“America’s Sportscar” is a title that the Corvette holds masterfully here at Jim Butler Chevy of St. Louis! The writers on duty at the CarConnection blog dedicated an article to its mass appeal last week, stating first that its mid-engine layout and ferocious power is an amazing bargain even when held up to exotic cars. Its predominant competition is up against the Porsche 718, Ford Mustang, and Toyota Supra. Behaved enough for a sleek and agile daily driver, the Corvette scorches onto this year’s scene with the insane ZR1 model.
This scorcher digs its heels in and cranks out 1,064 horsepower, with new turbos situated directly on the powertrain. It’s a fantastic 5.5-liter V8 that was wisely snatched up from the previous Z06, along with its extra-wide body. Some sweet engrained aerodynamic extras allow for a top speed of over 215 mph, along with the optional ZTK Performance Package that cooks up more than 1,200 lbs of duty-ready downforce.
The quarter mile is toast in less than 10 seconds, and a spirited lap around the famed Nurburgring takes less than 7 minutes. The Z51 Performance Package now has a revised spoiler, and there are also two brand-new exterior colors to pick from. The C8 generation is an amazing means of meeting two exhilarating car categories halfway! It’s both an exotic supercar and a high-performing sports model, with an elegant appearance that still shows off its competitive spirit. It’s no surprise that the Corvette only seats two thrill-seeking occupants, who are separated by an arsenal of “flight controls” in the middle.
An increased weight hanging out over the wide rear tires allows for the new ‘Vette to throw its power around with a sense of grave efficiency. The base engine is a 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out 490 horsepower, with the E-Ray doubling down on a 160-hp front motor to boot. The E-Ray’s setup delivers a pavement-blistering 655 horsepower, while the track-focused Z06’s V8 cranks out 670. All the new models incorporate a smooth and immediately responsive 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.
The Stingray nudges up to 60 mph in just 2.9 seconds, while the E-Ray mans the deck in just 2.5. This year’s Corvette has impeccably sharp handling, minimal body roll, beefy brakes, and steering that’s as precise as it comes. That is in its base form, with the higher-trim models and performance packages providing even more high-output elbow grease. A few of the handy safety features it comes with are automatic emergency braking, active lane control, and rear parking sensors.
This menacing monster comes complete with very wide bodywork, and vents that flaunt its screeching intentions! The Car Connection crew claims here that it looks a bit like a Ferrari, but still approaches with the pointed front end of yesterday’s Corvettes. The cockpit is where the positioning and forethoughts of design come to fruition perfectly. A sloping line of controls is dividing the cabin, with all the essentials aimed directly at the driver. The design teams precisely tuned the front and rear double-wishbone suspensions to serve up unparalleled grip, and a centered presence when the road begins to wind.
The Z51
Performance Package adds larger 13.3-inch front rotors and 13.6-inch to
13.8-inch rear rotors. We’d recommend the carbon-ceramic brakes as a sweet
performance-inspired add-on, which fare much better on the track. The Z06
proves to be the most track-focused Corvette to date, with a stiffer
suspension and larger brakes. The Carbon Aero Package decks things out
with a majestic wing spoiler, dive planes, and the commanding extra presence of
734 pounds of downforce!