The 2008 Corvette

The Overview

The 2008 Corvette went on sale into a collapsing economy, and the year’s story is of a car that got better while the market got worse. The LS2 gave way to the LS3, the Gen IV small-block bored to 4.065 inches for 376 cubic inches (6.2 liters), with rectangular-port heads and 2.165-inch hollow-stem intake valves derived from the LS7’s, higher-flow injectors, a higher-lift cam and acoustically tuned covers, at 10.7:1 compression: 430 hp at 5,900 rpm and 424 lb-ft at 4,600, and 436 and 428 with the new $1,195 NPP dual-mode exhaust, whose vacuum-actuated valves opened a second path under load. The six-speed got a shorter-throw linkage and the paddle-shift automatic quicker shifts and a $395 2.73:1 axle (standard with Z51); the steering got a stiffer intermediate shaft and new calibration. Split-spoke wheels in Sparkle Silver replaced the five-spokes as standard, with Competition Gray, polished and chrome five-spoke forged wheels and the carried-over original chrome design as options; OnStar, XM and the auto-dimming mirror with compass became standard; the console got a cyber-pattern trim plate and bright surrounds, the key fob a hidden emergency key, and a new 4LT group ($8,005 coupe, $8,600 convertible) and 3LZ on the Z06 ($6,545) wrapped the dash, doors and console in Ebony, Linen or Sienna leather. Crystal Red and Jetstream Blue Tintcoats replaced Monterey Red and LeMans Blue.

Three limited editions arrived in one year. The 427 Limited Edition Z06 (RPO Z44, $84,195) honored Wil Cooksey, Bowling Green’s plant manager since 1993, on his retirement: Crystal Red Tintcoat, the only Crystal Red Z06 built, a Dark Titanium leather-wrapped 3LZ interior with “427” embroidered seats and mats, hood stripes and 427 badges in the manner of the 1967 big-block cars, a body-color spoiler and chrome spider wheels, each of the 505 (427 for North America, 78 for export) numbered and signed by Cooksey on the underside of the console lid. The Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica returned (Z4Z, $59,090 coupe, $68,160 convertible) as a coupe for the first time, 234 coupes and 266 convertibles in the black-and-silver scheme of the commemorative cars that marked 30 years since the 1978 Pace Car, with Titanium seats, Z06 spoilers and plaques signed by Emerson Fittipaldi, who drove a one-off Z06 E85 concept to start the 92nd 500 on May 25, 2008; 60 of them served as track and festival cars. And Hertz bought 500 ZHZ coupes for its Fun Collection, Velocity Yellow with a black hood-and-roof stripe, seven-spoke chrome wheels, the LS3 with NPP, the automatic and Magnetic Ride, the first rental Corvette since the Hertz Shelbys inspired it. Corvettes paced the Daytona 500 (a gold Z06 for the race’s 50th running), the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400 again.

The Z06 itself was unchanged at 505 hp, $71,000 and 3,175 pounds, now with 3LZ and chrome wheels on 5,101 of its 7,731 cars. Motor Trend ran a Z51 LS3 coupe to 60 in 4.1 seconds and through the quarter in 12.5 at 115 mph, the 2002 C5 Z06’s numbers, and Chevrolet claimed 190 mph. Corvette Racing finished its tenth and last full GT1 season with the drivers’ title for Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen and the manufacturers’ and team championships, lost Le Mans to the Aston Martin DBR9 again, and prepared the move to GT2; the Blue Devil ZR1 was shown at Detroit in January 2008 and went on sale that summer as a 2009. Production fell to 35,310, 20,030 coupes, 7,549 convertibles and 7,731 Z06s, 5,251 fewer than 2007, as the recession took hold and Lehman Brothers failed in September. In 2026 the 2008 Z06 sold at auction for $25,300 to $81,400 by mileage, the 427 Limited Edition for $50,000 to $58,500 against a $52,817 benchmark, and the coupe and convertible for $17,000 to $30,800.

The 2008 Corvette Story

The arrival of the 2008 Corvette was met by a volatile U.S. economy with a very uncertain future. U.S. mortgage-backed securities, which were marketed around the world, carried hard-to-assess financial risks. These risks proved to have an enormously adverse impact to lending institutions around the globe, as banks watched the securities they had tied to real estate begin to plummet. With loan losses mounting and the fall of Lehman Brothers on September 15, 2008, a major panic broke out on the inter-bank loan market. Housing prices and stock shares declined, causing many large and well established investment and commercial banks in the United States and Europe to suffer huge financial losses – and others to face the real possibility of bankruptcy.

The financial crisis, which would become known as the “Great Recession,” would quickly spread beyond the housing and investment markets. In just a matter of months, the financial decline would begin to have an adverse impact on almost all consumer markets. It stood to reason that as housing market values plummeted and the strength of the dollar diminished, American consumers would understandably become increasingly reluctant to spend money. This recessionary decline in spending would hurt commercial and retail businesses around the globe, and would cause a sharp drop in new car sales within the United States automotive markets.

Despite this rapidly approaching recession, management at Chevrolet persevered, even though sales and stock value were beginning to plummet. The funding and development behind the Corvette persevered as well, even though the sales numbers for the 2008 Corvette would ultimately reflect the financial strain being experienced by General Motors, the nation and, indeed, the world.

The most notable advancement of the 2008 Corvette model year was the news that Chevrolet had developed another evolution of its legendary small-block engine.

The new engine was designated the LS3, and would become the standard engine for both the base coupe and convertible models. The LS3 included a size increase from 364 cubic-inches (6.0L) of the LS2 to 376 cubic-inches (6.2L). In addition to increased size and displacement, the engine also received a thirty-horsepower increase.

The LS3 featured high-flow fuel injectors and cylinder heads like those found on the Z06’s LS7 engine. They featured a large-valve, large port design with larger, straighter intake ports. The engine’s intake valves featured hollow stems with nine-percent larger diameters. The camshaft provided a five-percent increase in valve lift. Outwardly, the LS3’s beauty covers and composite intake manifolds had acoustically tuned sections that were used to dampen and tune valve train noise.

The LS3 engine was developed to operate at a slightly lower compression ratio than the LS2. This ability to operate at a lower compression ratio was developed to accommodate GM’s interest in making all of the vehicles in their fleet capable of operating on E85 ethanol-blended fuel. Despite this, the LS3 produced 430 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 424 lb-ft of torque at 4,600 rpm, providing unprecedented performance numbers for an engine that was intended for the base model coupe and convertible.

An optional Dual Mode Exhaust System (RPO NPP) was also introduced for coupes and convertibles. The system used vacuum-actuated outlet valves controlled by engine RPM and throttle position. This system included 2.5-inch diameter pipes, and introduced a more aggressive sounding exhaust note. When installed, the Dual Mode Exhaust System increased the LS3’s output to 436 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque.

Although the actual transmission designations remained the same, there were improvements made to both the manual and automatic transmissions used on the coupe and convertible models. For the manual gearbox, the transmission linkage had shorter fore-aft travel. The automatic transmission had hardware and software changes made to it that resulted in quicker manual paddle shifts. Additionally, a 2.73:1 performance axle was provided (as an option) with automatic transmissions, and came included standard when the automatic transmission and the Z51 performance package were ordered together.

The 2008 Corvette’s steering feel was improved through the use of more precise machining, a stiffer intermediate shaft, and revised controller calibrations. These improvements created a more enjoyable driving experience for consumers, especially when piloting the Corvette during extreme driving conditions.

Outwardly, there were few notable cosmetic changes to the exterior of the car. However, the wheels offered with the 2008 Corvette received some notable improvements. New for the model year was a split-spoke wheel that came standard on all coupes and convertibles. This base wheel was painted Sparkle Silver (the design had been previewed on the 2007 Indy Pace Car replica), though it could also be optioned in Competition Gray. A five-spoke forged wheel was also optional for 2008, and it could be ordered in either a polished or chrome finish. The wheels on the Z06 model remained the same as the previous model year, except for those that were offered on the 427 Limited Edition Z06.

The 427 Limited Edition Z06 (RPO Z44, $84,195) was created to honor retiring Bowling Green plant manager Wil Cooksey. It came only in Crystal Red Tintcoat, with a Dark Titanium leather-wrapped 3LZ interior, “427” embroidery on the seats and floor mats, hood stripes and 427 badges in the manner of the 1967 big-block cars, a body-color spoiler and chrome “spider” wheels. All 505 were numbered and signed by Cooksey on the underside of the console lid, 427 for North America and 78 for export.

Although the interiors were still very much a carryover from the 2007 model, the 2008 Corvette interior did receive some updated appointments worth noting. One notable revision to the 2008 model was that the interiors were revised with a new wrapped “cyber” graphic pattern console trim plate, along with bright surrounds for the cupholder and manual shifter, and a brushed aluminum shifter and door release trim. Metal door sill plates were introduced (though they had first appeared in the middle of the 2007 production run). The floor mat retainers were simplified. While not strictly a feature of the interior, the 2008 Corvette’s remote key fob now included a concealed door key with a small, sliding compartment.

In addition to these refinements, the 2008 Corvette also offered consumers a greater level of standard options including OnStar, XM Radio, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror with built-in compass. All radios, except those equipped with a navigation system, also included an MP3 audio jack.

Did you know? Wilmer Wil Cooksey was named manager of the world's only Corvette plant in February, 1993. As a lifelong fan of the amazing sports car, it was a dream job come true. Cooksey's General Motors career began with his first job as an assistant professor in industrial engineering at GMI in Flint, Michigan. Wil Cooksey retired from General Motors in 2008, and in celebration of his tenure there, GM honored him by manufacturing 505 427-Limited Edition Corvettes. Mr. Cooksey will be celebrated by Corvette enthusiasts the world over for his contributions to this amazing sports car and community. In his free time, Mr. Cooksey likes excitement. His hobbies include drag racing and flying airplanes. He resides in Bowling Green with his wife, Elizabeth, a teacher at Western Kentucky University. They have two children, David and Crissy. Wil's passion is working on and racing his Corvette race car.

For Corvettes equipped with the 3LZ and 4LT convenience packages, the Corvette interiors received additional refinements including a leather-wrapped instrument panel, door panels, and console. The console trim featured a unique bias-graphic pattern. The 4LT package also included cross-flag headrest embroidery on both the driver and passenger seats. The leather-wrapped interior was offered in Linen, Sienna or Ebony.

In addition to the 427 Limited Edition Z06, there were a couple of other special-edition Corvettes in the 2008 lineup. As in 2007, GM offered an Indianapolis 500 Pace Car replica (RPO Z4Z), and for the first time it came as a coupe as well as a convertible: 234 coupes and 266 convertibles, 500 in all, in the black-and-silver scheme of the commemorative cars that marked the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Corvette Pace Car.

The Z06 E85 concept that led the field was a one-off that ran on ethanol; the replicas reproduced the black-and-silver commemorative cars that marked the 30th anniversary of the 1978 Corvette Pace Car, with Titanium seats, Z06 spoilers and a numbered plaque signed by Emerson Fittipaldi.

In addition to the Indy Pace Car models, GM also created a special edition Corvette for the Hertz car rental company. Known as the ZHZ Coupe (RPO ZHZ), 500 special edition Corvettes were produced exclusively for the Hertz Fun Club rental program.

All 500 units produced in 2008 were targa-topped coupes that came finished in Velocity Yellow with a broad, black stripe that ran the length of the hood and roof. Mechanically, the car came equipped with the LS3 engine, a 6-speed automatic transmission (with paddle shifters), vacuum actuated valve exhaust, the F55 suspension package and unique, 7-spoke chrome wheels.

Motor Trend test drove a 2008 Corvette Z51 coupe in September 2007, and produced some impressive performance numbers, though perhaps not quite as impressive as might have been expected given the LS3’s increase in horsepower from the previous year’s LS2. In short, Motor Trend clocked the Z51 coupe with a 0-60 time of 4.1 seconds, a 0-100 time of 9.5 seconds, and an impressive 12.5-second quarter-mile at 115 miles per hour.

Per Motor Trend’s article on the 2008 Corvette, these performance numbers “line up almost perfectly with those of (the) best 2002 C5-generation Z06. No surprise, really – that car made, ahem, ‘only’ 405 horsepower and 400 pounds-feet of torque.” Adding to the impressive performance numbers recorded by Motor Trend, Autoblog.com reported that the 2008 Corvette coupe – the base model – could now reach a top speed of 190 miles per hour!

Unfortunately, not even the most impressive performance numbers in the world could outweigh the critical reality of the U.S. economy. By the end of 2008, unemployment was soaring, and consumer spending continued to diminish as millions lost their homes and credit dried up for both individuals and businesses.

The “Great Recession” had taken hold, and its effects were felt in every market. This was very evident in Corvette’s dwindling sales numbers. For 2008, Chevrolet sold 20,030 coupes, 7,731 Z06 Coupes, and a mere 7,549 Convertibles, bringing the total units that year to 35,310 cars – a decline of more than 5,000 units from the previous model year.

Still, while the 2008 model year suffered because of a global economic downturn, the engineers and designers at Corvette were continuing to work closely with the Corvette Racing program to develop some of the most innovative and exciting technology ever seen in the history of the car. The results of this effort were clearly demonstrated when Corvette Racing ended its final full season in the GT1 class of the American Le Mans Series with a drivers championship – won by drivers Johnny O’Connell and Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Compuware Corvette C6.R. Although the 2008 ALMS season marked the end of Corvette Racing’s tenth year in the GT1 category, both the No. 3 of Magnussen and O’Connell and the No. 4 driven by Oliver Gavin and Olivier Beretta would transition to the GT2 category following the 2009 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Similarly, the development of the ZR1 would continue in earnest throughout 2008, giving rise to some criticism against GM for developing what was assured to be the costliest, and the most powerful, Corvette of all time. The “Blue Devil” was about to emerge – but many were questioning if its arrival would coincide with the financial collapse of General Motors – leading some to speculate that the Corvette program might be in serious jeopardy. Little did anyone realize, for how could they, that GM was on a track that would catapult the Corvette to levels of performance and popularity even greater than anything seen in its now fifty-five-year history.