C8 Corvette: Blurring the Lines of the Hardtop/Vert Debate
Droptop C8 is virtually in lockstep with the coupe regarding street performance–with one, important caveat.
If you haven’t noticed by now, the C8 Corvette is one of the hottest American sports cars on the market with tasteful exotic flair (if you can get one for a decent price, that is). The 2020 hardtop convertible is now out in the wild, but how does it compare to the coupe with a nigh-$7,000 difference? The answer may surprise you.
Let’s rewind back to the first C8 drive in Las Vegas. During that time, I drove two coupes (same 3LT trim) and mentioned how “shocked” I was that neither of them came with MagneRide, yet ride comfort was terrific. Flash forward to today, and this 2LT C8 also lacks active damping and other amenities. However, the key difference between the coupes in Vegas is, in my opinion, the same reason this vert’s performance feels nearly seamless to the agility and nimbleness of its hardtop brethren–that sweet Z51 package.
Yes, I am still claiming that for enthusiasts, the legendary performance package ($5,000) is pretty much mandatory on the C8. However, I am going to go even bolder and say this option seems like “the great equalizer” between the convertible and the coupe.
I understand I don’t have the hard data from field testing, as there are very few people around who even have one (also, COVID-19 logistics) to do a side-by-side comparison. But bear in mind that I am talking specifically about interior, exterior, drivability, acceleration, handling and braking, all of which are measurable on a subjective basis, too.
So, let’s do this.
C8 Interior
At first glance, you’d notice nothing different between the two cockpits. However, there is a slight difference regarding height. The coupe, surprisingly, has less headroom than the convertible. At 5-feet-11 inches, I distinctly remember the very top of my ball cap hitting the ceiling during my drive in the non-Z51 3LT during the Valley of Fire run.
I didn’t think much of it at the time, but once we hit the track the next day, my helmet became a real nuisance. Not for long, though, as we adjusted the seat to accommodate my head, but we had little wiggle room.
With the convertible, even with the seat height adjusted all the way to the top, I had no headroom issues to worry about. Top of my head still comes close, but it doesn’t bonk against the roof after a speed hump. The question remains whether tracks and speedways will allow it on the tarmac, as it is still a vert, even though it looks insanely coupe-like.
Don’t get me wrong, there is adequate bracing and reinforcement where needed. Still, the lack of a true C-pillar makes me think it is a “no,” but I ultimately think it will largely depend on each location’s rules.
Other than that, the only other discernible difference I gathered between the two is forward legroom being slightly less in the convertible. However, I’m not complaining when I move the seat forward nearly 100 percent at my height without problems.
