The only structural changes are for the folding top and repositioned safety belt mounts.
Chevrolet revealed the 2014 Corvette Stingray convertible at the Geneva Motor Show. The sports car will have an all-new electronic rag top that can be lowered remotely using the car’s key fob. It can also be opened or closed at speeds of up to 30 mph. A thick, three-ply fabric top, along with sound-absorbing padding and a glass rear window, should allow for a relatively quiet cabin except for the rumble of the small-block V8 engine.
The Corvette Stingray coupe and convertible will be sold in global markets starting in late 2013, with left-hand-drive models to be offered in Europe, the United Kingdom, the Middle East, Japan and Russia. Changes to Corvettes for export vary only in equipment required to accommodate market regulations, such as lighting, headlamp washers and outside mirrors. Sales of the Corvette outside of North America are currently minimal, and the lack of right hand drive model will not help here. In 2012 Corvette sales were only 14,132, a figure GM hopes to double with the new Stingray.
The interior has carbon fiber and aluminum trim, hand-wrapped leather materials, dual eight-inch configurable driver/infotainment screens, and two new seat choices – each with a lightweight magnesium frame.
“It’s fitting to introduce the new Stingray convertible on the global stage at Geneva, because Corvette is the face of Chevrolet the world over,” said Susan Docherty, president and managing director of Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe.
Mechanically all of the performance technology on the Corvette Stingray coupe carries over to the convertible. The only structural changes are for the folding top and repositioned safety belt mounts. The Corvette Stingray’s more rigid aluminum frame structure is 57% stiffer and 99 pounds (45 kg) lighter than the current steel frame.
The first small block V8 debuted in the Corvette in 1955. It displaced 4.3-liters (265 cubic inches) and was rated at 195 horsepower, drawing air and fuel through a four-barrel carburetor.
All models are powered by the new LT1 6.2L V8, with an estimated 450 horsepower (335 kW) and 450 lb.-ft. of torque (610 Nm). Since no structural reinforcements are required for the convertible, both models share almost identical power-to-weight ratios, as well as a 50/50% front/rear weight distribution.
The LT1 combines several advanced technologies, including direct injection, Active Fuel Management and continuously variable valve timing to support a combustion system designed to balance power and efficiency in GM’s view. The new Corvette Stingray is expected to improve upon the current model’s fuel economy of a thirsty 13.6L/100km or its EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of 26 mpg.
