Look Back| 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray : Henny's First Drive
The 2014 Corvette Stingray brings the vette back to same supercar league as the Lambo and Ferrari.
By Henny Hemmes
Senior European Editor
The Auto Channel
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Of course, I had also been looking forward to the arrival of the 7th generation Corvette.
The plant in Bowling Green, KY, that started building Corvettes 1981, started 2014 Stingray production on August 22 with my chance to drive the new Stingray came soon after, in November.
When I got behind the steering wheel of the lime rock green metallic Stingray Coupe, I remembered the 50th anniversary event in Nashville, as well as start in Motown of a caravan of all model years Corvettes. I was invited to join, but unfortunately had no time to drive up to the big gathering of some 5,000 cars.
During my stay in the greater Los Angeles area, I took the Stingray for a photo session up on the hill of Elysian Park and was a bit taken aback when I saw how bad the road had become. But it was no problem for the Vette. After choosing the Touring setting of the 5 available modes through the standard Drive Mode Selector, the car effortlessly worked away the bad surface and deep potholes. We did not hear a single sigh of the new, all aluminum chassis that felt absolutely solid. By the way: you can also choose Wet, Eco, Sport or Track.
Of course, it is the real driving that would have to set the Stingray apart. And it did.
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When the engine operates as a 3.2-liter 4 cylinder, it produces 126 hp and 221 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm. In that case the motor can deal with a speed up to 90 mph. In the test car, the optional dual-mode performance exhaust ($1,195) adds another 5 lb-ft. This improves air flow by just over 25 per cent. A nice fact is that the standard Corvette has valves in the center of the exhaust pipes, which close during V-4 operation. That way 80 per cent of the air flow is restricted for a better sound.
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Acceleration from zero to 60 mph is now under 4 seconds, in other words: real super car performance!
The new aluminum frame is made in-house. It looks the same as before, but the structure is completely different and is 60 per cent stiffer than that of the C6 model. The costs are higher, but producing it in-house helps GM to control the costs and to get experience with premium techniques to bring it together with CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) parts. It is also the first time that the entry level Corvette gets CFRP. The material is one third the weight of fiber glass, resulting in a 99 pound lighter car. Even though CFRP is still five times the price over fiber glass, the costs are now at a point where Chevrolet can build an affordable base car.
In the new Corvette Stingray, this all adds up to an upscale level of agility and absolute stability in cornering. The small steering wheel provides a more responsive feel, the seats make you feel connected to the car and let you feel its moves, while the 50/50 weight distribution makes it turn into corners better.
The new Vette feels absolutely powerful, is inviting to drive it to the limit and is exiting too.
Apart from the absolute fun to drive qualities of the new Stingray, how is it during a daily drive? Well, I took it for a long stint to Las Vegas. It was raining cats and dogs, but the fat Michelin rubber had no trouble dealing with the water on the freeway, even when you push the throttle to overcome some boredom from driving 70 mph.
But overall, and given the circumstances, the drive was comfortable and relaxed. Driving on the Strip was fun. So many people looking at the green Vette, so many appraising looks and thumbs up. That is something you are used to when driving a Lambo or Ferrari, and now the Corvette Stingray seems to be (back) in the same league of cars that attract attention.
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You could have guessed already: in my opinion, the new Corvette Stingray is great. It is a fantastic sports car a dramatic design, but still true to its roots. With incredible performance too. I am looking forward to drive it on a race track and find out what its real super sports capabilities are! For now, I would like to conclude that the new Stingray is the best sports car value that you can get for less than $60,000 dollar!
Technical details Chevrolet Stingray Coupe - as tested
Engine V8, 90 degrees Capacity 376.1 cu in/6,162 cc Power 465 hp @ 5900 Redline 6,600 rpm Torque 465 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm Transmission 7-speed manual L x W x H 176.9 x 73.9 x 48.8 in Wheelbase 106.7 in Track fr/rr 63/61.7 in Curb weight 3,298 lbs Michelin Pilot Super Sport front 245/40ZR 18 ZP Tires rear 285/35 ZR 19 Acceleration 0-60 mph 3.9 sec Top speed n/a Fuel cons. EPA Est 17/29 mpg city/highway Fuel cons. 589 mile test 23.8 mpg Price: (MSRP) from $ 51,000