We had so much fun building our dream 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 coupes that we just had to do it again with the convertible once the configurator went up. After cumulative hours playing—err, “researching”—on Chevy’s official visualizer, the staff of MotorTrend have carefully spec’d their ultimate fantasy C8 Corvette convertibles. Read on to find out how we’d order our C8 ‘Vette drop-tops!
White is usually my go-to for these sorts of things, but I decided to mix it up, just a bit, with another color I dig: gray. Near as I can tell from the C8 Corvette’s fun configurator, Ceramic Gray Metallic is a half step between glossy and flat, and should go well with the Carbon Flash Metallic (black paint) option for the retractable hard top and nacelles (those cool intakes on the rear fenders). I opted for the Z51 performance package, which adds Michelin PS4 performance tires, FE4 Magnetic Ride Control suspension, larger front and rear brakes, an e-LSD, and additional cooling via a third rear-mounted radiator. With this extra performance on board, I went nuts with the carbon-fiber trim (mirrors, grille inserts, rocker panels), opting for Carbon Flash Metallic treatment added to the carbon fiber, when possible, to match the roof. This includes the tallest wing possible and nose-to-tail racing stripes. So things are not quite so stark, I warmed it up with pewter five-spoke wheels.
Since this is house money, I also leveled up with the 3LT package, since that unlocks all the interior colorways. I have a drop-top, why not show off the interior? Two-tone blue it is. Deciding between the microsuede or the more traditional leather-wrapped steering wheel took me on a thought safari. Top down driving means sun. Sun means sunblock. I’ve seen what sunblock does to suede (real and fake), so leather-wrapped it is—with that baby blue sighting notch. Can’t wait to see one of these (and maybe build it) in person. — Ed Loh
You know, I thought I’d be going for a brown Corvette convertible—Zeus Brown Metallic in Chevy-speak—but Rapid Blue is just too lovely not to pick. Plus, as I say every time I watch Le Mans, Corvette is the defacto French national race car. And Rapid Blue is about as close to French Blue as you can get. I went with stripes, too, because stripes! Plus, if there was a carbon option, I checked it. Especially that big carbon-fiber wing. I love wings. Had to get fussy black wheels, too. The inside is where I struggled the most. Blue would have been cool, and maybe on a coupe that would have been the way to go. Two things to think about with a roadster. First of all, the blue seats are actually Two-Tone Blue, with blue outer edges and black centers. As the earth is getting warmer, black leather with the top down sounds miserable. Second, I’m a sucker for the inside of a sport coat having nothing whatsoever to do with the outside. Bloody burgundy (Morello Red as Chevy calls it) is my choice, as it’ll be a surprise treat when the top is dropped. I guess there’s a third thing: I think blue with burgundy looks awesome. While the price for this build will be high, it’ll still be cheaper than a Porsche. Gotta love that! – Jonny Lieberman
My 2020 Corvette convertible is classic yet modern. In Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat, this mid-engine supercar-fighter may get confused for a Ferrari among non-car-enthusiasts, while black and carbon-fiber accents inside and out keep things tastefully muted. Or at least, as muted as you can get with one of the most anticipated cars of the last few decades. Those black Trident Spoke wheels will probably show better in person than they do online, providing just the right amount of shine on the road.
There’s no way I’m driving a $50,000-plus convertible in Southern California without ventilated seats, so I can’t get the 1LT. The 2LT would probably do just fine, but why not go all-out with the 3LT’s leather-wrapped interior, suede inserts, and carbon-fiber trim? Yeah, you don’t need any of that stuff, but guess what—you also don’t need a 2020 Corvette convertible. Honestly, I’d build an entire Corvette around Morello Red if Chevy offered it in a two-tone form. But as that’s not an option, I’ll take the tan leather broken up by black—the “Natural Dipped” option is too much of one color for me. – Zach Gale
Whether a coupe or convertible, the new Corvette looks best in red. Specifically, Torch Red, the lighter fire-engine red, if you will. I’d top it off with black wheels and lots of carbon, including visible carbon-fiber grille inserts, mirrors, and side rockers. Carbon Flash-painted badging, side accents, and high-wing spoiler complete the look. The mid-level 2LT trim hits the sweet spot, adding features such as a 14-speaker sound system, head-up display, and heated and vented seats. Adrenaline Red leather seats look sumptuous paired with Natural seat belts. – Kelly Lin
Call me a biter, but the moment I laid eyes on the orange C8 convertible in Chevy’s press photos I knew that was the color I’d pick if I were to order one of my own. That hue, known as Sebring Orange Tintcoat, works exceptionally well with the Carbon Flash accents, which I’d specify for the racing stripes, side vents, mirrors, high wing, and toneau cover nacelles. The roof panel I would keep body color so my racing stripes don’t get lost when the top is up. I think the Natural Dipped tan interior best complements the bright orange exterior, and while I’m splurging, I might as well go for the carbon-fiber interior trim package and competition seats, too. – Alex Nishimoto
Although the Corvette coupe I spec’d out was “stealth with accents,” a convertible should be just a touch more visible to your public. So while I would keep my Corvette convertible Shadow Gray Metallic, I would switch out the wheels to Spectra Gray Machined Trident Spoke, and keep the Edge Red brake calipers for a bit of flash. Chrome badging would set off the Corvette flags, but I’d keep the high-wing spoiler body color. No stripes, no hashmarks—we’re keeping it classy here. A convertible top means seats will be facing a big solar load, so I’m switching to tan-colored Natural GT2 leather seats, seat belts, and interior details. - Mark Rechtin
I’m not much of a fan of black cars. It’s too boring and basic to decorate a great design, especially given more expressive colors which may be on offer. But the C8 convertible doesn’t need color to be expressive. The brutally creased and angular bodywork captures attention all on its own. Black paint actually works to tone it down slightly, and let the shapes in the sheetmetal draw interest without a bright, shouty color. Plus, there’s no denying the darkness gives the car a sinister, aggressive demeanor. I chose black wheels and brake calipers to keep things low key, with a few bits of carbon fiber to add detail. For the interior, I selected Morello Red, which swathes nearly the entire cabin in a dark, rich maroon. It complements the black exterior perfectly, adding depth and complexity without being too bright. There’s no way I’m ever putting the top up on this one. - Alex Leanse
I’m generally not a fan of convertibles. Something about the way their roofline is broken by the lack of a, erm, roof puts me off them. That said, the 2020 C8 convertible has me seriously rethinking my inhibitions. I descended on the Corvette configurator to try and decide on exactly how I’d want my dream drop-top ‘Vette to look.
If you’re going to drive a loud car, you might as well spec a loud color. That’s why I went with Sebring Orange Tintcoat as my primary color choice. I say primary because I specified so many black and Carbon Flash exterior options (including the side skirts, wheels, brake calipers, retractable roof, fairings, and windshield frame) it looks positively two-tone, but that’s fine by me. Orange is a great color, but too much of a great thing is a bad thing. I also specified the high-wing option—in black, of course—because I’m a bit of a yob and I want everyone to know it.
I also went with the Z51 performance pack for the performance exhaust and extra power that brings. On the inside I opted for a tan interior and Competition seats with orange seat belts. Yeah, the tan clashes with the paint, but I’m sick of black interiors and I wasn’t going to go with blue leather! I love the way this thing looks, and at the moment I don’t think there’s another car I’d rather take down PCH. - Nick Yekikian
Think of this as a near-exact replica of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 coupe I built for our first exercise—except this one has a power hard top. I’d still get the 3LT trim in bright yellow exterior matched with a body-colored roof and brake calipers. The Z51 package is mandatory because I must have every performance-enhancing option I can get from the factory. For the interior, my choice is blue and black two-tone with the GT2 seats and matching blue seat belts. Not many automakers offer a bright blue interior, and the ones that do tend to charge a hefty sum for it. At least with the 3LT trim, it appears to be a no-cost option. Even if there was a small fee for it, I’d totally take it just to have something unique. Rounding out my ideal 2020 Corvette convertible would be the silver Trident Spoke alloy wheels for some added visual pop. – Stefan Ogbac