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2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray vs the world: How it compares on paper

The 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray in its base form offers an astonishing amount of performance for the money. In fact, so impressive is the car's spec sheet that the Corvette kind of exists in two different competitive sets: one of cars priced similarly, and another with cars of similar performance and reputation. To get a feel for how it handles each of these segments, we've compiled specifications for those two sets of players. You can find the first set below, which looks at cars of roughly the same price point. Following that is a bit of analysis, and then there's a chart of cars with similar performance and reputation. And that chart will also have some analysis. Though final pricing for the Corvette hasn't been announced yet, we know the Corvette will start at less than $60,000. And as far as pricing goes, its closest competitor is the Porsche 718 Cayman, which also starts at just under $60,000. Both are mid-engined and rear-drive, but the Corvette offers an extra 195 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Cayman does boast a curb weight of right around 3,000 pounds, so it weighs a few hundred pounds less than the Corvette, but it's likely not enough to make up for the power deficit. The Corvette's sub-3.0-second 0-60 time bears this out against the Cayman's best 4.5-second run. Impressively, though, the Cayman has more cargo space than the Corvette in a package that's nearly 10 inches shorter. The Cayman also still offers a manual option for those that prefer self-shifting. The 2020 Toyota Supra is on the cheap end of this sports car class, just crossing $50,000. It also boasts more power than the Cayman, though it's still down by 160 ponies and 105 pound-feet of torque to the C8. It's also about as roomy as the Corvette, despite being about the same size as the Cayman. Cargo space is a bit tighter. Its driving characteristics will likely differ, too as the Supra sits on a front-engine platform. It might even feel closer to a C7 Corvette in some ways. The other mid-engine entry in this price range is the 2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. Its small 1.7-liter turbo inline-4 only makes 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but it's also far and away the lightest of this group at 2,487 pounds. That's roughly 1,000 pounds lighter than the Corvette. It isn't as fast as the Corvette in a straight line, but that lightness surely pays dividends in cornering and braking.

GM exploring ways to raise half-ton Duramax diesel tow rating

Lots of truck owners cheered when GM announced fuel economy numbers for the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado with the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six. Even after Ram let loose its EPA mileage ratings for the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, the Chevy oil-burner still took the trophy. The victory was years in the making, GM engineers spending an entire four-year development cycle refining the LM2 Duramax to increase mileage. The tradeoff, as well all know by now, is towing; the Duramax in half-ton duty pulls a maximum 9,300 pounds in the Silverado. Rivals across town can do more, the Ford F-150 PowerStroke rated at 11,500, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel game to pull 12,560. GM engineer John Barta told Muscle Cars & Trucks that more hauling chops could be on the way, explaining, "We’re actually looking at upgrading some of the materials around (the engine bay) to see if we can maybe raise our tow rating." Engine bay materials are at issue due to thermal complexities underhood. John Barta, GM's assistant chief engineer of diesel engine controls, said the Duramax's inline-six configuration allowed engineers to get emissions hardware like the combined selective catalytic reduction, diesel oxidation catalysts, and diesel particulate filter unit closer to the engine, where it heats up quicker, getting emissions down quicker. But that filter puts another heat source in those confines, enforcing a cap on the tow rating to keep the engine and other systems from overheating. "If you look under the hood," he said, "youÂ’ll see a significant amount of silver ‘moon tapeÂ’ around to make sure things arenÂ’t getting overheatedÂ… if we were to go up in higher towing, which we can, we start impacting the possibility of deteriorating some of the components.” There isn't much space for more grille, so swapping for a better grade of "moon tape" or a different kind of material could reduce engine bay heat, extracting a higher tow rating in the process.  It's important to note a point Barta's been making for months about the Duramax figures, though. "Even though itÂ’s nice to brag about big numbers, in reality, light duty customers are not towing that large with their trucks," and, "We do know that (95 percent) of our light duty customers donÂ’t tow over 9,000 pounds." On our First Drive of the 2020 Silverado diesel we called out the tow rating, but emphasized that the Chevy and GMC have more important challenges to overcome.

Car and Driver 10Best list cracked by Tesla Model S, BMW 3 Series left off

Car and Driver is keeping new blood pumping into its annual 10Best cars list with three new entries making it on for 2015 and a perennial favorite falling off. Among the biggest shocks this year is that the BMW 3 Series and 4 Series are no longer named, despite years of some portion of that lineup earning a mention. In another surprise, the Tesla Model S (specifically in S 60 trim to fit under the $80,000 cost cap) makes it to the 2015 roster and is the only electrically motivated member of the group. Despite the loss of the 3 Series, BMW isn't entirely shut out this year, because the M235i gets its name on the list. Car and Driver argues that the little coupe feels like a welcome throwback to the E46 chassis M3 of the early 2000s. In addition to the Model S, the final newbie to the annual group is the 2015 Ford Mustang GT. The inclusion of these new members knocks the Audi A6/A7 family and Ford Fiesta ST out from the 2014 rundown. The other seven models carry over from last year, including the Cadillac CTS, Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Honda Accord, Mazda3, Mazda6, Porsche Boxster/Cayman and Volkswagen Golf/GTI. The 2015 10Best cars list certainly seems to have something for everyone from the hot hatch fan to the family man and even the green car driver, thanks to the addition of the Tesla. Head over to Car and Driver to read its detailed explanations for each vehicle's inclusion, but if you've got a difference of opinion or just really like the list, let us know in Comments. Featured Gallery Car and Driver 2015 10Best Cars List View 10 Photos News Source: Car and DriverImage Credit: Car and Driver, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Porsche, Tesla, Volkswagen Auto News BMW Cadillac Chevrolet Ford Honda Mazda Porsche Tesla Volkswagen Convertible Coupe Hatchback Performance Sedan 10Best