If you want to make your C8 Corvette Convertible's engine bay look better than stock, the folks at Paragon Performance have three solutions in store, beginning with a clear engine cover from General Motors. Retailing at $1,150.63 on the Iowa-based tuner's website, said cover shows a bit more of the 6.2-liter small block or the high-revving 5.5 of the Z06 by means of a 14- by 16-inch window.
When it comes to Paragon Performance-designed clear engine covers, C8 Corvette Convertible owners are presented with two choices: luscious carbon fiber with a 24- by 14-inch window and a full clear cover measuring 40 by 30 inches.
The latter is Paragon's best-selling clear engine cover, and similar to GM's solution, it fits the Stingray and Z06 as well. Made of thermal plastic, the full clear engine bay cover is a very sensible $599.99 at press time. It can be furthered with a $499.99 intake manifold cover in carbon fiber.
As for the clear engine cover with a carbon-fiber surrounding edge, said combination of clear plastic and carbon fiber adds a touch of sophistication to the Corvette's engine compartment. It's pretty similar in price to the clear engine cover from General Motors, with Paragon Performance asking $1,199.99 for it. Of course, E-Ray customers haven't been forgotten. But alas, Paragon's carbon-fiber engine bay cover doesn't include a cutout hole for the high-voltage battery's coolant reservoir.
As a brief refresher, the 1.9-kWh battery of the E-Ray is connected to a 160-horsepower electric drive unit mounted up front. Said electric motor summons up to 122 pound-feet (165 Nm) of torque, which makes a world of difference at certain speeds.
Photo: Paragon Performance on YouTube
For starters, electric-only mode is limited to 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour). Punch the gas, and the front-mounted electric drive unit will assist the 6.2-liter small block at speeds no higher than 150 miles per hour (241 kilometers per hour). After that, the direct-injected V8 that GM calls LT2 is much obliged to keep accelerating until the speedometer indicates 183 mph (295 kph).
The Stingray and Z06 are understandably faster, with General Motors quoting 194 and 195 miles per hour (312 and 314 kilometers per hour) in low-drag specifications. The Z51 performance package is rated at 184 mph (296 kph), whereas the Z07 drops the Z06's top speed to 188 mph (303 kph).
Not long now, the Chevrolet brand will debut the C8-generation ZR1 as a 2025 model. Think of it as the Z06 with a couple of turbochargers and a different regular production order code for the dual-clutch transaxle. As opposed to 755 ponies for the previous-gen ZR1, the newcomer will undeniably crank out 800 horsepower at the very least.
Following the ZR1, the C8 will reach its zenith with the Zora. Named after the guy who advocated for shoehorning a small block in the engine compartment of the C1, the Zora is a combination of E-Ray and ZR1. The hybrid twin-turbo V8 setup is expected to produce around 1,000 ponies.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News