The seventh generation of the Corvette has arrived, and Chevrolet is so damned proud of it they've brought an iconic name back from the past: Stingray.
The Corvette has never been a refined machine. But that's part of its blue-collar charm. It's the working man's supercar. A big, brutish middle finger to the Italians and Germans. This latest version doesn't stray too far from that path. But like the Viper we drove last year, the all-new Corvette is finally something you don't need a hair shirt, some gold chains and a Tommy Bahama polo to drive.
First of all, just look at it. It's pissed-off origami, with wind-tunnel-honed creases and edges that feed the small-block V8 and keep it stuck to the road. That 6.2 liters of displacement is good for a claimed 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, but it's also sporting cylinder deactivation and direct-port injection to boost fuel economy. Still, in its range-topping Z51 form, it's good for a sub-four-second sprint to 60 mph.
Underneath that angular exterior is a host of high-tech materials, ranging from an aluminum chassis to fiberglass preforms, while the hood and roof are made of carbon fiber. The suspension features a more refined version of GM's magnetic ride control, but the leaf – sorry, transverse composite – spring suspension remains.
Then there's the interior, which finally eschews the Playskool-grade plastics that made a Korean econobox look luxurious. Carbon fiber, leather and soft-touch plastics adorn the inside, along with an all-digital instrument cluster and yet another riff on the CUE infotainment system cribbed from Cadillac. A seven-speed manual is standard – complete with an automatic rev-matching algorithm that blips the throttle to keep balance in check – and a five-setting traction control system that dials power back in the rain, lets the rear-end slip on the track and keeps things civil while cruising down Woodward.
This new 'Vette is automotive evolution refined to its logical extreme, and for the first time in a long time, we can't wait to get behind the wheel.
Photos: Alex Washburn / Wired
