Putting American Muscle Back on Top
The Chevrolet Corvette has been America's iconic two-seat sports car since its 1953 introduction. For 2005, a sixth generation of
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| For 2005, the sixth generation of the oft under-appreciated domestic muscle machine has been deployed. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
the oft under-appreciated domestic muscle machine has been deployed to do battle with anything ferocious enough to compete with its 400- horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. That's what the stock Vette is now discharging from beneath its long, sculpted hood, thanks to a new 6.0-litre (364 cu in) OHV V8. That abundance of muscle is channeled through either a four-speed autobox or six-speed manual mixer. Burdened by only 1,442 kilos (3,179 lbs) of curb weight, the '05 Corvette is shockingly fast, turning in 0 to 100 km/h times, with the manual box, of only 4.4 short seconds.
Referred to in automotive parlance as the C6 (not to be confused with "sea-sick"), the 2005 Corvette is a substantially new vehicle over the C5 version. Its wheelbase is
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| Referred to in automotive parlance as the C6, the 2005 Corvette is a substantially new vehicle over the C5 version. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press) |
now 30.4 mm (1.2 in) longer, but interestingly, the vehicle's overall length has been clipped by a dramatic 127 mm (5 in). The diminished dimensions aren't as apparent to the eye as is the unexpected appearance of headlight clusters in place of the traditional Corvette pop-up lenses. The new headlight arrangements and nose styling of the smaller Vette evoke images of a design perfected by a well-known Italian builder of premium performance machines - Ferrari. (I guess imitation is the sincerest form of flattery). Although I like the sleek, fluid lines of the C6, I wonder whether it's an improvement over the C5's aggressive, testosterone-induced styling or merely a Europeanization of it.
