C6 Corvette: The Definition Of "Bang For The Buck."

My Experience

It's actually been quite some time since I first drove Chevy's new C6 Corvette--last January, I took one for several laps around a small handling course at GM's "Auto Show in Motion." But my seat time at that event was brief, and I didn't feel that I'd had enough experience with the car to write a proper review. So I put it off.

Well, since then, I've attended a couple more auto shows, driven a few more courses, and taken a more extensive test drive on public roads. But sadly (for me), there's very little about the 'Vette that's left to shed light on--the major magazines' reviews of this car have been largely right on target.

Oh, well... the car is such a blast, I couldn't resist a write-up...


Performance

Fierce straight-line power is probably the most enduring and well-known facet of the Corvette's personality. And in this latest version, "fierce" translates to 400 horses, pumped through 6.0 liters of V8 engine... not to mention 0-60 times in the low four-second range (in the hands of professional testers, anyway).

How do these numbers feel when your throttle foot hits the floor? Well, if--like me--you've never driven a car this fast before, it's exhilarating in the same way as that first biiig drop on a rollercoaster. Your eyes widen, your teeth clench, and an irresistable force shoves your body deep into the seatback. Plus, since the V8's powerband is almost perfectly linear, acceleration doesn't let up until you lift off the pedal. It's "ohmygod!" fast.

Of course, if you actually take the time to say those three words--or an approximation thereof--you'll be in for a rude surprise: you're already banging against the rev limiter. The Corvette isn't short-geared, by any means, but with the amount of power on tap, plus the V8's free-revving nature, you have very little time to take in the sensation of speed before it's time to shift again. Counterintuitively, you must tune out the joy of gs and pay close attention to that tach needle.

And that's assuming you can shift again. See, if you wind the Corvette's engine out to its 6500rpm redline in first, you're already going 50 mph. Do it again in second, and you're going 72. Try it in third, and--oops!--you've cracked into triple digits. So, how often will you really be able to exercise this beast? Legally? I expect most owners will simply boot around at half-throttle when they want to get their kicks.

This is perhaps a waste of the Corvette's talents, but at least the car feels happy to oblige such gentle treatment. While the V8's rumble is very throaty--and turns positively ferocious at high rpm--it's not excessively loud in normal driving. Similarly, while the V8's vibrations can constantly be felt trembling through the chassis, they're no worse than the buzzing you'd get from an economy car's Four.

Oh, and here's a surprise: driven normally, the Corvette gets better gas mileage than a Ford Mustang GT, a Mazda RX-8, or even Chevy's own Uplander minivan. The EPA estimates 18/28 MPG for manual-transmission models, and 17/27 for automatics. Premium fuel is required, though, so I'm not suggesting the 'Vette is thrifty at the pump.


Transmission/Clutch

The beastly character of the 'Vette's drivetrain continues into this area. Some sports car manufacturers--BMW and Porsche, for example--tune their manual shifters to feel smooth, oily, and not at all mechanical. This is not the case in the 'Vette. In this car, your right hand feels all the weight and inertia of those heavy metal cogs it's stirring.

Such tactile sensations fit the character of the car, I suppose, but that doesn't make them especially fun. Firm shoves are required to notch the stubby shifter into each gear, and its engagements feel stiff and slightly crunchy when rushed. Fortunately, throws are short and the well-shaped shift knob offers good leverage for the driver's palm.

Clutch feel, meanwhile, is far more civilized than the Corvette's monstrous torque peak (400 lb/ft) would suggest. Resistance still isn't as crisp as I'd like--a common weakness in GM vehicles--but effort is on the right side of moderate, and take-up is pleasantly progressive. And for those who prefer not to use a clutch at all, a six-speed automatic is available as a $1,250 option.


Steering/Handling

When I first set foot in the C6 last year, I didn't quite know what to expect of it in this department. I knew its handling needed to be capable, given all the horsepower underfoot, but the 'Vette's muscle-car reputation--not to mention the reality of past models--had me half-expecting a sloppy handful of a chassis. Well, short story, I was wrong. In fact, it took me several drives to even approach the car's high limits.

I was, however, a little disappointed in the 'Vette's steering. There's a moderate heft to the wheel, which I like, and it's easy to place the car accurately in corners. But the ratio is only moderately quick, and the wheelrim is quite numb and dead to the touch. There are stray bits of lost motion around the straight-ahead, too, and this deprives the Corvette of the crisp, connected feel expected in a car of this ilk. It's perhaps appropriate, then, that the wheel itself if a large-diameter, thick-spoke design--one that wouldn't look out of place in a Malibu.

Still, once you're used to moving your hands more (and more frequently) than in, say, a Nissan 350Z, the 'Vette becomes easy to aim into corners. Just turn the wheel, and the 'Vette's nose hunts down the apex with virtually no body lean. Slip angles? Forget 'em. The super-wide tires (245s in front, 285s in the rear) maintain a vise grip on the pavement, so "understeer" and "oversteer" aren't words you're likely to use on the street.

Well, unless you get too jumpy on the throttle, that is. Unlike most of the new sports cars I've driven, the Corvette still leaves it up to you to respect its engine's power--and maybe even fear it a little. Because if you toe too deep into the gas mid-corner, the 'Vette's rear end will step around to try and overtake the front. I learned this while cornering hard over pockmarked pavement, winding and unwinding lots of steering lock to keep the car on line. Under the circumstances, I found this brutish character fun--but in the rain, or at night, or on an unfamiliar road, I'd have surely gotten white knuckles.

There is, of course, a standard antiskid system (plus traction control) to help avoid unintended tail-first excursions. But these devices have clearly been tuned for enthusiasts, and they allow a fair amount of wheel slippage before stepping in. As a result, there's still plenty of room for the over-zealous to get into trouble.

Fortunately, the Corvette's brakes are more than up to the task of hauling the car down in such situations. Pedal feel is firm and progressive, and stopping power is immense. The only downside is a bit of nosedive when you're stopping in a hurry.


Ride

I've always read that the Corvette is one of the most livable sports cars on the market in terms of ride quality. In person, however, I found that this is only half-true. The true half is that its suspension doesn't react with excessive harshness--impacts punch through stiffly at low speeds, but the Corvette is soft enough overall to be a civilized daily driver. In fact, I might even argue that it's a little too soft. Even with the "performance" Z51 package, the body's up-and-down motions float a half-step behind those of the wheels over rippled surfaces.

But my issue with the 'Vette's ride has less to do with the suspension, and more to do with the body structure. Today's Corvettes are certainly stiffer than past models, but the fiberglass body still communicates a somewhat "fragile" feeling to the driver, sending tiny shivers and shakes up through the seats and steering wheel. Over one particularly nasty patch of pavement, I could've sworn I saw the hood flutter in my peripheral vision. This perceived lack of substance may not bother most drivers, but I'm picky about body rigidity, and it significantly reduces the car's appeal for me.

Noise levels, meanwhile, are on the high side. The engine's rumble is reasonably well-muted in normal driving, but the steamroller-wide tires fill the cabin with a constant dull roar. Those tires make heavy-footed "clomping" noises over the bumps, too, echoed by resonant "thuds" from the hatchback cargo area. The solution? Turn up the Bose stereo, or roll the window down and listen to that intoxicating exhaust note instead.


Interior

The Corvette's interior has taken a fair amount of heat in the automotive press, having been described as "bland," "plain," and "uninspired." However, I'd like to add a few other descriptors to that list. How about "clean," "tasteful," and "unpretentious?" After all, given the gee-whiz tackiness of previous 'Vette cockpits, I'm just glad to see that the new one is understated and honest.

What it isn't, however, is "rich." The Corvette's hard, low-gloss interior plastics are of about the same quality as a Malibu's or Impala's, and while such materials are perfectly pleasant in a $25,000 family sedan, a $50,000 sports car deserves something a little more special. Furthermore, trim fit isn't quite as tight as I've seen in other recent GM vehicles. Fairly wide gaps separate the console, dash, and door pieces, and this reduces the sense of attention to detail.

The upside of this lux deficit, I suppose, is that you wouldn't be afraid to eat a drive-thru meal in a Corvette--an act that would surely provoke guilt in an M3 or 911. And besides, once you get past the ordinary ambiance, the 'Vette's interior is impressive for its functionality. Getting in and out is a bit of a challenge, since you must drop into a deep, low-slung driver's seat. But once seated, you enjoy lots of legroom, decent headroom, and relaxed-fit space around your shoulders and elbows. The armrests are broad and nicely-padded, too, while the wide footwells leave plenty of room for big shoes.

Come to think of it... did I just call the interior ambiance "ordinary?" That needs to be qualified. Look past the ordinary dashboard, and the pinched view out over those flying-V fenders is definitely exotic stuff.

The 'Vette's ergonomics, thankfully, are as down-to-earth as the rest of its cabin decor. The pedals, shifter, and steering wheel are all ideally placed, and the cowl sweeps just low enough to allow good driver sightlines. The secondary switchgear is easy to use, thanks in part to its generic appearance and layout. And while the leather seats are a little too soft around the sides for high-speed work, they're also unexpectedly gentle on the behind. Heck, you even get a speedometer that goes up to 200 mph, but leaves large, legible intervals between the real-world numbers. Is any other performance car so friendly to casual operators?

Indeed, for me, the only real downside to the Corvette's interior is that it's infested with dippy electronic "features." I'm not talking about power windows, mirrors, or anything remotely useful--although those items are present too. I'm talking about push-button door pulls that won't operate unless the car is in Reverse. A trunklid that won't open until the engine's turned off. A standard "remote start" fob in place of an ignition key. And, perhaps worst of all, a shifter that reroutes 1-2 upshifts into the fourth gear gate under light throttle. Is it just me, or did the old mechanical linkages work just fine... and cost less to fix?


Practicality

You'll see no such complaining in this section, thankfully, as the Corvette offers about as much practicality as one can expect from a two-seat sports car with Porsche-quality performance. For starters, the hatchback trunk is really quite usable. It's wide and flat--if shallow--and there's surprisingly little intrusion from the rear wheel housings. The modest lip that separates the trunk and cabin won't keep cargo from spilling into your lap under hard braking, and there's no pull-out cover to hide valuable items from view. But considering the marginal cargo-carrying abilities of the 'Vette's rivals, only the very picky will be irked by these drawbacks.

Besides, unlike most big-league sports cars, the Corvette offers lots of storage inside the cabin as well. Sunglasses, maps, and other minutae can be housed in the large center armrest cubby, door pockets, or (admittedly smallish) glove compartment. Heck, you even get a couple of good-sized cupholders in the console--located alongside the shifter so they don't interfere with your gear-stirring.


Reliability

If the leading consumer publication is to be believed, then this area should prove the greatest pitfall for potential Corvette buyers. The 'Vette's score in their latest reliability survey was "Much Worse Than Average," with electrical and power-equipment failures leading the list of complaints. But take this information with a grain of salt--the average number of problems in today's cars is very low, so a below-average score doesn't necessarily translate to a car that'll leave you stranded. Owners' reviews on this site may help you get an idea of what to expect.


Overall

Although my belated review may not add anything to what's already well-known about the C6 Corvette, I'm glad I waited until now to write it. How come? Well, the first time I took the wheel of the C6, I noticed mostly that it's loud, very fast, and as gorgeous as all get-out. After all, that's why this latest Corvette satisfies: it fulfills your childhood expectations of what a 'Vette should be.

Why the Corvette impresses, though, is that once you've taken in and savored the expected juvenile pleasures, you start to notice how comfortable it is, how roomy it is, and how easy it is to drive. This isn't just a "Hot Wheels" brought to life--it's also surprisingly good at being a real car.

Of course, it's also not perfect--tighter steering, a more substantial feel, and a more imaginative (perhaps retro-themed) interior are all on my C7 wish list. But all in all, I found the C6 Corvette to be one of the most appealing vehicles I've driven to date. And to think that the exact model I drove--a base version with the Z51 package--stickers for $46,295 simply floors me. That's not cheap, for sure, but people spend more on on mall-bound Suburbans these days.

In a recent review of Nissan's 350Z, I said that that car would be my first choice if I had $35K to blow on a new vehicle. If I had another ten grand to spend, though--and, of course, all of this is dependent upon a surprise visit from Ed McMahon--I'd be very, very tempted to strap myself into a 'Vette. I expect shoppers in the high-performance class, be they GM enthusiasts or not, will probably feel much the same way.