Talking With the Head Engineer of Corvette

Are they including an integrated trailer hitch for 2020? Seems they've always left that out in their designs, relying on aftermarket sellers.

Back when people pulled trailers with corvettes, GM actually did design a hitch. As an example, A friend had one on his ‘68 L88 that was attached to the frame and pivoted up/down along side the spare tire well on the frame rails and latched onto the rear frame rail. It gave complete access to the spare and was quite sturdy.

2020 model is sold out according to GM. Price was a complete surprise. Goes on my bucket list.

I know! I'm beginning to think my future will be in "vintage" cars.

No manual, no interest.

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Indeed - very helpful for one’s professional racing career.

Yeah, a manual shift is all fun and games until you’re stuck in gridlock. I’ll take the paddle shifters and risk the shame, thank you

Actually they are aggressively pursuing a younger demographic. Tadge Juechter, Corvette Executive Engineer made this statement about the target owner,  “So we’re not walking away from our current customers, we love our current customers, and wanna do a car for them that they’ll be happy with,” Juechter adds. “But at the same time you can’t continue to have your demographics continue to get older every year or eventually, you won’t have any customers.” He also was adamant that there would be no chrome wheels offered on the C8, an observed link to us older guys who grew up with chroming stuff on hotrods. When asked about the lack of chrome his response was, "Is this move against chrome wheels ageist? Absolutely, but it's also part of a concerted effort on GM's part—which includes, you know, the C8's very serious new mid-engine layout—to shift the Corvette's appeal into edgier territory and toward those who don't yet qualify for AARP membership."

By the way, if you go into any dealership now days and try to find a young person that can drive a standard shift car you'll find it is a real rarity. And, I've run into the same issue with valet parking if we drive a Corvette out to dinner. 

I agree, Laker.

Today's yutes really are concerned about those extra few milliseconds, seriously. I even have friends my age (mid 40s) that have gone over to the dual clutch side. Plus, like you mentioned, a lot of yutes don't even know how to drive a manual, so I agree this was probably a good strategy on GMs part.

Regarding daily driving a manual tranny? I've done that off and on for 20 years or more. Most recently, my C6 was my daily driver up until a year or so ago. (and plan to daily drive a manual again in the near future)

Traffic is a non-issue for me, although admittedly I'm not spending 3 hours a day on road.

Ya know, my wife and I enjoyed dinner at the same German restaurant for 35+ years. We found the changing abilities of the young valet attendants who worked there when our car never moved out of the valet drop off, they’d just have me move the Vette to the very rear of that space and leave it there.

When traveling, I usually park my own car in “valet parking”.

I am one of the senior drivers who will really miss a manual transmission, but people of my age group no longer tell the auto makers what is desirable in a new car. Hell, if we ruled the design there’d still be 8- tracks and tissue dispensers in cars.

The C8 looks pretty sweet. I’d love to take a red targa around Road Atlanta a few times.

That said, I’d probably end up hitting 100 every time I drove the thing on the road and get into trouble pretty quickly. Safer for everyone around you to do that on a bike. .

All my vehicles are manual trans, to the chagrin of my wife, whose X5 always seems to be breaking down.. have no plans to buy anything auto barring a physical injury.

In general I ascribe to the philosophy that it’s more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow, on public roads at least.

The C8 looks like an awesome track toy though.