An American Icon

In the past, American sports cars have only been praised for their straight-line performance. The Chevrolet Corvette is here to change that stereotype. Not only does the Corvette provide neck breaking acceleration, but it provides superb handling through the corners. I own the convertible and I find the body to more rigid than any other convertible I have ever driven. I have found local autocross events to be a great opportunity to showcase the power and agility of the C5. The six speed manual transmission is fun to drive, but if one opts for the automatic (as I did) they do not suffer from a lack of excitement. However, I would recommend the performance rear axle if you choose the automatic.

The car is great as a daily driver, but it excels as a grand touring car. Passing slower traffic only requires a slight tip of the toe and before you realize it you are going 80, 90 or even 100 mph. The 350 ci V-8 is surprisingly miserly when it comes to fuel economy. On the highway it is not unusual for me to get over 30 mpg. The sport seats are a great option. The seats are fully adjustable, never leaving the driver in an uncomfortable driving position. I also enjoy the power tilting and telescoping steering wheel. Being 6' 2" and 240 lbs., I have difficulty finding a comfortable driving position in most sports cars, but not in the Corvette. With the convertible top up, I can still fit comfortably well in the seats, even while wearing my racing helmet.

What sold me on the current Corvette Convertible is the amount of trunk room. In the previous C4 convertible, one was limited to a small soft sided bag when traveling. In our C5, my wife and I can cruise in style with two sets of golf clubs, a hanging bag and a small suitcase in the rear storage area. The only other covertible that comes close to that amount of room is the Boxster.

The Porsche Boxster S was the only other car that I considered when making my purchase. Although the interior materials where of higher quality than the C5, the engine did not provide the kick in the pants that I was looking for. I have been extremely happy with the Corvette and would recommend it to any driving enthusiast.