2020 Corvette Stingray Convertible

I thought that I was one of the luckiest guys in the world when I got to test one of the first new mid-engined Stingrays a couple of months ago.

Here's the test if you missed it.

https://www.audacy.com/v103/galleries/autonsider-review-2020-corvette-stingray-coupe

But then Chevy kicked it up a notch and dropped off one of their new Stingray convertibles to test for a week. Game On!

Interestingly, the new Stingray convertible is so well-styled that most people didn't have a clue it was a drop top until I pressed "Down". Then, they watched with a surprised look as in just 16 seconds the windows rolled down and mechanical arms raised and folded the top seamlessly above the engine.

And it's the same story inside. You'd never know it was a convertible. Everything is solid, padded, and as quiet as 495 HP will allow. The days of noisy, drafty canvas convertible tops are long gone.

Now this convertible convenience will run you roughly $6,400 more than the base Stingray, but you're buying a car like this for fun…right? Look at it that way and $6,400 more for the convenience of instant sun seems like a bargain to me.

More bargains? $6,800 got us Chevy's 2LT package with some very interesting "extras". One, a front-view camera is almost a must to keep from dinging that low shark-like front end on curbs.

And another one of those extras shows you just how serious Chevy is about their new Stingray. It's a performance and data recorder…capable of showing you your lap times and other performance data.

Oh…and it can also help you sleep well by recording what valets, kids and others are doing when you've given them the keys.

Other parts of that LT2 package make the Stingray convertible top-down-comfortable almost year-round. Just hit "Down"…raise the standard adjustable rear window…crank up the heated steering wheel and heated and ventilated seats and go.

We had a few "go-fast-goodies", too. Chevy's Z51 performance package delivered a performance suspension, brakes, exhaust, a higher numerical limited slip rear axle ratio, high performance run-flat tires and heavy-duty cooling.

In the convertible, that combination should get the average driver to 60 in three seconds…maybe even a hair less. And if you can get track time at Daytona or Talladega, you might be able to get it a little over 180 MPH.

And as I mentioned in my first review, Chevy's $1,495 adjustable front-end lift might save you far more than that in bodywork. In three seconds, your front-end will lift up roughly two inches…easing you over speed bumps, pitched driveways etc. And the technological "miracle" about this system is that your Stingray can store up to one thousand GPS locations where you program this lift to occur automatically. Pretty cool.

Again…I still think that the base Corvette Stingray coupe is one of the world's biggest performance bargains. But for my money, I'd probably invest the extra $6,405 for the convertible and enjoy the fun of "16-seconds to Sun".