Early deliveries of General Motors’ new flagship sports car have begun, and owners of the C8 Corvette seemingly can’t help but post videos every day showing off their new toy. These early examples, however, are limited base spec versions or have the Z51 package, which ups output almost microscopically to 495 horsepower. Compare that to outgoing C7 Corvettes with the venerable Z06 or ZR1 package, which could put out 755 horses from the factory, and it’s clear the C8 has a few more steps to take in the near future.
Still, the mid-engined layout of the new car is the single biggest advantage it has in terms of acceleration, braking, and cornering. As if to prove how much of a difference that near-neutral balance makes, the YouTube channel Fasterproms raced a C8 Corvette against GM’s super-sports sedan, the Cadillac CTS-V. The results are pretty impressive.
No Replacement For Displacement
The old saying that drag-strip battles are won by displacement doesn’t really apply in this case, since both cars employ a 6.2-liter V8. But the Caddy has a supercharger bolted on, in the same setup as the outgoing C7 Corvette in Z06 trim (minus the dry-sump lubrication system added to the ‘Vette for fun at the track). The forced induction results in factory ratings of 640 horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque. Meanwhile, the new Corvette is a Z51 example producing the aforementioned 495 horses and 470 lb-ft of torque.
Controlled Experiment, Anyone?
The clip features the two GM products duking it out on a fairly dilapidated track, so traction becomes a serious consideration—if anything, the conditions benefit the mid-engined C8 Corvette more than the larger sedan, which tips the scales at 4,145 pounds compared to the coupe’s 3,366-pound dry weight. Both cars use an eight-speed automatic, though, so the comparisons are otherwise relatively controlled. The results? Well, the Corvette holds its own and even wins one race thanks to more efficiently putting power to the ground.
