The new, mid-engine, C8 Corvette has been all of the automotive news for the last year. The newest Corvette launched just before the global COVID-19 pandemic hit the scene. So, many people that had placed orders are only now receiving them. Consequently, automotive YouTubers have only recently been able to create content with the Corvette. One such Youtube channel is that of Throttle House. They put the new Corvette up against a Dodge Demon at the track. The results may surprise a few. 

The C8 Corvette

The thought of a mid-engine Corvette has been around for decades. But, it is only now that Chevrolet has been able to move the car’s powerplant location. Moving the engine to a more central location allows the car to be better balanced and, consequently, more neutral in its handling performance, which is a very good thing. 

Horsepower and keeping traction

The location of the engine means little, however, in a drag race. In such a race, there are only two things that matter, horsepower, and the ability to keep traction. So, it seemed like a good idea to our friends at Throttle House to take the new Corvette to the track and have it compete against what is considered the current drag racing king, the Dodge Demon.

Horsepower

The Chevrolet Corvette is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.2-liter V8 engine that pumps out 490 horsepower. The Dodge Demon has a Hemi 6.2-liter V8 engine that has a 2.7-liter supercharger sitting on top of it. This combination puts out 840 horsepower with 100 octane fuel, while only a measly 808 horsepower with 94 octane. It is also important to note that the Corvette is 900 pounds lighter than the Demon.

Keeping traction

The Corvette has a nifty launch control function. So does the Demon. The only problem is that the Demon has so much power, that getting its launch control to keep traction is still difficult. And, in a race, traction is important, especially a short race, like at a drag strip.

If you are thinking that this is an odd match-up, then you are right. There is nothing in the specifications of the two cars that similar about them. There are two exceptions, though, both cars are rear-wheel drive and built to move their tails.

The video is below.

The drag race results, Corvette 1, Demon 1

In the video, the Dodge Demon’s grip problem did end up being a concern, as suspected. For the first race, the Demon had trouble putting the power to the ground at the start. Although the car is seen making a comeback at the end of the drag strip, it is still lost to the Corvette, a car with a lot less power. However, when the hosts took the launch out of the equation by doing their next race as a rolling start race, the Demon beats the Corvette. 

It is eye-opening to see how the cars each performed. But, these races only proved one thing, that both of these vehicles, the Corvette and Demon, are incredibly good performers at the track. That could not be said of many cars coming straight from the factory. Most would need performance enhancements in order for a track day to turn out their favor. However, both of these cars will surprise you at how capable they are on day one.