[VIDEO] Take a Deep Dive Into the C8 Corvette’s Suspension

When you watch this deep-dive video into the new mid-engine Corvette’s suspension system by Dan Edmunds, don’t get too lost in the weeds to appreciate the flowers.

The biggest takeaway for us from watching Dan’s recent YouTube video is simple: Why didn’t Chevy change to a mid-engine design a long time ago?

While some people have been leery of the first-mid-engine-generation, we have come away impressed with the way Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter and his crew used a truly blank sheet, to produce the best Corvette ever – and perhaps one of the best vehicles period, ever.

Other than the extremely smooth nature of the dual-clutch automatic transmission and the big leap in the quality of the interior, even over the already great C7, we’ve probably been most impressed with the ride and handling of our 2020 Corvette.

That smooth ride, ability to take bumps with no problem, and capacity to handle corners with precision and poise can be traced in large part to the changes in the suspension made possible by the shift to a mid-engine architecture.

In the video, Edmunds takes the front and rear tires and wheels off a Torch Red Corvette, equipped with the Z51 performance package, front end lift, and magnetic ride, and offers a detailed explanation of the way the suspension is engineered to make the Corvette so awesome.

If you’re not mechanically inclined, this video gives you a good explanation of the way the new double wishbone front and rear suspension works. Dan says that since the C7’s bulky transverse composite leaf springs are history, the C8’s lower wishbone has the room to have a more distinct L-shape. That doesn’t mean much to someone like me, but Dan explains that that change helps both ride and handling because each of the two inner pivot bushings can be more specialized. By using different bushings to absorb lateral forces and sharp road impacts, Chevy was able to provide a better ride for the occupants of the new Stingray.

To fully grasp what Dan is explaining, you might want to watch the video two or three times, but when all is said and done, his comment that the long-awaited C8 “didn’t disappoint” should tell you all you really need to know. As he puts it, “this Z51-equipped car with Magneride dampers and front lift system really showed us some interesting stuff.”

Source:
Dan Edmunds

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