The long-awaited Corvette C8 has officially gone with a mid-engine layout, which sounds exotic and looks cool, but some are questioning how will it affect the interior space of Chevrolet's halo sports car. The outgoing C7 offers an impressive amount of space for both occupants, which is one of the reasons why the Corvette is regarded as a practical daily driver. The C8 will certainly have the go, but will it have the interior space and cargo capacity to make it a viable daily driver? GM Authority did some investigating and came up with some interesting results.
Popular opinion amongst current owners, journalists, and fans, in general, is that the mid-engine layout will chip away at the interior and cargo space of the upcoming C8, which is highly sought after real estate in any two-door sports car, The outgoing C7 uses a traditional front-engine rear-wheel-drive layout that affords it some decent space, especially compared to its competitors, so a closer look at the specs should reveal whether or not the new engine layout has cramped its practical appeal.
The good news is that the C8 will match the outgoing C7 in terms of headroom at 38-inches a piece, but that's the only measurement the two share. Legroom takes a slight knock, measuring in at 42.8-inches versus the C7's 43, while hip room takes the biggest hit, measuring in a full two inches less than the C7's 54. The C7 has been lauded for its impressive amount of cargo space, measuring 15 cubic feet in total, around the same space as you'd get in a Toyota Camry, so the fact that the C8's trunk has shrunk by a whole 2.4 cubic feet should come as a disappointment to serious golfers and shopaholics alike.
So the C8 has had to make some concessions in terms of overall interior and cargo space, but considering the fact that the engine now sits in the back, Chevrolet has done a commendable job of limiting the attrition. The most notable difference between the two generations, in terms of cargo and storage space, is the fact that the C8 will split its trunk in two and will feature a traditional trunk behind the engine, and another in the cabin.
So the C8 has had to make some concessions in terms of overall interior and cargo space, but considering the fact that the engine now sits in the back, Chevrolet has done a commendable job of limiting the attrition. The most notable difference between the two generations, in terms of cargo and storage space, is the fact that the C8 will split its trunk in two and will feature a traditional trunk behind the engine, and another in the cabin.
It should be fair to say that despite the exotic engine layout, Chevrolet has managed to retain the traditional grand-tourer's sense of space and cargo capacity despite some minor concessions, and at the end of the day, the C8 will remain a blisteringly fast, yet practical daily sports car.