Chevrolet shares more details of the upcoming 2022 Corvette C8 Stingray
The hypercar will come with new colour tints including a limited IMSA GTLM Championship Edition.
General Motors is finally looking all set to unleash the 2022 Chevy Corvette. Not just the automaker has reportedly cut the 2021 Corvette C8 orders earlier, as expected, it has also put up a teaser page for the third production year of the first mid-engine ‘Vette’.
The teaser webpage by Chevrolet has released the first details of the 2022 Corvette along with more images of the upcoming hypercar. The webpage now has a few new colour options for the new C8 Corvette, and also lists a limited appearance package inspired by the 2021 IMSA GTLM champion C8.R race car. The new colours include the rumoured Amplify Orange Tintcoat, Hypersonic Gray Metallic, and Caffeine. Amplify Orange will be replacing Sebring Orange in the colour lineup, while Hypersonic Gray Metallic is up to replace Shadow Gray Metallic. Caffeine tint will be take place of the previous Zeus Bronze Metallic for that brown hue.
On the other hand, the Corvette Stingray IMSA GTLM Championship Edition will be limited to 1,000 left-hand-drive units, meant to celebrate the C8.R race car’s dominance during the 2020 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season. These special-edition cars have a unique Strike Yellow and Sky Cool Gray interior with the GT2 bucket seats with yellow seatbelts. The Competition seats can be selected as well, and there’s a C8.R Special Edition numbered plaque between the seats. They come with a unique car cover that mimics the look of the Corvette C8.R race car.
The new webpage also confirms the arrival of a low-profile spoiler option. It will be available for the 2022 Corvette Stingray, with or without the Z51 Performance Package. Other reports also suggest that it could also include a front splitter, though there’s no confirmation on it yet. But what is confirmed is the pricing and engine specs. Let’s talk about them one by one.
The starting price of the new Vette has increased to $62,195, which is $1200 more than the previous model year. The additional pricing information provided by Chevrolet says the 2LT coupe starts at $69,495 while the 3LT coupe bears a price tag of $74,145. For the limited IMSA GTLM Championship Edition prices are set at $87,085 for the coupe and $94,085 for the convertible.
Let’s talk engine now, shall we? Underneath the skin, Chevrolet made a few upgrades to the Corvette. The LT2 6.2-liter V8 boasts an upgraded direct injection fuel system and improved engine calibration. The automaker also confirmed that the Active Fuel Management range has been enhanced. It is basically a cylinder deactivation feature, which disengages four of the eight cylinders under a light load.
However, even after all these changes the output is still unchanged at 490 horsepower (495 with the performance exhaust) and 637 Nm of torque. It’s mated with the familiar eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox that sends power to the rear wheels. According to Chevrolet, it should do 0 to 100 kmph (60 mph) in just 2.9 seconds when equipped with the full Z51 Package.
The 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT trim levels are left unchanged, and all models can be equipped with the Z51 Performance Package. The another good news is that customers no longer have to add the Z51 Package to get Magnetic Ride Control. It will also be available as a standalone option, though no pricing has been released yet.
Chevrolet’s US dealers are being instructed to start taking orders for both coupe and convertible models at the beginning of next month. The production of the 2022 Corvette C8 Stingray is set to start in the third quarter.
