This didn’t go how we had hoped or expected…
The current record holder for the quarter mile in a C8 Corvette is Emelia Hartford. Quite a few car guys gladly get behind the 20-something, supporting her efforts to push her mid-engine sports car further. That’s why when Hartford showed off her hacked twin-turbo C8 to GM corporate it got a lot of people talking and racked up 753,000-plus views on YouTube as of the writing of this article.
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We’ve included a YouTube video where Hartford shows off her hacked C8 Corvette to “GM Corporate” or in other words a GM executive named Shawna. We’re not sure what her role is, but considering she’s present for a meeting with a YouTuber, we’re guessing she’s either public relations or marketing. She also wears Converses with a skirt and jacket, so there’s that.
The video is marketed with a hint that you’re going to get GM’s official take on the car. Yeah, that doesn’t happen. You don’t even get to see one of the Corvette development engineers check it out. Instead it’s honestly pretty… boring.
Also in the video, Hartford poses and talks about a 2021 (oops, 2024) GMC Hummer SUV. She talks about getting press cars and as any auto journalist can tell you, to get press vehicles you have to fawn over whatever automakers put in front of you, or at least avoid being brutally honest about their shortcomings. So it’s really no surprise she just gushes over the EV truck like it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Here’s the thing people aren’t really talking about: Emelia Hartford didn’t hack and tune her C8 Corvette. That’s right, she’s not an engineer or a mechanic. On her Facebook page it clearly states she’s “an actor and automotive influencer.” That doesn’t mean her car isn’t cool, but let’s get one thing straight: she didn’t build it. The 20-something is the face of the operation and the videos she makes are all about entertainment. You can like them and that’s fine, just be sure you realize what it is you’re consuming. Oh, plus she’s really good at hawking products for male pattern baldness, which tells you oh so much about her audience.
Watch the video if you want, but don’t expect to learn much of anything from it.
