Chevrolet Corvette C8 Convertible 2020: official images, specs, prices and UK release

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US motoring giant Chevrolet has lifted the lid on a convertible version of its new C8-generation Corvette sports car.

Hot on the heals of the coupe version, which launched in July, the Corvette Convertible swaps the standard car’s detachable targa roof for a retractable metal top - the first of its kind for Chevrolet’s flagship performance car.

Like the coupe, the Corvette Convertible ditches the previous model’s front-engined form - a design featured on every model since the original from 1953 - in favour of a mid-engine layout similar to that of rivals such as the Porsche 718 Boxster.

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Prospective buyers will have to wait a few more months before getting behind the wheel of the drop-top, which is set to arrive in 2020.

In the meantime, here are all the details on the mid-engined convertible:

Will it launch in the UK?

Yes, both coupe and convertible versions of the C8-generation Corvette will make their way over to showrooms in Britain.

An official release date has yet to be confirmed, but Motor1 says production is slated to begin later this year.

Price and rivals

According to Top Gear, prices are starting at $67,495 (£54,900) in the US, making the drop-top $7,500 (£6,100) more expensive than the coupe.

That would put the American sports car in the same price range as the Audi’s TT RS Roadster, the Porsche 718 Boxster S and a “generously specced” BMW Z4, the motoring site notes.

Design

The eight-generation Corvette Convertible gets the same angular styling as the coupe, albeit with a slightly reworked rear deck that accommodates the folding roof mechanism.

The drop-top’s two-piece roof is stored in a small, heat-protected compartment above the engine bay.

This design means there are no compromises on the sports car’s boot space, though the electric roof mechanism has added around 80lbs (36.2kg) to the convertible’s weight, reports Jalopnik.

The retraction of the roof takes about 16 seconds and can be activated at speeds of up to 30mph.

Engine and performance

Behind the driver’s head sits the same 6.2-litre naturally aspirated V8 engines found in the coupe, producing 495bhp and 470lb-ft of torque. Power is still sent to the rear axle, but Chevrolet has tweaked the car’s suspension to cater for the extra weight of the roof mechanism.

Performance figures have yet to be released, but Chevrolet told Top Gear that convertible will offer “nearly the same performance as the coupe”.

That being the case, expect the drop-top to sprint from zero to 62mph in about three seconds, with a top speed of nearly 194mph.