2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible

The Corvette Convertible went on a diet for the C8 generation, meaning it weighs just 101 pounds more than the coupe. From the driver's seat, we could barely tell the difference between the two, which is a testament to Chevy's excellent engineering. Our convertible tester did have one major option missing though, the Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension. Aside from offering different suspension stiffness settings, GM's flagship technology also helps the 'Vette feel more planted in corners. This car is still a weapon around a corner, but we felt less confident in the abilities of the standard suspension when pushed hard. Around town, the magnetic ride control also helps eliminate harsh impacts. The Corvette is still livable with the base suspension, but spending some time in this car helped us confirm that the Mag Ride is worth every penny of its $1,895 price on the C8 Chevy Corvette Stingray Convertible.

As for the rest of the car, it still lives up to the hype as the best Corvette ever made. The switch to a mid-engine layout has drastically elevated the performance, which now encroaches on supercars. Putting power down from the V8 engine is now much easier with weight over the back tires, and the overall balance is sublime. The driver feels as though they are sitting right over the front axle with the ability to control the change of direction at will. Though the steering lacks the feedback of a Porsche 911, it feels direct enough to inspire confidence. If the standard Corvette Stingray is this impressive, we can't wait for the Z06 and ZR1 variants.

In previous generations, we would never recommend a Corvette Convertible because of the performance, styling, and practicality drawbacks compared to the coupe. With the 2021 Corvette Convertible, all of those downsides have disappeared. The switch to a hardtop roof makes this the quietest Corvette yet, and with the roof up, it looks almost identical to the coupe. Trunk space is identical in the convertible and since the whole power top mechanism weighs less so little, there are no performance losses either. If there is a single strike against the convertible, it's the inability to see the 6.2L V8 engine through a piece of glass. Some owners will gladly make the trade-off for the convenience of a power-operated roof.

Just like its coupe counterpart, the 2021 Corvette Convertible is a performance bargain that is impossible to match right now. No car offers a better combination of supercar styling and performance anywhere near the Corvette's starting price, making this one of the best cars on sale today. There are faster sports cars out there, but many of them carry six-digit sticker prices. Should you be in the market for a new toy, the Corvette deserves to be on your shopping list.

The only real question is why you need the convertible when the standard coupe also features a removable roof. Is the convenience of a power-operated roof really worth an extra $7,500?

The C7 Corvette was the last generation to have a front-engined RWD layout. Under the hood, you'll find the same 6.2-liter V8 engine, but in this guise, it only produces up to 460 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. Still, the C7 was a fast car and could sprint to sixty in only 3.7 seconds and go on to a top speed of 175 mph. On performance alone, the C8 is a sharper tool, and the mid-engine balance makes it more capable through the corners and around a track. The C7 had a pretty usable trunk, but the C8 is somehow more practical. Ultimately, it boils down to this, do you want a sports car or a supercar? If you want the latter, the C8 Corvette is a supercar for sports car money - it's that good. Finding a secondhand C7 Convertible should be easy enough, but we would jump for the C8.

When Ferrari builds a convertible, you'd best believe that it's going to be a stunning work of art and will most likely be fiendishly fast. Enter the Ferrari F8 Spider, an open-top beast with enough power to melt faces. Under this machine's rear decklid is a 3.9-liter twin-turbo V8 with 710 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque. The F8 is significantly more potent than the Corvette, but with a zero to sixty sprint time of only 2.9 seconds, the Ferrari and Corvette are closely matched. Once you're past that sprint, however, the Ferrari has a higher top speed of 212 mph and will get there quicker. On the road, the Ferrari feels like a thoroughbred but displays more chassis flex than the Corvette. Both can be driven on a daily basis in comfort. It must be said that the interior of the F8 Spider is a more special place to sit in, as is to be expected at four times the price. The Corvette does, however, provide a superior amount of features and trunk space. The Ferrari is in a different league to the Corvette, from both a prestige and performance perspective, but the fact that a Corvette with a base price of $67,400 could even be considered in the same breath is high praise. Can anyone say "performance bargain"?