Chevrolet Corvette vs BMW M2

Zora Arkus-Duntov. That name is to Corvette enthusiasts, what John Bonham is to Led Zeppelin aficionados. As far back as the late 1950s, he suggested to General Motors that the Corvette should be a mid-engine sports car. But that decision would have been costly and GM was just fine keeping the ‘Vette profitable. There was a rumor that the C7 Corvette was supposed to have a mid-engine layout, but the recession of the 2000s shut the plan down. Almost 25 years after his death, Arkus-Duntov’s dream came to fruition in the form of the 2020 C8 Corvette.

In moving the engine to behind the driver, the Corvette got an instant boost in performance. It was faster and more dynamic, but there was more to it. The mid-engine placement made the new Corvette less like a step up from the Camaro and more like a world-class exotic car—think Porsche 911 or even a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

But elevating reputation also elevates expectations. Does the mid-engine 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray live up to its newfound supercar reputation? Read on to find out.

To automotive enthusiasts, a sports car like the 2023 BMW M2 is special. The modern car market is marching away in multiple directions from the purist driving experience. Be it autonomy or electrification, that driver-meets-car connection you get from a rear-wheel-drive, straight-six internal-combustion performance machine is feeling more and more like an endangered species.

Safety and creature comforts mean bigger, heavier cars. For a brand like BMW, the M2 is one of the last cars in its lineup that is even remotely close to the cars that put it on the map, like the legendary E30 M3. The 2023 BMW M2 has been completely redesigned, and it’s a more focused performance machine with bolder styling. It’s not the semi-sleeper that it once was. Is this more athletic, boisterous personality for the better?