There’s a very good reason to get excited about this latest Chevrolet Corvette Stingray – at least on our side of the pond.

The car won’t be here until early next year but I’m now going to whet your appetite. First let’s look at the engine which, for the first time, is mounted in the middle of the car.

Last June we tested the last seventh-generation Corvette, fitted with a 6.2-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine – old school and directly related to the famous small-block Chevrolet V8 first built in the 1950s.

It features pushrods and two valves per cylinder and is strong, reliable, and very powerful for its weight and physical size.

In the new eighth-generation C8 Corvette, it produces 495bhp and features a dry-sump oiling system, with the oil kept in a remote tank rather than the engine’s sump.

The advantage is the engine can be set lower in the chassis, and power is saved as the crankshaft isn’t churning around in the oil.

It drives through an eight-speed double-clutch gearbox and an electronic limited-slip differential.

The C8’s chassis is made mainly of aluminum with a bit of steel and the body panels are fiberglass.

The car weighs 1,500kg with a 40/60 front to rear weight bias.

This, together with a very effective gearbox, gives the Corvette 0-60mph in 2.9sec and a top speed of 194mph.

Although we don’t have a price for the car yet, an educated guess is about 105.000 USD.

But when you compare the car’s performance against other mid-engined supercars, it comes across as a bit of a bargain.

It’s about half the price of a McLaren 570GT and 65.500 USD cheaper than Audi’s R8. And Stingray’s engine is so simple and reliable even if it did blow up it would cost a fraction to replace compared to the motor in a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Another advantage the new Corvette has over the McLaren is growl. The Chevy V8 sounds fantastic at both idle and full throttle.

The engine might be old-fashioned but it has cylinder deactivation that cuts the motor down to four cylinders on part-throttle.

Also, although the car we tested has a removable roof panel, Chevrolet will next month launch a full convertible version that will attract even more interest.

The latest Corvette will put exotic and high-performance motoring into the hands of a new audience with a car that won’t break the bank to run.

If you’re interested to buy a Corvette, please visit our Chevy Dealers friends for great deals!