Generations of car lovers — not to mention GM engineers and executives — came and went waiting for Chevrolet to take the plunge and convert America’s greatest sports car to the mid-engine layout used by the world’s legends.
If it was good enough for Ferrari, Porsche, the Audi NSX and Audi R8, why not the Corvette? Legend has it that proposals for a mid-engined Corvette date back to Zora Arkus-Duntov, the car’s hallowed first chief engineer.
After countless false starts, the mid-engined 'Vette arrived as a 2020 model. If possible, it’s better than those who dreamed of it could have expected.
The eighth-generation Corvette C8 looks like no 'Vette before — it has to, since there’s no need for a long hood over a V8 — but remains recognizably a 'Vette, thanks to familiar lights and fenders.
Putting the engine directly over the rear wheels makes gravity the 'Vette’s friend: The engine’s weight holds the rear wheels down, transferring more power to the road without spinning the wheels. The result? Zero-60 mph times under 3 seconds for a base model with the Z51 performance package.
It may be jarring to consider a car that starts at $58,900 a bargain, but compared with sports cars of similar performance, technology and style, the 2020 Corvette is a steal.
Redistributing mass — nearly 60% of the vehicle’s weight over the rear wheels — also pays off in sharp, responsive steering and confident handling.
In a car full of surprises, the biggest may be the 2020 Corvette’s comfortable, quiet ride. Adaptive magnetic control shocks and active noise cancellation make the 'Vette a road-trip-ready super car. Route 66, here I come.
The Chevrolet Corvette also gets my vote for 2020 North American Car of the Year.
More: Corvette, Ranger, Telluride shine as year's best
Second place: 2020 Hyundai Sonata
Hyundai ratcheted up the Sonata’s style and value with the new 2020 model, which replaces a relatively bland sedan that never really caught fire with consumers.
The new shape is sleek and distinctive, with a long hood and short rear deck.
The $23,400 base price is appealing, but the Sonata’s value becomes overwhelming when you look at the top Limited model. It stickers at $33,300 and comes with driver assistance features, leather upholstery and Bose audio.
There’s even a feature to remotely pull in and out of parking spaces, using the key fob. It’s probably a gimmick more than a useful feature. The car doesn’t remotely steer itself, only goes straight fore or aft.
On the bright side, it relies on sensors and controls from the driver assist features, so adding it just took a few lines of computer code. It’s a “gee whiz” touch that’s essentially free to the buyer.
Third place: 2019 Volkswagen Arteon
With its formal, upscale looks, the Arteon midsize sedan marks VW’s latest, and best, attempt to persuade American buyers it’s a premium German brand, not a Microbus-hugging remnant of the 1960s.
The Arteon, available in front- or all-wheel drive — AWD models start at $37,645 — is clearly in a different class from midsize sedans like the Chevy Malibu, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Available features include Nappa leather seats, 700-watt Dynaudio sound and a heated rear seat.
Drivers who want a bit more from their midsize sedan but aren’t ready to take the plunge for a full-on luxury sedan will find a home in the Arteon.
Contact Mark Phelan: 313-222-6731 or mmphelan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter.