Finally! 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible Production Begins

Aug. 04, 2020 10:50 AM ET by Jay Traugott Sports Cars / 2 Comments

It'll be worth the wait.

It may have taken some but the first units of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible have begun production and are rolling off the assembly line. They'll soon be on their way to anxious buyers who placed their orders months ago. Unfortunately, those orders were delayed by factors they had no control over. First, there was the months-long UAW strike and not long after that was settled, the coronavirus pandemic struck, resulting in another factory shutdown.

Corvette Blogger has confirmed with sources familiar with the production process that C8 convertibles will soon be on the road. We previously learned that despite the delayed rollout, Chevy has decided not to skip the 2020 model year for its new high-performance drop-top. There had been concerns among buyers they would be forced to wait until sometime next year to receive their deliveries.

While this no longer seems to be an issue for them, there are still plenty of other C8 customers who've already been locked out of the 2021 model year. In fact, General Motors confirmed that not every 2020 Corvette order will be fulfilled. More than likely, that's the key reason why the '21 orders books are nearly full.

Originally, Chevy planned to build 20,000 C8 Corvettes for the 2020 model year, though this clearly won't be happening. Meanwhile, C8 convertible production quantities will initially be small in order to allow quality-control measures to be put into practice. Assuming there are not any issues, the factory will gradually increase the daily build count.

Like the C8 coupe, the convertible comes powered by the same naturally aspirated 6.2-liter LT2 V8 with 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox. No manual is offered. The retractable roof is powered by six electric motors instead of the old hydraulic system. It can be raised and lowered at speeds up to 30 mph, and it retracts in a mere 16 seconds.

The convertible is also more expensive, costing $7,500 more than the base trim coupe's $59,995 starting price. Given its power and performance and exotic looks inside and out, the C8 convertible still represents a sports car bargain.