Corvette Stingray 6.2 Review: The V8 That Got Me Hooked

The first thing that struck me about the Corvette Stingray wasn't its size, its 6.2-litre V8 or even the fact that the engine sits behind the driver - it was the nose.

Painted in a shade of red that could easily have come from Ferrari's colour chart, this generation C8 Corvette Stingray has hints of the Ferrari F430 about it. The low nose, sculpted front wings and those dramatic air channels make the resemblance uncannily obvious from certain angles.

Then you walk towards the rear and the illusion disappears - those four exhaust outlets, the angular haunches, flying-buttress-like rear treatment and unmistakable Corvette lighting signatures make it very clear this isn't an Italian exotic. It is America's answer to the sports-car establishment; and arguably one of the most radical Corvettes ever built.

That is because the C8, introduced in 2020, was the first production Corvette to move its V8 behind the cabin, abandoning the front-engine layout that had defined the model for generations. It was a seismic change for a nameplate that dates back to 1953.

And, thankfully, Chevrolet didn't mess around with the formula.

The Inside Story

The interior is an interesting place - the seats are supportive and properly sporty, while the steering wheel is surprisingly nice to hold.

But the centre console is what grabs your attention, with that vertical stack of buttons for climate control and seat heating and ventilation - it is unmistakably driver-focused.

The whole cockpit feels as though someone took inspiration from a fighter jet; if you're a Top Gun fan, sitting behind the wheel does provide a little of that Maverick fantasy.

Just remember that this is Singapore - our skies are not exactly Top Gun territory, and the roads are even less forgiving. Every questionable manoeuvre is potentially captured by a traffic camera, dashboard camera or an overly enthusiastic citizen with a smartphone.

So perhaps keep the fighter pilot antics to the track.

Surprisingly Practical

One of the C8's cleverest tricks is that it isn't completely useless when it comes to luggage.

There are two storage areas: A 57-litre front compartment, and a 204-litre rear boot. The front section is usefully deep enough to take a backpack upright, while the rear compartment can accommodate a golf bag snugly - that means a weekend drive to Kuala Lumpur isn't entirely unrealistic.

The rear boot is also designed to carry the removable roof, with proper latches to keep it secured; a small but thoughtful touch. You don't have to take the roof off, stare at it in your living room and wonder where on earth you're supposed to put it…

However the downside is that the rear compartment gets rather warm. With the engine and exhaust sitting just ahead of it, heat inevitably finds its way into the boot.On the bright side, if you're carrying takeaway food, consider it an automotive warming drawer.

Powering It

Behind the cabin sits a 6,162 cc naturally-aspirated LT2 V8 producing 495 bhp and 630 Nm, driving the rear wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. General Motor's LT2 uses direct injection, variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation, while its dry-sump lubrication system is designed to keep the engine properly fed with oil under hard cornering.

It is not a small engine; and it’s not particularly shy about announcing its presence either.

The numbers are properly serious: 0-100 km/h takes just 2.9 seconds and top speed is rated at 312 km/h. The car weighs 1,740 kg, which is hardly featherweight, but the mid-engine layout puts the mass in the right place and gives the car a remarkably planted feel.

Floor the accelerator and it feels ferocious. There is none of the muted, sanitised sensation you sometimes get from modern performance cars - the Corvette simply goes. The V8 digs in, the DCT fires through its ratios and the scenery starts moving at a rather alarming rate.

And then there is the sound. Oh, that sound…

With the roof removed, the exhaust note becomes an even more prominent part of the experience. Driving down the ECP with the V8 behind you, breathing and bellowing into the cabin, is the sort of automotive theatre that makes you deliberately take the long way home.

Or, in my case, drive from one end of Singapore to the other… and then do it again.

I honestly cannot remember the last time I drove up and down our little island twice in a single day, simply because I didn't want to get out of a car; that alone tells you something.

Ride & Handling

This Corvette Stingray isn't merely about straight-line fireworks. Its handling is competent regardless of whether you select Tour, Sport or Track. Tour is the obvious choice for daily use, particularly if your commute involves crossing Singapore from Pasir Ris to Tuas and back; it remains civilised, the throttle is easier to modulate and the suspension doesn't make every expansion joint feel like a personal attack.

Sport sharpens things considerably; Track sharpens everything further.

Steering, throttle response and transmission behaviour all become more immediate, and the Corvette starts feeling considerably more focused. Attack a sequence of bends and there is genuine confidence in the way the car changes direction.

But there is one thing I would like Chevrolet to work on: The front end.

Push harder into tighter corners and there is a sensation that the front tyres are beginning to ask for mercy. It isn't dramatic understeer, nor does it make the car incompetent, but compared with the ferocity of the rear-driven powertrain, the front could use a little more bite.This is the one area where I felt the Corvette had room for improvement.

The brakes, meanwhile, are excellent; they bite immediately and continue to do their job after repeated aggressive use. Even with more than 1.7-tonnes of Corvette to haul down, I never experienced noticeable fade.

In A Nutshell

This is where the Corvette gets interesting in Singapore.

Park it beside a Porsche 911 Cabriolet and, yes, the Corvette's cabin may feel comparatively basic. After all, Porsche has spent decades perfecting the art of making a sports car feel expensive.

But then you drive them.The Corvette's advantage is difficult to quantify because it isn't found in a specification sheet. It is the theatre; the naturally aspirated V8, the immediacy, the noise, the sensation that something mechanical and slightly outrageous is happening every time you press the accelerator.

Singapore tends to place Porsche and Ferrari on a different pedestal; it’s just a pity the Corvette doesn't carry the same badge prestige here.

Get behind its wheel, however, and your perspective changes rather quickly. It attracts attention too; motorcyclists give you the thumbs-up, children wave, young ladies smile at you.

I shall stop there before my wife reads this…

Yes, this Corvette Stingray costs more than $700,000 here. Yes, its 6.2-litre V8 attracts a road tax bill of roughly $7,300 a year. Here in Singapore, those numbers are enough to make most people reconsider their life choices.

But cars like this aren't bought because they make financial sense - they are bought because they make memories. The Corvette Stingray has already earned its place high on my list of memorable driving experiences of 2026. Not because it is perfect - that front end could certainly use more grip - and certainly not because it has the most prestigious badge.

It is memorable because every drive feels like an occasion.

Before environmental legislation eventually makes cars like this increasingly difficult to justify, this American right here reminds us why we fell in love with petrol-powered performance cars in the first place: A big V8, rear-wheel drive, ridiculous exhaust note. And enough performance to make Singapore's 90km/h speed limit feel like an exercise in extreme self-control. Even better, a roof you can remove.

Years from now, I suspect I won't remember every number attached to the Corvette.

I will remember the sound; and I will probably still be smiling.

Photos by Azfar Hashim (@azfar.talks)

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