For some strange reason, I did not want to fall for the Corvette. Like all car enthusiasts, I've always been a fan of America's supercar. In fact, I recall getting a book on the history of the car for my 10th birthday. Somehow, over the years, I developed an affinity for more refined motoring and left raw unruly cars by the wayside. I tried to resist...
The Chevy Corvette is these latter things, and raw and unruly be damned, I fell in love with the velocity yellow Wolverine. Actually, it crawled under my skin, made a nest, and I quickly adopted it. I could not help but make unnecessary throttle blips, rev-matches into 1st, hold 1st to redline, and repeat all of this over and over again. In a term, I became a complete douchebag and wanted nothing more than to remain one.
The C7 Corvette is about as apologetic as the Incredible Hulk destroying everything in its path. It is fast, stupid loud, and handles insanely well. The cockpit holds and roughs up, the shifter begs to be manhandled, and the car just goes and roars and spits and sends twin middle fingers to all those it crushes in a straight line or around the bends. I freakin' want one -- now!
What is a Chevrolet Corvette?
It is badass -- the definition of the term. The Corvette celebrated its 60th anniversary and with this landmark birthday came the rebirth of the car, now in its 7th generation.
The Chevrolet Corvette put the American car on the performance car list shortly after it was launched in 1953. The Corvette is nothing short of an affordable exotic car that has developed an impressive pedigree and reputation for winning. This affiliation to racing, high performance and outrageous design is what has ensured continued success and desirability.
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Price and Specs
The high-performance value bomb that is the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette has a base price of $54,845. All the important bits are included at this price point namely the 455 horsepower LT1 6.2L V8, the 7-speed manual gearbox, the electronic 3.42 ratio limited slip rear differential, body-colour carbon fibre removable roof panel, as well as 18" front and 19" rear wheels. Want a 6-speed autobox? Pay $1,420.
Seriously. Find any other car with these specs and for the same price. I dare you.
My tester was a top-line Z51 3LT with navigation, chrome wheels (sad), magnetic selective ride, dual mode performance exhaust, and a few other tasty morsels for a total of $74,420.
Driving the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
By Jove, I did drive it. Honestly, I'm somewhat lucky to be here at the moment writing my review... Take from that what you will.
My only regret is that GM would not allow me to track the car for fear of rubber becoming far to scarce for the next auto journalist... I was, although, able to push it mildly through a series of cones last fall at Test Fest. As such, I did get a good feel for how quickly the car's giant nose throws itself where the driver wants.
The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette may be brutish, but it's no clumsy animal. Its optimal 50/50 weight distribution, beautifully choreographed electric steering, eLSD, and sport suspension make the Vette a fantastic handler and salad-tosser. Much like Scrat gripping on the ice for dear life, the Corvette never relinquishes its handle on the road's surface. Turn-in is gracefully rapid and jumping on the middle pedal never fails to crush forward momentum with authority.
Now the good part.
My 2014 Corvette Z51 was graciously equipped with the dual-mode exhaust, which adds a theoretical 5 hp and equal torque, for a grand total of 465 lb-ft. The music that escapes the rear quad pipes upon start-up in the morning is decadent, period. Foundations quiver, and my heart flutters. Sliding into the tight cockpit sets one up for guaranteed good times -- the driving position is perfect and the shifter's action and grip are by far the best of any American I've ever had the pleasure to bea... drive.
Once the clutch side-stepped, 100 km/hr arrives in 4 seconds. Mental. The mechanical fanfare that accompanies the race towards the heavens is intoxicating, and addictive. The naturally aspirated lump sucks in air and spews, pops, and burbles. Reliving the experience now makes my hair stand on end. Gears 1 through 4 are the useful ones, and I do whish that Chevy would drop the suggested 1-4 shift for fuel economy...I don't care! It's a 460 hp Corvette!
Inside and Out of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
The C7's outer styling is brash, in your face and when draped in yellow, cannot be ignored. Truthfully, the colour don't matter... I do so wish that my tester had skipped the $2,095 the chrome aluminum wheels; they simply don't work on the car. You can't class up Warner Brother's Tasmanian Devil.
Polarising design aside, Chevy's Corvette will never be confounded for something other than what it is. Perhaps, depending on the selected shade, it could be mistaken for an Italian bird but the V8's growl will quickly settle the debate.
The cabin has diplomatically matured with the arrival of the new C7. Gone are most of the borrowed Cavalier/Cobalt interior accessories, instead replaced with modern ones. Fit and finish are quite good as are the tasteful materials. Qualm: manual box, paddles, rev-matching, another no-no...
The cockpit is well appointed with all the most modern amenities -- only price limits what you want in your Corvette. Although only a 2-seater, the trunk is capacious and is perfectly designed to accommodate the roof panel thanks to specific ingenious hooks. And don't knock the top... It's really cool.
Comparing the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is in a league of its own. In its price point, it could duke it out with the Porsche Cayman, fully decked out Nissan 370Z, BMW Z4 and a few other sports cars.
The real fight takes place with the Porsche 911, the BMW M4, Audi RS5, Dodge (SRT) Viper and select others.
The Corvette may not be the most poised of the lot but it'll get sh*t done every time, like Iron Man, and not always in the most elegant of ways.
The Chevy Corvette is these latter things, and raw and unruly be damned, I fell in love with the velocity yellow Wolverine. Actually, it crawled under my skin, made a nest, and I quickly adopted it. I could not help but make unnecessary throttle blips, rev-matches into 1st, hold 1st to redline, and repeat all of this over and over again. In a term, I became a complete douchebag and wanted nothing more than to remain one.
The C7 Corvette is about as apologetic as the Incredible Hulk destroying everything in its path. It is fast, stupid loud, and handles insanely well. The cockpit holds and roughs up, the shifter begs to be manhandled, and the car just goes and roars and spits and sends twin middle fingers to all those it crushes in a straight line or around the bends. I freakin' want one -- now!
What is a Chevrolet Corvette?
It is badass -- the definition of the term. The Corvette celebrated its 60th anniversary and with this landmark birthday came the rebirth of the car, now in its 7th generation.
The Chevrolet Corvette put the American car on the performance car list shortly after it was launched in 1953. The Corvette is nothing short of an affordable exotic car that has developed an impressive pedigree and reputation for winning. This affiliation to racing, high performance and outrageous design is what has ensured continued success and desirability.
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Price and Specs
The high-performance value bomb that is the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette has a base price of $54,845. All the important bits are included at this price point namely the 455 horsepower LT1 6.2L V8, the 7-speed manual gearbox, the electronic 3.42 ratio limited slip rear differential, body-colour carbon fibre removable roof panel, as well as 18" front and 19" rear wheels. Want a 6-speed autobox? Pay $1,420.
Seriously. Find any other car with these specs and for the same price. I dare you.
My tester was a top-line Z51 3LT with navigation, chrome wheels (sad), magnetic selective ride, dual mode performance exhaust, and a few other tasty morsels for a total of $74,420.
Driving the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
By Jove, I did drive it. Honestly, I'm somewhat lucky to be here at the moment writing my review... Take from that what you will.
My only regret is that GM would not allow me to track the car for fear of rubber becoming far to scarce for the next auto journalist... I was, although, able to push it mildly through a series of cones last fall at Test Fest. As such, I did get a good feel for how quickly the car's giant nose throws itself where the driver wants.
The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette may be brutish, but it's no clumsy animal. Its optimal 50/50 weight distribution, beautifully choreographed electric steering, eLSD, and sport suspension make the Vette a fantastic handler and salad-tosser. Much like Scrat gripping on the ice for dear life, the Corvette never relinquishes its handle on the road's surface. Turn-in is gracefully rapid and jumping on the middle pedal never fails to crush forward momentum with authority.
Now the good part.
My 2014 Corvette Z51 was graciously equipped with the dual-mode exhaust, which adds a theoretical 5 hp and equal torque, for a grand total of 465 lb-ft. The music that escapes the rear quad pipes upon start-up in the morning is decadent, period. Foundations quiver, and my heart flutters. Sliding into the tight cockpit sets one up for guaranteed good times -- the driving position is perfect and the shifter's action and grip are by far the best of any American I've ever had the pleasure to bea... drive.
Once the clutch side-stepped, 100 km/hr arrives in 4 seconds. Mental. The mechanical fanfare that accompanies the race towards the heavens is intoxicating, and addictive. The naturally aspirated lump sucks in air and spews, pops, and burbles. Reliving the experience now makes my hair stand on end. Gears 1 through 4 are the useful ones, and I do whish that Chevy would drop the suggested 1-4 shift for fuel economy...I don't care! It's a 460 hp Corvette!
Inside and Out of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
The C7's outer styling is brash, in your face and when draped in yellow, cannot be ignored. Truthfully, the colour don't matter... I do so wish that my tester had skipped the $2,095 the chrome aluminum wheels; they simply don't work on the car. You can't class up Warner Brother's Tasmanian Devil.
Polarising design aside, Chevy's Corvette will never be confounded for something other than what it is. Perhaps, depending on the selected shade, it could be mistaken for an Italian bird but the V8's growl will quickly settle the debate.
The cabin has diplomatically matured with the arrival of the new C7. Gone are most of the borrowed Cavalier/Cobalt interior accessories, instead replaced with modern ones. Fit and finish are quite good as are the tasteful materials. Qualm: manual box, paddles, rev-matching, another no-no...
The cockpit is well appointed with all the most modern amenities -- only price limits what you want in your Corvette. Although only a 2-seater, the trunk is capacious and is perfectly designed to accommodate the roof panel thanks to specific ingenious hooks. And don't knock the top... It's really cool.
Comparing the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette
The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette is in a league of its own. In its price point, it could duke it out with the Porsche Cayman, fully decked out Nissan 370Z, BMW Z4 and a few other sports cars.
The real fight takes place with the Porsche 911, the BMW M4, Audi RS5, Dodge (SRT) Viper and select others.
The Corvette may not be the most poised of the lot but it'll get sh*t done every time, like Iron Man, and not always in the most elegant of ways.
Road Tests and Reviews
Experts
Consumers
2014 Chevrolet Corvette
Review Highlights
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Article Gallery