2020 Corvette's unanswered questions

DETROIT — The way the auto industry PR machine works these days, you don't get all the information when a vehicle is launched. It dribbles out so automakers can keep the car in the news. And so, there are some unanswered questions from last week's long-awaited reveal of the 2020 midengine Chevrolet Corvette.

Looking at the new car's specifications, it's surprising that the turning circle — the tightest arc the car can turn when the steering wheel is turned all the way left or right — changed little from the 2019 model.

With the engine transplanted from between the front wheels to behind the driver, I expected the 36.4-foot turning circle (38.0 feet with the optional fatter tires) to be considerably tighter. Why does that matter? Well, a tighter turning circle makes the car easier to maneuver in tight spaces, such as U-turns or when the driver is turning a sharp corner in a tight place, such as a parking garage. When the car can turn very sharply, it's easier to turn into a parking space in tight quarters.

It appears three things affected the 2020 Corvette's turning circle:

General Motors' decision to equip the Corvette with a front trunk to increase the two-seater's cargo room, and the massive 19- or 20-inch tires.

Another factor? The wheelbase. GM President Mark Reuss told me the car's slightly longer wheelbase over its predecessor also slightly increased the turning circle. The turning circle of other midengine cars, such as the McLaren 570S and Acura NSX, are considerably tighter, at 20 feet and 19 feet. However, those cars are smaller than the new Corvette.

Another minor mystery: How did GM engineers get the new Corvette to deliver a 0-to-60 mph time of less than 3 seconds out of a naturally aspirated (that is without a supercharger or turbos) pushrod V-8 engine?

That is an astounding achievement for a 3,300-pound car. A clue might be in the information that was not revealed last week. Missing from the launch presentation and the car's specifications — a stat that is usually trumpeted loudly in the introduction of a sports car — is the new Corvette's top speed. Reuss told me that GM has not yet completed that testing. While a big number will generate flashy headlines, it's meaningless for most drivers.

Even though the 2020 Corvette is track ready, most owners are never going to burn the rubber off those expensive Michelin tires taking hot laps at the local racetrack.

Here's what I think GM did: I'd bet the car's eight-speed paddle-shifted dual-clutch transmission and final drive ratio (another missing spec) have been geared to deliver super-responsive street performance more than warp speed on the highway or on brief track straightaways. That makes sense.

On the street or on the track, it makes no difference if the Corvette's top speed is 180 mph or 240 mph. Those speeds can't be sustained in either venue. The more important yardstick is if the 2020 Corvette can mix it up with Porsches, McLarens, Ferraris and Acura NSXs at stoplights on the run to 60 mph, and in the corners.

Finally, the new Corvette grew incrementally in size from the outgoing version. That was unexpected. The midengine layout gave GM a chance to make the new car smaller, lighter and far more agile than the outgoing Corvette –- make it more like a European midengine sports car.

But GM didn't copy anyone's formula for the new Corvette.

I recently overheard two members of the Corvette team talk about testing the new car against its midengine competition. They said GM assembled a group of midengine sports cars at GM's Milford, Mich., proving grounds for engineers, designers and others to test against the new Corvette. They came away with the feeling that the 2020 Corvette can compete with the best in the class.

We'll know soon enough if that's true.