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With 430 base horsepower it's the only car on the road that makes $70,000 look like the deal of the century
Malcolm Gunn, Special to The Windsor Star
Call it an automotive icon, call it a legend, call it awe inspiring.
The Chevrolet Corvette is all three and more, especially now that the 2008 version features drivetrain and interior upgrades to make its steal-of-a-deal base price look like it's missing a digit.
Talk to current or previous 'Vette owners, or to anyone who is just plain smitten with the marque, and watch their eyes glaze over in trance-like reverence. Corvettes have a way of evoking passionate responses like no other North American vehicle could ever hope to stir. Brand loyalty doesn't begin to cover it . . . this is more like brand worship of a slavish sort.
For the fervently fixated, the latest plastic-bodied 'Vette will make their pulses quicken at a big-cubic-inch-V8 kind of pace. Yes, an enhanced level of performance this year is practically a given considering this car's license-to-thrill mission in life. However, just as much focus has been placed on making the 'Vette a well rounded, world-class performer that can mingle in polite, pedigreed company without fear of slight or shame.
Tending to the finishing touches -- viewed as something that might have held the Corvette back a bit -- has been a major objective and has been undertaken on a number of fronts. Visually the Corvette, whether coupe or convertible, is already a stunning piece of work that looks the part of a supercar. The very un-supercar decor, however, is what's at issue here. It could take a completely new model to really fix what ails the cockpit, but at least Chevy has acknowledged the need for change and has dressed up the cabin with a satin-nickel-style trim plate for the door sills as well as brightwork for the control panel and surrounding the shifter and cupholder, in addition to the available two-tone dashboard and leather seat fabrics. There are also new-style aluminum wheels to mention, influenced by the set installed on the 2007 Indianapolis 500 pace car and its limited-edition take-offs.
Mechanically, the Corvette's rack-and-pinion steering system has been upgraded to deliver greater "feel" at all speeds and both the six-speed manual transmission and optional six-speed automatic with paddle shifters have been recalibrated for quicker, more precise gear changes.
That brings us to the base engine, which is enlarged to 6.2 litres (376 cubic inches) and 430 horsepower/424 lb.-ft. of torque. That's 30 ponies and 24 lb.-ft. of torque more than last year's 6.0-litre engine.
Assisting in the production of this prodigious grunt are newly designed cylinder heads, intake manifold, camshaft, plus larger intake valves. As well, buyers can opt for a special two-mode performance exhaust system that opens up to reduce back pressure (and add six more horsepower for a total of 436) during hard acceleration.
Virtually untouched for '08 is the formidable Z06 model. Its 505-horsepower 7.0-litre powerplant will, according to Chevrolet, pounce to 100 km-h in less than four seconds (about half a second faster than a base Corvette), as quick, if not quicker, than many so-called high-performance exotic sports cars that sticker at more than twice the price.
If that isn't enough, an extra-special low-volume Corvette variant is expected for 2009, producing 650 horsepower from its supercharged V8.
Meanwhile back here on earth, the standard content on regular-strength 'Vettes (the usual air/cruise/tilt/power-operated accessories) is augmented this year by an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and an ignition key with integrated remote-access functions.
One of the most popular options is the Z51 Performance Package that includes beefier suspension and brake components, sticky-and-stiff-sidewalled rubber and a performance-geared rear axle. Don't buy your 'Vette without trying a Z51-outfitted model.
None of the adjustments for '08 will lessen the Corvette's brash, bad-boy approach to fun. But its value-for-the-money quotient is remarkable, as is its superior acceleration, braking and road holding abilities that continues to delight drivers, passengers and gawkers alike.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 2008 Chevrolet CORVETTE
Type Two-door, rear-wheel-drive coupe/roadster
Engines 6.2-liter OHV V8 (430-436 h.p.); 7.0-liter OHV V8 (505 h.p.)
Transmissions Six-speed manual; six-speed paddle-shifted automatic (opt.)
Market position The Corvette is the original, the most affordable and the best-selling domestic sports car on the market and remains highly coveted by its many admirers.
Points * New base power for 2008 delivers plenty of punch: hope you like the smell of tire smoke. * Big-displacement, old-school cam-in-block engine turns the 'Vette into a world beater. * Interior styling rework a plus, but lags behind competition.
* Z06 coupe is wicked-quick, yet a *****cat around town. * Coupe, convertible styling also outpaces competition along with performance. * Bargain priced.
Safety Front airbags; side-impact airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction control; stability control.
The numbers m.p.g. (city/hwy): 16/26 (6.2, MT) Base price: $69,500 ($81,600 convertible)
By comparison
Dodge Viper
Base price: $101,000
New-for-'08, 600-h.p. V10 packs a big wallop. Thirsty? Ohhh ya.
Porsche 911
Base price: $93,200
Quick enough, but its handling, braking qualities make it desirable.
Mercedes-Benz SL550
Base price: $135,000
Pricey hardtop/convertible matches style with substance.
©The Windsor Star 2007
Malcolm Gunn, Special to The Windsor Star
Call it an automotive icon, call it a legend, call it awe inspiring.
The Chevrolet Corvette is all three and more, especially now that the 2008 version features drivetrain and interior upgrades to make its steal-of-a-deal base price look like it's missing a digit.
Talk to current or previous 'Vette owners, or to anyone who is just plain smitten with the marque, and watch their eyes glaze over in trance-like reverence. Corvettes have a way of evoking passionate responses like no other North American vehicle could ever hope to stir. Brand loyalty doesn't begin to cover it . . . this is more like brand worship of a slavish sort.
For the fervently fixated, the latest plastic-bodied 'Vette will make their pulses quicken at a big-cubic-inch-V8 kind of pace. Yes, an enhanced level of performance this year is practically a given considering this car's license-to-thrill mission in life. However, just as much focus has been placed on making the 'Vette a well rounded, world-class performer that can mingle in polite, pedigreed company without fear of slight or shame.
Tending to the finishing touches -- viewed as something that might have held the Corvette back a bit -- has been a major objective and has been undertaken on a number of fronts. Visually the Corvette, whether coupe or convertible, is already a stunning piece of work that looks the part of a supercar. The very un-supercar decor, however, is what's at issue here. It could take a completely new model to really fix what ails the cockpit, but at least Chevy has acknowledged the need for change and has dressed up the cabin with a satin-nickel-style trim plate for the door sills as well as brightwork for the control panel and surrounding the shifter and cupholder, in addition to the available two-tone dashboard and leather seat fabrics. There are also new-style aluminum wheels to mention, influenced by the set installed on the 2007 Indianapolis 500 pace car and its limited-edition take-offs.
Mechanically, the Corvette's rack-and-pinion steering system has been upgraded to deliver greater "feel" at all speeds and both the six-speed manual transmission and optional six-speed automatic with paddle shifters have been recalibrated for quicker, more precise gear changes.
That brings us to the base engine, which is enlarged to 6.2 litres (376 cubic inches) and 430 horsepower/424 lb.-ft. of torque. That's 30 ponies and 24 lb.-ft. of torque more than last year's 6.0-litre engine.
Assisting in the production of this prodigious grunt are newly designed cylinder heads, intake manifold, camshaft, plus larger intake valves. As well, buyers can opt for a special two-mode performance exhaust system that opens up to reduce back pressure (and add six more horsepower for a total of 436) during hard acceleration.
Virtually untouched for '08 is the formidable Z06 model. Its 505-horsepower 7.0-litre powerplant will, according to Chevrolet, pounce to 100 km-h in less than four seconds (about half a second faster than a base Corvette), as quick, if not quicker, than many so-called high-performance exotic sports cars that sticker at more than twice the price.
If that isn't enough, an extra-special low-volume Corvette variant is expected for 2009, producing 650 horsepower from its supercharged V8.
Meanwhile back here on earth, the standard content on regular-strength 'Vettes (the usual air/cruise/tilt/power-operated accessories) is augmented this year by an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and an ignition key with integrated remote-access functions.
One of the most popular options is the Z51 Performance Package that includes beefier suspension and brake components, sticky-and-stiff-sidewalled rubber and a performance-geared rear axle. Don't buy your 'Vette without trying a Z51-outfitted model.
None of the adjustments for '08 will lessen the Corvette's brash, bad-boy approach to fun. But its value-for-the-money quotient is remarkable, as is its superior acceleration, braking and road holding abilities that continues to delight drivers, passengers and gawkers alike.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW 2008 Chevrolet CORVETTE
Type Two-door, rear-wheel-drive coupe/roadster
Engines 6.2-liter OHV V8 (430-436 h.p.); 7.0-liter OHV V8 (505 h.p.)
Transmissions Six-speed manual; six-speed paddle-shifted automatic (opt.)
Market position The Corvette is the original, the most affordable and the best-selling domestic sports car on the market and remains highly coveted by its many admirers.
Points * New base power for 2008 delivers plenty of punch: hope you like the smell of tire smoke. * Big-displacement, old-school cam-in-block engine turns the 'Vette into a world beater. * Interior styling rework a plus, but lags behind competition.
* Z06 coupe is wicked-quick, yet a *****cat around town. * Coupe, convertible styling also outpaces competition along with performance. * Bargain priced.
Safety Front airbags; side-impact airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction control; stability control.
The numbers m.p.g. (city/hwy): 16/26 (6.2, MT) Base price: $69,500 ($81,600 convertible)
By comparison
Dodge Viper
Base price: $101,000
New-for-'08, 600-h.p. V10 packs a big wallop. Thirsty? Ohhh ya.
Porsche 911
Base price: $93,200
Quick enough, but its handling, braking qualities make it desirable.
Mercedes-Benz SL550
Base price: $135,000
Pricey hardtop/convertible matches style with substance.
©The Windsor Star 2007
Good read, thanks!
