performance tires.
Performance figures remain unchanged. Chevy claims the Corvette will do 0-60 mph in 3.0 seconds, or 2.9 seconds with the Z51 package. The top speed is 194 mph in standard form, but 184 mph with the Z51 package. Both versions will run an identical quarter-mile time of 11.2 seconds, but the standard version's 123 mph trap speed is 2 mph faster than the Z51's.
The 2021 model may be easier to buy of than the 2020 Corvette, which is likely to see production curtailed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Stingray is expected to be followed by a hotter Z06 variant, likely for the 2022 model year
Source: Stephen Edelstein - Motor Authority
Posted 1/15/21