Engines for new Corvette to be made in Tonawanda

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Photo credit Engine for the 2020 Corvette Stingray at Tonawanda Engine Plant. July 23, 2019 (WBEN Photo/Mike Baggerman)

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WBEN) - General Motors on Tuesday announced that the engine made for the latest model of the Corvette will be made in Western New York.

The 2020 Corvette Stingray was unveiled last week in California. While production of the physical car will be made in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the 6.2L Small Block V8 LT2 engine will be produced at the Tonawanda Engine Plant along River Road. The new engine is 495 horsepower and can go from 0-to-60 miles per hour in less than three seconds.

GM President Mark Reuss said the new Corvette is the first to be a mid-engine vehicle.

GM President Mark Reuss said there were 650,000 engines that came out of the Tonawanda Engine Plant last year. https://t.co/pA3lZSM7x0

— WBEN NewsRadio 930AM (@NewsRadio930) July 23, 2019

"Powered by this new engine...the 2020 Stingray will offer customers the most power and torque of any entry-level Corvette," Reuss said. "That's unheard of for any sports car anywhere near Corvette's price point. That's what Corvette has always been about."

Reuss said the switch to the mid-engine vehicle was because they've already pushed to the limit that a front-engine can handle.

It's the latest engine that was built at the GM Plant, which ranges from vehicles like the Chevy Camaro to massive engines like the 6.6L HD Small Block Gas V-8 for the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra. The engine for the Corvette will also include a sticker to show it was made in Tonawanda.