Test Drive: C6 Corvette

Got torque?: SIXTH-GENERATION CORVETTE IS BETTER THAN THE REST

By Ron Moorhead

It seems only yesterday that I was touting the fifth-generation C5 Corvette. It was the wonderful advanced technology that made the C5 Corvette a better high-performance American sports car. This icon of American motoring had become a vehicle that even the most skeptical would be enthusiastic about.

Well, it was nearly eight years ago that I expressed my joy. Yes, I suppose as we grow older, time does seem to compress. But the good news about time jetting by is that Chevrolet is now introducing a sixth-generation C6 Corvette. And I can truly say it is a much better automobile. It may not be the drastic change the C5 was, but it is another giant step forward.

The mechanical advance that gets the most attention is the long-awaited LS2 400-horsepower V-8 engine. Horsepower is a number that we in the United States seem to covet. It is the defining number for performance, but in reality what most drivers perceive as horsepower is actually torque, which is the force that pushes the vehicle away from stops or causes it to accelerate from a lower speed. This is just a long way of saying the Corvette has plenty of torque to make you confident that this car will set you back in the seat in an instant.

With 400 lbs.-ft. of torque, you will have to apply power with great restraint. If not, be prepared for spinning rear tires. And if you are on the throttle with too much vigor, look for your Corvette to begin swapping ends and possibly ending up in a ditch. If ever there was a time to observe the "roll into the throttle" rule, it is here. Be gentle with this car and it will reward you with incredible performance.

While we are talking about the drive train, let's talk about the two available transmissions. The six-speed manual is the transmission of choice for me. I am one who feels that for a performance car to feel like a true performance car, I need to leave the power of shifting gears in my hands alone.

This six-speed has a very solid feel, thanks to the tighter and quicker shift linkage. With just flicks of your wrist you move up through the gears. The five-speed automatic is quite adequate, with excellent response, and remains the most popular choice as of late. It seems with commuting and the congestion we find ourselves in, most drivers do not choose to shift while operating a clutch hundreds of times.

Okay, okay, some of you diehard Corvette fans may get your panties in a bunch over the new exterior design. But you know it seems every time the Corvette goes through a change there are a few who get overly excited, only to find yourself liking the design once you get used to seeing the car on the street.

The new front-end design is radical, if only because the trademark flip-up headlights are gone. In their place are aerodynamic-enhancing, covered projector headlights. Not only do these lights smooth the flow of air over the front end, they provide exceptional vision along dark roads.

The rear end is the large mass that has marked the modern Corvette design. The coupe shows a bit of retro design from the late '60s with a wedge-shaped, glass popup hatch that is reminiscent of the '60s Stingray. The convertible comes with either a manually operated or power-configured soft top. After operating the top by hand a few times, I do not see the need for the added weight or the cost of a power-top mechanism. I suspect, however, that most Corvette owners will opt for the electric top.

Under the trunk lid you find a spacious, by Corvette standards, storage area. Since the car is outfitted with the new generation Goodyear Runflat tires, there is no need to take up space with a spare tire. In its place is an adequate cargo storage area. There are two additional small below-floor storage bins, complete with hinged covers, on either side. These were made possible by moving the dual mufflers to the center and into an area where the indentation for a spare tire might be found. The thoughtful use of space is even more important with high-performance sports cars. Why let the car sit in the garage when you need a little cargo space for your weekend trip?

The Corvette interior is very different in appearance. It did take a while before I grew accustomed to the near sports sedan look of the center dash. The center stack with heater and air-conditioning controls, as well as sound system, is modular in appearance. Also new is a multi-mode head-up display that projects pertinent information onto the windshield in front of the driver.

With the C6 Corvette, Chevrolet has taken this American icon to the next level, offering high performance in a sleek package that is comfortable to drive. That, my friends, cannot be said for many other vehicles in this category. The C6 Corvette is a car you can drive for long distances wrapped in comfort, while having more fun then one person deserves to have out on the open road.