Before I start this article, I would first like to thank @roman_radenski for trusting us with his beautiful C7. Thank you so much Roman for taking to time out of your day to let us review your car and for just being a cool guy in general. You rock!
I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of American cars. I don’t fit in them very well, and I don’t think they drive that well compared to European cars. There are exceptions though, aka the Mustang GT350; I LOVE that car. That being said, it would be safe to say that I don’t really like the Corvette and if we didn’t review the C7, you would be right. I would say they are too cheaply made and the engineering is about as advanced as the computer I’m writing this article on (hint: it’s a literal dinosaur). But today, everything changed. We finally drove a Corvette, and what a car.
Specs
First let’s get the specs out of the way and then I’ll tell you why I LOVE this car almost as much as a GT350 (did I mention I’m in love with the GT350?). Stock, the C7 Corvette Stingray comes powered by a naturally aspirated 6.2 liter V8 called the LT1 that makes a very respectable 455 hp and 460 lb/ft of torque. Since it only weighs about 3,300 pounds, 60 mph happens in just 3.7 seconds and the Vette will happily shove its way up to 186 mph if given enough tarmac. Not bad at all I might say, this is a pretty fast car.
Looks and Interior
Except for the C4 and C5, Corvettes have been pretty good looking cars. The C7 is no different. I loved the lines, the angles, everything on this car was crisp and clean as can be. Especially in red.
But the interior was what really impressed me. I have been making fun of GM and their cheap scratchy plastic interiors for as long as I can remember. I was ready to have the time of my life when I saw @roman_radenski’s beautiful C7. I was wrong, very wrong. Roman’s car was equipped with the LT3 interior package and I’m proud to say that the interior of the C7 is a very nice place to be. The cockpit was draped in beautiful red leather, contrasted stitching, and great materials. My only gripe though was that the infotainment looked a bit cheap, but I’ve seen worse on more expensive cars. Also, the instrument cluster and heads up display is up there with that of a Lamborghini Huracan Performante. Well done GM.
How it Drives
For a pure weekend only sports car, the Corvette is not what you want; get a Porsche 911. But if you want the most fun daily driver, the Vette is your car. It’s comfy, it’s fun to drive, spacious, and that LT1 V8 sounds ungodly. This car will put a smile on your face. The only problem with the Vette as a daily driver is that it gets horrible gas mileage; I frankly don’t care.
The engine is responsive, and there’s so much torque. When you accelerate, it’s like your being pushed into another dimension. You get captivated by the engine’s growl, the revs start to climb, you get pushed back into your seat, and the next thing you know, you’re going 100 mph on the street.
The steering is electric, you can feel that, but when the C7 is in track mode, the EPAS system is among the best. With the Z51 package, you get stiffer suspension and some amazing Brembos to stop you right in place. The car changes direction with such ease, it’s truly amazing. One gripe I have though is that the Corvette is not, and does not feel like a small car. It’s no land yacht, but it’s no 911 either.
My other gripe is with the transmission. This goes back to the Vette being a great daily driver. Roman’s Corvette was equipped with GM’s new 8 speed automatic gearbox. When in drive, shifts are smooth and fast, no problem what so ever. But when in manual mode, there is some delay between clicking the paddle and actually upshifting or downshifting. The transmission also feels rather sluggish; it’s great for a daily, but if I’m driving it on the weekends, I’d personally take a manual.
Why You Should Buy One
From what I’ve said during this article, it would seem like the Corvette is a good sports car, not great, but good. Now let me tell you why all the problems I mentioned are irrelevant and why the Corvette is not good, or great, but amazing.
The C7 corvette starts at $55,000 plus $5,000 for the Z51 Package which you should definitely buy. So for about $60k, you get a good sports car with a great engine, and a good driving experience. A Porsche 911 on the other hand (a great car with an amazing driving experience) starts at over $97,000 dollars. For less that $10,000, you can eliminate ALL the flaws I listed with the Corvette and then some. Basically, a manual transmission and some weight reduction will take the Corvette from good to AMAZING.
Roman’s Vette had some insane bolt on upgrades, a exhaust straight from God himself, and one of the nicest body kits I’ve seen on a production car. His car made about 550 hp to the crank (100 hp more than stock) and drove like a monster. With all the money he spent on mods he would still have more than $20,000 to spend before he could buy a base 911 with no options. The Corvette is ALL about performance, and it’s an incredible bargain.
I have nothing but respect for it.
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