[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?

By
Jeremy Welborn
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14
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[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?

Photo Credits: Jeremy Welborn


It was August of 2017 when my wife and I took a road trip from Oklahoma to Oregon and back in our 2017 Grand Sport Coupe. There was plenty of room for our luggage and detailing supplies as we headed out to see our good friends, John and Annie Elegant, and to be their guests at a local Corvette show. There is no question that the 7th Generation Corvette Coupe can handle whatever you need to bring along for an extended road trip.

Fast forward to April, 2021, for the trip we just returned home from in our 2020 Corvette Coupe. This adventure would span 7 days and 2800 miles and would take us to the National Corvette Museum for the annual NCM Bash followed by an extended trip hosted by the Lone Star Corvette Club that would take us to the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky, and on to the Cumberland Gap National Park, and finally to North Carolina for a visit to Rick Hendrick Performance. We would be showing the Corvette at the NCM’s Celebrity Choice Corvette Show, so detailing supplies would also be a necessity on the packing list.

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One of the first things I did after I took delivery of my 2020 Corvette was to find a rolling duffle bag with a hard sided lower section that would fit in the rear cargo area and still leave plenty of room for other items. This bag would be the key to maximizing cargo space and providing any hope of taking the car on a trip that would require detailing the car as well.

So, is the Mid-Engine Corvette practical for the long haul road trip? After personally driving 2800 miles over a 7 day period with luggage, detailing supplies, tools, and souvenirs, I can without reservation answer that question with a resounding “Yes!” It is truly remarkable how much you can store inside the 8th Generation Corvette. And not only that, but the ride over those 2800 miles wasn’t wearisome at all. My wife even found it easier to sleep in this Corvette than any other she’s been in and took advantage of the opportunity to nap on many occasions along the way. So, if you’re considering a lengthy road trip in your Mid-Engine Corvette, the only advice left to give is this…get out there and enjoy the drive!

[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?
[PICS] Is the Mid-Engine Corvette Practical for the Long Haul Road Trip?


Source:
Photos by Jeremy Welborn

Related:
[VIDEO] 16 C8 Corvettes Go For a Cruise Together Up Palomar Mountain
[PODCAST] Meet the C8 Corvette Owner Whose Epic Road Trip Covered Over 9,000 Miles
[VIDEO] Ride Along on a 1,000 Mile Road Trip on the California Coast in a 1965 Corvette

 



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14 COMMENTS

  1. Though not stated here, I think the reality is that the C7 will still haul more. So, if grand touring is your thing rather than going to the track, and currently for some $30k to $70k less, wouldn’t that make the C7 still the better choice for most folks?

  2. Dave, good question. The ride comfort alone in my 2020 Corvette compared with my 2017 Grand Sport makes the 2020 my preferred road choice.

  3. storage for a long road trip has been my main concern with my soon to be coming C8. This really makes me feel much better. While I may have to get a new piece of luggage, we do have two back packs that we used in Europe while traveling which may fit the bill. Thanks for this valuable info!

  4. In our case, we take our two pups, (10 pounds each), with us, so travel in a C8 would be out of the question, for any trip exceeding a couple of hours. We’ve made a number, multi-day, cross-country trips in our C7, very comfortably, with the pups napping in the luggage area.

    A couple comments regarding the writer’s experience. They are carrying a number of loose items, making it difficult to schlep items to any from a motel room. Secondly it’s a small issue, but I would never have any loose items in the driver’s foot well. Under heavy braking, those items could easily interfere with the accelerator or brake.

    As always, just my opinions.

    Montana Bob

  5. thanks for the detail pics and descriptions of the items – we have been talking of a longer trip and wondering if he could do it in the soon to pick up SO HTC at the NCM. Jeremy do you have other posts (I am sure you do) describing the accessories you added to the car. I am going to ceramic the car so I am thinking I could do without the bucket to save some space.

  6. Yes, but the previous generations were better at it in my opinion. I have taken my C4 ZR-1, C5 ZO6, C6 ZR1, and my C7 ZR1 to Bowling Green from northern Ohio and each one was fairly comfortable to drive. After owning a C8 for a year or so I can say I would not take that car on a long distance haul. With the engine behind you know, the cabin is substantially louder, even with the stock exhaust. Room isn’t an issue, it’s tighter than a C7 but not confining.
    I think the previous generations are perfect for grand touring, they offer everything you could ever want when it comes to a proper grand tourer.

  7. I agree the C7 may be better. However, this says, to me, I can still do a trip. I have no pets, we usually do not dress up. So this will work for me. One just needs to look at what works for them.

  8. Great post and I really appreciate the real life information on the C8, both the luggage space and long distance driving experience. If you want luggage space the C5 holds the must luggage by a decent margin!

  9. I think that’s a surprisingly big amount of luggage to fit in a C8. Jeremy your car looks sharp with the custom wheels and black ground effects. I like it!

  11. The article basically states it can be done, but a C7 still does it way better. Storage in the C8 is like a freezer chest. You have to dig for something till you find it. The wheels look nice for sure!

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