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fiHow the Corvette C8 instrument panel fools you
2020 is becoming the year of the digital instrument cluster. Despite the fact that the first digital instrument panel was already used in the Aston Martin Lagonda in 1976, it didn't become a great success. However, in recent years we see that manufacturers are increasingly using this innovative technique more and more. The new Corvette C8 also uses a digital instrument panel and caught our attention. You can read how this works in this article!
A short intro about the Corvette C8
With a V8-powered mid-engine, you quickly think of a Ferrari, but Chevrolet would like to change our minds. The Corvette has always been a real American supercar, but up to the C7 the huge engine was still in the front. The C8 is therefore the first mid-engine Corvette. When the car was launched in July 2019, the car was immediately a big sensation on the internet. Critics may have thought it was a bit too "European" in terms of design, but you can't deny that the car looks fantastic. The pre-orders went so fast in America that the car is sold out for the whole of 2020 in December 2019. The interior of the "Stingray" immediately catches the eye. As electronics enthusiasts, we were particularly interested in the instrument panel!
The "Z" button
Before we look at the instrument panel, it is first good to look at the steering wheel of this car, because this is also something special. On the left side of the steering wheel is a not-to-be-missed metal-colored button. The letter "Z" shows on it, and for good reason. This "Z" pays homage to some legendary cars from Corvette's past, such as the Z06 and ZR1. As soon as this button is pressed, a completely new personalization system appears on the dashboard. Where in the "old" C7 you only had the option to choose from different preference settings such as Eco, Sport and Track, the C8 is much more innovative. The Z-mode ensures that you can mix and match your own favorite settings. Consider, for example, settings of the engine, gearbox and the sensitivity of the steering wheel. After you have found your favorite settings, you can save them via the instrument panel. As soon as you press the "Z" button again, your favorite settings will be loaded. How cool is that! If you are wondering what that looks like in real life, watch this video:
Mocht je nu benieuwd zijn hoe dat er in het echt uitziet, bekijk dan eens deze video:
The instrument panel
Alright. And now back to the special digital instrument panel! This one also has some nice gimmicks programmed. For example, the layout can be set to the way of driving: the complete look and feel changes as soon as you change the mode of the car. For example, in the "Tour Mode" the rev counter and trip computer are central, in the "Sport Mode" the oil temperature, oil pressure and rev counter have an important place and in Chevy's "Track Mode" the current gear is central. This may not sound exciting and can be found in more cars nowadays, but the most striking thing about this cluster is how the tachometer functions.
The big danger with such a car as the Corvette C8 is that you will be tempted rather quickly (how do we say this neatly…) to get the maximum out of the engine. After all, you buy a car like this for its performance and not to crawl through city centres at 20 mp/h. And although everyone secretly knows that it is crucial to take it easy during the first 1000 kilometers, it can still be difficult to resist the temptation with this powerhouse. The rev counter of the C8 therefore is helping you with this.
Tijdens de inrijperiode begint het rode gebied van de toerenteller namelijk op zo’n 4500 RPM. Nadat de inrijperiode afgerond is, verschuift de rode balk naar de hogere toerentallen, zodat je eindelijk kunt genieten van het volledige motorpotentieel. Een superhandige feature die bij een analoog cluster veel moeilijker uitvoerbaar zou zijn. In onderstaande video is dit fenomeen te zien!