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The LaFerrari's performance is even more absurd than its name

Intimidating, yet supremely usable. Oh, and obscenely quick.

By Chris Harris April 30, 2014 / Photos by Ferrari

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The first thing any of us does with these hypercar things is look for the power figure. In the case of the LaFerrari, that figure is 950 hp. The next figure we snaffle out is, quite naturally, the weight, which in this case is around 2954 lbs, wet. Then we do the math. We always do the math: 643 hp per ton. Six hundred and forty-three. Boom.

Add in 715 lb-ft of torque and the LaFerrari's rear-wheel-drive setup, and the combined foreknowledge does little to quell the sense of intimidation you feel on a public highway—especially one of Maranello's narrow, lunatic-in-a-Fiat-strewn roads. And then you discover that the car's most admirable quality may be the ease with which it can be driven slowly. It won't grab headlines, and it won't help the 120-mph smoky drift for the video shoot, but if you're one of the 499 chosen few, then it will probably be the single most pleasing aspect of the car's performance. Take a 458, lose a little rear visibility, add some width, a 10 percent intimidation factor for the sticker price, and a few extra points for fellow motorists who seem hellbent on crashing into you while they gawk, and that's the slow-speed difficulty summarized; that's your LaFerrari in traffic.
Ferrari
The transmission is key. Gone is the Enzo's mostly hateful mechanized manual; in its place is a modified version of the F12's Getrag dual-clutch box. You can pop it in auto and pretend you're in a C-Class Merc. It's that easy. The only telltales to the contrary are the firm brake pedal with zero dead-travel at the top, and the long throw of the throttle pedal, which, even on small openings, allows access to performance levels not entirely compatible with narrow Modenese roads.
READ MORE: What it's like to drive a Ferrari 288 GTO
We like to think of cars like this as being no-compromise performance exercises defined though lap delta and Vmax, but the reality is that, perhaps more than any other Ferrari special, the LeFerrari is designed for usability on the street. Just look at the funky door opening and the cut-away sill. Both allow perfectly dignified access and exit strategies for occupants outside the casino. The ride is perplexingly good on the road, too. As in the F12 and the FF, you thumb the damper logo on the steering wheel, the dash says 'bumpy road' and everything slackens to the point of being comfortable.
FerrariThe noise, the excitement, the sheer, blistering speed, the spread of ability in being so usable on the road and such a missile on track.

I always marvel at how these engineers manage to take such mechanical ferocity and make it so calm and usable. You simply have no idea what's going on underneath your bottom. You don't know that 57.5 lbs of high-voltage cells are bolted into the carbon tub, and that someone has taken the F12's already monstrous 740-hp V12, added a variable length intake system and a hydroformed exhaust, and rounded it up to the magic 789 hp at 9000 rpm. You don't know that they've then somehow integrated a harvesting system that can draw energy from the brakes and even the differential. All the driver has to do is pull a paddle and dawdle.
But you want to know what the LaFerrari, the most absurdly named car in the company's history, is like to drive fast.
This of course happens at the Fiorano circuit. I'm always a little skeptical of drawing absolute dynamic conclusions of Ferrari product here for obvious reasons, but there's only one chance to drive this car.
FerrariThe driving position is pretty radical. You sit low in a padded area of the carbon tub, not in a separate movable seat because that can flex and contaminate the driver-machine connection. The pedal box moves on a sprung handle and the steering wheel has a greater amount of movement than a series production Ferrari. It's a great position, and owners get the padding tailor-made for them.
FIRST DRIVE: 2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale
The wheel is standard Ferrari, but oddly quadrate in shape. The dash readouts are all new, full TFT and riddled with information. The rest is bare, sculpted carbon and Alcantara. Few cockpits are more inviting.
The V12 yelps when you push the red starter, sounding much like the F12 but with a slightly deeper edge. Pull a paddle and you have first gear, tweak the little manettino into 'race', because we need to get on with this, and push the throttle. Take a lap, building speed and tire temperature, and ka-bam! We're traveling.
FerrariThrottle response is, well, electric! I've always wanted to say that in the literal sense. Urge is instant and entirely predictable on the throttle input. It just goes from 1500 rpm and keeps pulling, building to 9000 rpm, all the while leaving a rooster of V12 shriek that must be one of the finest noises ever created. This feels profoundly faster than the F12. Traction is superb, and the traction control allows decent slip angles without jagged throttle cuts.
643 hp per ton. Six hundred and forty-three. Boom.

Braking performance is race-car standard. The vast carbon ceramic Brembos leave you pinned in the optional harness belts. Given the regenerative capability, something the McLaren P1 doesn't have and that we know can ruin pedal feel, the work Ferrari has done is exceptional. And the steering is spot-on for speed, weight, and, dare I say it, a better sense of connection than either the F12 or the 458 deliver. I love the way Ferrari decided to effectively automate the driving process—there's active aero constantly juggling downforce levels, an electronic diff, and lord knows what else, but the driver just drives. No boost buttons, no DRS, just concentrate and drive. And you need to, because the LaFerrari is just so damned fast.
FerrariIt's approachable, too. You can hang half a turn of opposite lock at high speed, just the way you can in a 458. The sense of agility is always there, and of course the power is so overbearing you can always alter your line with a prod of your right foot. Switch off all the safety aids off and the LaFerrari will reduce its tires to blue smoke very effectively. It will also a reveal a chassis with so much balance at extreme slip angles that you wonder if the car actually does anything wrong.
I'm still pondering that now. The noise, the excitement, the sheer, blistering speed, the spread of ability in being so usable on the road and such a missile on track. The LaFerrari is a triumph. We'll tell you more in the magazine very, very soon.
READ: Ferrari LaFerrari XX confirmed under development

 

Drive Notes: 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible

Top down in sub-20 degrees.

By Road & Track Staff February 28, 2014 / Photos by Chris Doane Automotive



The R&T staff drives and performance tests hundreds of new cars every year. Because we don't have time to give each one the full review treatment, we share select logbook notes here, in a quick, easily-digested format. Unless noted otherwise, each test car is in the office for two weeks and is driven by every member of the editorial staff. Each staffer spends at least one day, but often more, in each car.
Josh Condon, Senior Editor
This car—the chassis, the V8, the overall capability—is truly glorious. The slow, wrong-thinking automatic transmission is not. But hey, I'm going to buy the manual, you're going to buy the manual, so this is more like a reminder of why the manual is the only option for this car.
And really, tooling around snowy Ann Arbor back roads, the C7 is loads of fun. The V8 takes a minute to deliver at low revs, and then WHOOOMP—the back flies out, is caught fairly easily, and the whole thing scrabbles and kicks up snow while the engine howls like a pissed-off monster. Massive pull, great balance, and fun to drive pretty much everywhere, in any situation. Somebody should give this car an award or something.
PLUS:

Great, accessible toggle switch lets you perfectly adjust the placement of the heads-up display. R&T's much-deserving Performance Car of the Year—what more can you say?
MINUS:
Are we too good for door handles now? Buttons are the better solution? No.
READ MORE: Drive Notes: 2014 Jaguar F-Type S Roadster
Chris Doane AutomotiveAlex Kierstein, Web Editor
So help me, I actually like this thing. It's either the brilliance of the C7 or some minor stroke I never knew I had that what I consider to be the antithesis of all that is right with Corvette-dom—the automatic-equipped convertible, retirement sled of warmer climes—was a joy from behind the wheel. Sure, I'd rather row my own, but the seven-speed manual isn't exactly an S2000 'box, and the automatic is pretty good. I think lessons learned from calibrating the Cadillac automatics to be fun-enabling devices of surprising competence are well-applied here. Also, it's a cheap parlor trick, but the volcanic surge of exhaust noise at startup appeals completely to my inner five-year-old. Snugged inside, the spaceship shape of the protruding hood and fenders and the driver-oriented cockpit put you in the mood to drive, and hard. Thankfully in the sub-20-degree weather, the winter tires were up to the task of keeping things pointed the right way. I even put the top down for a spell, until my eyeballs froze. If I had this much fun in a slush-covered frozen urban wasteland, I can only imagine how it would feel to head somewhere windy in the summer in one of these things. In that daydream, I can almost forget I'm not shifting myself.
PLUS:
Plainly, self-evidently fun. Impossible not to smile. A very good automatic doesn't spoil it.
MINUS:
The door-pop buttons never cease to annoy me. They work fine, but … they're so unnecessary.
READ MORE: Drive Notes: 2014 Infiniti Q60S
Chris Doane AutomotiveSam Smith, Executive Editor
Writing this just after getting to work. It is cold as unholy frap outside, so my brain isn't working. Scattershot thoughts as follows: Engine cranks for a loooong time in this weather before lighting off. Chassis rigidity is crazy impressive; no scuttle shake, no squeaks or rattles, even in this weather. Couldn't say that about the C5 or C6. Still love these seats. Three-quarter rear visibility with the top up is terrible, but it's a Corvette convertible, so that's expected. Optional performance exhaust: Engine sounds great. Engine sounds great. Engine sounds great. I don't know what else to type. MY BRAIN IS SO COLD RIGHT NOW. Oh, right: I drove it here with the top down. It's –11 Fahrenheit. I love C7s. You gotta do what you gotta do.
MINUS:
In manual mode, the six-speed automatic is still a bit clunky and head-tossy around town. This nerd wants an analog tach.
PLUS:
It's a C7, so it feels like, well, a real car—refined, comfortable, an interior you don't make excuses for. New thing for a Corvette, and pretty awesome. Even at an as-tested $67,000, this is a bargain.
READ MORE: Drive Notes: 2014 Acura TL SH-AWD 6MT
Chris Doane AutomotiveRobin Warner, Road Test Editor
When I was a traction-control calibration engineer at TRW Automotive, I got the lucky job of making a Mustang drivable in the snow—not easy. It required a heavy hand when it came to torque reduction. Horsepower and snow don't mix. But you know which Mustang needed the least help? The 2011 550-hp GT500, of course, because it ran winter tires. Sports cars on winter tires are great machines! They look the part, make fun growly sounds, and dance in the snow with the right tire. When this convertible arrived at our doors, I laughed out loud, as there was plenty of snow on the ground to relive my glorious sports-car-in-the-snow days. With winter tires, the Corvette delivers. Plenty of Corvette-ness comes from every pore, but winter tires keep life predictable. So the near-magic handling of the C7 comes through on any surface. Drift around your favorite back road, rally style, then cruise the strip at 2 mph—the ice won't stop you from stopping.
I like sports cars. When they become four-seasons capable, it can't be helped but to fall in love.
PLUS:
Still a Corvette. There are separate HVAC controls on the right side of the passenger seat. Nice touch.
MINUS:
Yeah, ground clearance. Quite low, actually.
READ MORE: Drive Notes: 2014 Audi S4
Chris Doane AutomotiveDavid Gluckman, Associate Editor
I have this weird need to put a convertible’s top down no matter what the weather. In fact, the colder it is, the more top-down I want. Okay, maybe it’s not that weird, but I can’t explain my need to torture myself.
Instead, I acted on it. The temp spiked up to a relatively balmy 27 degrees last night, there was no snow in the forecast or on the convertible top, and I had a haircut to go to. I made it the few miles there with the windows down, a hat on, and no gloves. The nice thing about a convertible post-haircut is it gets rid of the trimmings.
People look at you as if you’re crazy when you drive a convertible in the winter, especially when that convertible is the worth-looking-at new Corvette. Driving it in traffic like I was, and on snowy roads with winter tires, I didn’t even really mind that it had an automatic, but it did make it a little harder to coax the switchable exhaust to produce noise as often as I wanted. But at least I had the top down to hear the loud stuff.
PLUS:
There’s an upside to an automatic-transmission Vette in winter: remote start. I set it to preheat, came out to a palpably hot rear window (small area, lots of wires), and had no worries about stowing the glass and the rest of the top under the tonneau. The winter tires GM fit sure helped, too.
MINUS:
I didn’t realize the fob had a button to put the top down remotely until I put the keys back. That was a missed opportunity in torture-enabling laziness.

 

Drive Flashback: 1990 Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

World-class performance to counter the Countach and tackle the Testarossa.

By John Lamm May 5, 2014 / Photos by John Lamm



They get no respect, those American-made sports cars. Especially in Europe, where performance, handling, and exclusivity—not catchy ad slogans—determine the true meaning of a car's worth. Sure, the Swiss buy Detroit-built sedans and wagons, but one suspects it's an affectation—like wearing denims with your Giorgio Armani jacket. Truth is, most European automotive enthusiasts have little regard for almost any automobile America has produced in recent memory.
But with the introduction of the Corvette ZR-1—at the 1989 Geneva Auto Show, of all places—that attitude is about to change.
You may know the ZR-1 as the King of the Hill, which is what this Super Vette was com­monly called when the program was barely more than a rumor. For reasons known only to GM brass, that name is now taboo. Our guess is that Chevy, who’s seeking international recog­nition, found the name too domestic, not to mention too long, for a car badge—and untranslatable (Le mi de la monlagne? Non. Der Konig am Hiigel? Nein ). Better to keep it simple, short, and sweet. And alphanumeric so as to capital­ize on its similarity to other European exotics such as the BMW M1 and Ferrari F40.
R&T ArchivesExotic? Dave McLellan, Corvette Chief Engi­neer since 1975, prefers you not call it that. As McLellan sees it, exotics are outrageously styled, astronomically expensive, highly tem­peramental, limited-production automobiles that are often racers masquerading as road cars.
Sure they're fast (180 mph is median speed for most Bahnburners). But if you were going cross-continent, you would take the Merc or the Bimmer. Until now. You see, the ZR-1, one of the fastest sports cars in the world, is also blessed with superior handling and brak­ing. Yet it is the most civilized and technologi­cally advanced and the least expensive super­ car in production because it is still a Corvette.
The ZR-1 looks like a Corvette. There's that unmistakable shape but with a notable differ­ence: The bodywork widens beginning at the leading edge of the doors and culminates in a tail that is 3 inches broader than the normal Vette’s—to accommodate the hefty P3 I5/ 35ZR-17 Goodyear Eagle Gatorbacks made specifically for this car. The soft, polyurethane end cap is different too, convex rather than concave with square versus round tail lights and a small red ZR-1 badge that graces the lower right corner. Chevy 3 studio chief John Cafaro describes the Vette's physique as “muscular,” and this is especially evident in the ZR-1, which shares the same front end (front wheels and tires, too) with the conventional Corvette, the so-called L98. Another notable difference between the L98 and ZR-1 is weight. Heftier en­gine, bodywork, tires, etc. make the Super Vette some 200 lbs heavier than an L98 coupe.
As a Corvette, the ZR-1 also shares the Bosch ABS II anti-lock braking, hybridized Z51 suspension, and FX3 Selective Ride Con­trol packages with the L98. Ditto the UJ6 Low-Tire-Pressure Warning System, which along with the above is standard on the Chevy flag­ship. Although the Bosch ABS and the suspension need no explaining (it's basically the Z51 setup with softer springs and anti-roll bars) and the UJ6 is self-explanatory (a light on the cen­ter console tells you if a tire is going flat), FX3 does call for a brief description.
READ: The Cobra vs. Corvette showdown from 1963
R&T ArchivesBasically, this Bilstein-engineered system, which borrows from Porsche 959 and Lotus Formula 1 technology, uses a gas-over-oil shock absorber whose hollow center shaft is fit­ted with an adjustable orifice that allows vary­ing amounts of shock oil to be bled off from around the piston. This provides six levels of damping in each of the three modes. Touring, Sport, and Performance, for a total of 14 steps (not 18, because some overlap). Settings range from very soft to full hard in incremental steps that are governed by vehicle speed. Lest you wonder how the system works, let's just say that it’s done with servomotors (actuators mounted atop each shock and used to turn the shaft that regulates the oil bypass) and a micro­ processor (to sense road condition and speed and to send appropriate information to the ser­vos). True, other high-volume manufacturers have offered cockpit-adjustable shocks, but this is the first use in hyper-performance terri­tory. More about this later when we discuss driving the ZR-1.
Unique to the ZR-1 (and for most of us, its raison d'etre), the LT5 engine is a lovely ex­ample of double-overhead-cam, four-valve-per- cylinder technology. Developed jointly with Lotus and built by Mercury Marine (the boat motor people), this 5.7-liter aluminum, 32-valve V8 has the same 4.40-inch bore center spacing (for standardization purposes) as the venerable Chevy small-block. To maintain this distance, the bore has been reduced from 4.00 to 3.90 inches, while the stroke has been increased from 3.48 to 3.66 inches. Aluminum cylinder liners that are lighter than steel are Nikasil-coated, and the externally-ribbed block has a cast-alu­minum oil sump and lower crankcase assembly whose integral four- and six-bolt cast-iron main bearing caps secure the forged steel crankshaft. Up top, the LT5’s four camshafts are driven by a roller chain (Gilmerbelts were considered, but discarded because they would have made the engine too wide to be bottom-loaded into the Corvette chassis on the Bowling Green as­sembly line) and actu­ate hydraulic lifters that eliminate valve lash adjustment. The four-valve combustion chambers feature cen­trally-located spark­ plugs (for reduced flame travel) and are designed to act in con­cert with dished aluminum pistons with an 11.0:1 compression ratio. To ensure that all of this very elaborate (and expensive) machinery doesn’t self-destruct for lack of proper lubrica­tion, the engine oiling system holds 12 quarts, 7 more than the pushrod V8.
R&T ArchivesNothing unusual so far, you say. Any engine worth its salt has all this. Too right. But no other engine in the world has the LT5’s two-phase induction system that makes the Chevy 32-valver two powerplants in one: a tractable, fuel-efficient, around-town workhorse; and a gut-wrenching, full-on track star that hammers out 380 hp. With its 16 tuned-length intake runners, the visually distinctive manifold uses a three-valve throttle body with a small primary for responsive low-speed operation and two large secondaries for full-power usage. During nor­mal use only, the primary intake ports and fuel injectors are operative. Mash on the gas and let the revs climb above 3500 rpm or to half-throt­tle, and the secondary ports and injectors come into play. Acting under orders from the Elec­tronic Control Module, the secondaries feed the fuel-air mixture to the larger of the two in­take valves whose camshaft lobes have more radical timing for maximum power. In addi­tion to making the LT5 the most versatile engine in the world, the two-stage induction system enables the Vette owner to regulate en­gine operation. A power switch on the console (the so-called valet-parking key) disables the secondary throttles and their injectors, leaving the engine operating at half power—to discour­age unauthorized drivers from using the LT5’s full potential.
The ZR-1’s V8 uses direct-fire ignition: Four coils ignite two spark plugs simultaneous­ly, upon receiving their cue from a crankshaft sensor acting in concert with the ECM. Be­ cause the sensor reads the position of ma­chined notches on the crank, correct ignition timing is ensured. Spark advance and retarda­tion are electronically controlled by the ECM, which gets an additional bit of information from a knock sensor. Whether idling or at speed, the 32-valver runs no hotter (and gener­ally cooler) than the L98, thanks to its dis­tinctive cooling system with a 15 percent larger radiator and relocated thermostat (it's on the inlet side of the engine).
READ: Our 2005 C6 Corvette first drive.
R&T ArchivesTo help deliver the LT5’s output to the rear wheels. Chevy has given the ZR-1 and the nor­mal Corvette a unique six-speed transmission, which uses CAGS (Computer Aided Gear Se­lection) that automatically short-shifts from first to fourth under light throttle. This beefy, ZF-designed gearbox (code-named ML9) replaces the Doug Nash 4 + 3 manual overdrive tranny used from 1984 through 1988 and is capable of handling at least 425 lb-ft of torque, much more than the LT5's respectable 370 lb-ft. When used with the 32-valver, the six-speed drives the rear wheels through a 3.54:1 ring and pinion that gives a slightly lower final drive ratio than the L98’s 3.33:1.
Of course, the expected Corvette niceties abound (except for the see-through, hard-coated acrylic roof panel, the ZR-1 is what the trade calls “fully optioned out”). This means that, in addition to everything mentioned above, leath­er-covered sport seats and that great-sounding Delco/Bose system are standard. Paint schemes are standard Corvette and include seven hues, but not the yellow seen on the Geneva show car. Interestingly, there is no climate control, just plain old air conditioning and heating, be­ cause at this time the fully automatic system won't clear the right cylinder head.
Considering the car’s limited availability (Chevy plans to build only 4000 per year be­ginning this summer), most early ZR-1s will probably become collector cars, bought at in­flated prices and traded at even higher ones. A pity, because if ever there was a car that begged to be driven, and driven hard, this is it. Unlike some exotics that fuss in traffic and fume in hot weather, the LT5 powerplant runs like any good Detroit V8 should: effortlessly, reliably. In city driving (or while following that ubiqui­tous diesel truck along a hilly European two-lane), this muscular V8, which develops 300 lb-ft of torque at 1500 rpm, burbles along hap­pily at practically idle speed. So there’s no need to do a lot of shifting—or to let your blood pressure soar because you're playing follow-the-leader. Don't worry, be happy, enjoy the air-con­ditioned stereo-filled environment of your ZR-1, and wait until it’s safe to ... PASS!
R&T ArchivesLet the record show that after easing off the line at about 1500 rpm to avoid wheelspin, the ZR-1 goes from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds and gets to the quarter-mile marker in 13.4 seconds. Speed-shifted, Corvette engineer Jim Ingles-style, it's a few tenths quicker. When it's time to stop, this 3680-lb sports car comes to a halt in 132 feet from 60 mph and 233 feet from 80 mph. Im­pressive? You bet! Also, better than the top three exotic cars (Ferrari Testarossa, Lambor­ghini Countach, Porsche Turbo).
In real-world terms, this level of perform­ance means that, depending on the amount of room you have to do so, you can either ease into the throttle, activate those giant secondar­ies, and sort of swoop past. Or you can down­shift a gear or two (because of the 32-valver's 7000-rpm redline, there are plenty more revs than in the normal V8) and blow by that slow­poke con brio!. And don't fret about ducking back into your proper lane. Those giant, vent­ed disc brakes and Bosch ABS will stop you quickly and safely, even if it’s wet or if the road surface is gravelly. Or just in time to slow for that DANGEROUS CURVE.
Not a problem. Lateral acceleration (you can just call it handling) has always been the Vette’s forte, but this model sets new stan­dards. Ladies and gentlemen, the new king of the skidpad, the ZR-1. Thanks to its suspen­sion, Selective Ride Control, and those sticky ZR-rated (193-mph) Goodyear Gatorbacks, the ZR-1 toes the (curved) mark at 0.94g, bet­ter than any production-built automobile, bar none. There’s mild understeer and a feeling of comparative nimbleness brought on by steer­ing that no longer feels overboosted and darty (the ratio has been slowed from 13.1:1 to 15.0:1). Nor is the Super Vette a slouch in the slalom where it slithers through the cones at 65.7 mph. It’s the second-fastest speed we've ever recorded, topped only by the Mitsubishi Galant, a car with front drive (which the sla­lom tends to favor) and with a highly sophisti­cated reactive suspension of its own.
READ: Our first drive of the Jaguar XK180 concept
R&T ArchivesThe ZR-1 is a real confidence-builder for a driver who suddenly discovers that a certain constant radius turn, isn’t. At times like this it keeps all four feet (or tires) planted firmly on the pavement and maintains its composure—with a deft flick of the wheel or tap of the throt­tle, if need be.
Much of the credit for this improvement in vehicle attitude and ride goes to the Corvette’s Selective Ride Control package. Unlike the suspensions of yore (standard equipment on the 1989 normal Corvette) that provided either soft ride or good handling, FX3-equipped L98 and ZR-1 Vettes offer both—in varying degrees depending on switch setting.
On bumpy roads such as some of the French goat paths encountered during the ZR-1’s Eu­ropean press introduction, the Touring mode works best. This soft setting not only keeps one’s fillings intact, but also makes the suspension more compliant (better able to absorb much of the road’s roughness) and enables the wheels to stay in contact with the pavement.
On smooth, fast roads or on a test track such as Goodyear's Mireval proving grounds near Narbonne, France, the Sport or Performance modes are best. Here, the flat surface ensures that the ZR-1’s Gatorbacks are in constant contact with the pavement, so the function of shock-absorber damping becomes one of chassis tuning. Suffice to say that the middle (Sport) setting is probably best (even Corvette Challenge competitors use it), while the full hard setting makes the suspension very respon­sive to steering input, and (ahem) quite stiff.
From the outset, the Corvette group sought to make the ZR-1 one of the fastest produc­tion-built cars in the world. And so it is, even if those Countach curmudgeons and testy Testarossers quickly point out that its 172-mph top speed falls a few digits short of the Lambo’s flat-out 179 mph and the Ferrari’s 185-mph figure. Perhaps they should bear in mind that the ZR-1 was tested in California's high desert with minimal approach room, while the exotics were tested in Europe at Volkswagen's Ehra-Lessien test track, where we think, given miles to unwind, the LT5 could manage high 170s. Consider also that the Ferrari and Lamborghini are specially-built automobiles costing almost three times as much as the ZR-1, which is built on the same assembly line as the normal Vette. And costs $50,000, a bargain considering the level of performance and comfort it delivers.
But is it, as Chevy hopes, a world-class car? (The envelope, please!)
Yes. The Corvette ZR-1 acquits itself well amidst some very fast company. Yet it does so with a level of sophistication and comfort be­yond what most exotics (but not specialty cars such as the Porsche 959) currently deliver. Throw in availability and serviceability (the GM-CAMS computer diagnostic system, man­datory service equipment for all ZR-1 dealers), and you have a car that offers the best of the old and the new world.

 

2014 Corvette Convertible Review: Intoxicating, American Speed

By Jeff Perez 17 hours ago



Here in America we have a certain saying: “If there’s something worth doing, it’s worth overdoing.” And no one lives up to that mantra quite like Chevy. Oh yes, America’s largest automaker, and one of the biggest automakers in the world truly knows how to “overdo” things. But in the best freakin way imaginable.






The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible, in all its tacky American glory showed up in our driveway a few weeks ago. And our opinion on this machine has never been the same from there on. A car that has cemented itself in American history as one of the most desirable rides around, has evolved into a worldy competitor the likes of Ferrari and Lamborghini, without losing its American roots.
But I won’t get ahead of myself just yet. There’s a lot to discuss when it comes to the Corvette.
PHOTOS: See More of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
Pants Tightening Power



At 460 horsepower, the 6.2-liter V8 isn’t exactly the most powerful engine ever engineered, especially in 2014, where sports cars regularly exceed 600 horsepower. But it doesn’t need to be. At 3,362 lbs, the Stingray Convertible is lighter than most, and front-engine, rear-drive layout balances the car nicely at both ends.
0-60 mph can had be had in under 4 seconds, if you know how to handle a healthy amount of wheel spin. But once the ‘Vette jumps the line, the sheer power under the hood quickly makes up for all burnt rubber.



That being said, all that power was mated to a gearbox that was in major need of an overhaul. We tested the six-speed automatic, assuming that’s what most convertible ‘Vette buyers will opt for, and it really struggled to meet expectations.
The automated manual with paddle shifters was unrefined and surprisingly difficult to manage. It would often change into a “performance shift” mode that kept revs higher and gears tighter, but how or when it would activate felt like a mystery. Definitely needs a dual clutch.
PHOTOS: See More of the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
Bold and Beautiful



Surrounding the 6.2-liter V8 was a completely redesigned body. While it kept many cues from the C6 in which it replaced, the evolved new Corvette was sharper, meaner, and definitely a head turner. Even the parking lot of the grocery store became an impromptu photoshoot for the eye-catching sportscar.



Inside the cabin is tight, and coated in a clean beige and black leather finish. The infotainment screen along with the digital tach and speedometer all speak testament to the Corvette’s new premium design. The buttons are clean and well laid out, the steering wheel is sleek but still provides radio and cruise control at your fingers — and that’s only the aesthetics.
All of these new ***** and controls manage an advanced system of performance, ergonomics, and infotainment that leaves other $70K sportscars wondering where they went wrong. The digital tach is reminiscent of higher-priced Japanese competitors, à la the Nissan GT-R or Lexus LFA. At your fingertips, you can access a lap timer, 0-60, tire pressure and performance, ergonomics, audio — the list goes on.
PHOTOS: See More of the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Concept
Drop Top Fun





Pop the top of any high-revving sportscar and it’s bound to be more fun. The Corvette is no exception. While the coupe it a barrel of monkeys worth of rear-drive, V8 fun, the added feeling of the wind in your hair and bugs in your teeth really makes for an all around senses pleaser.
And like any modern rag top, it opens and closes at the push of a button, at low speeds and without much hassle.
Overall



When our week with the new Stingray was up we had a lot of mixed feelings. We were disappointed that it had left our lives, because it was pure, unadulterated fun. But at the same time, we still knew there was something missing to make this Corvette a real “worldly” competitor.
But what it all boiled down to was can the Corvette compete with European rivals? In a word —eh. When you’re behind the wheel you still feel a sense of “Americanism” about it. There’s something off about the drive, it feels too loose, too underwhelming in corners and tight situations. You best believe cars like the Porsche 911 and Audi R8 don’t have that problem. Nor does the exquisite Viper.
So at the end of the day, while the Corvette may leave you with a grin from ear to ear, you’ll be doing so while staring at the back of a Porsche 911 Turbo and Audi R8.
PHOTOS: See More of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Pacific Concept



Specs:
Engine: 6.2L V8
Horsepower: 460
0-60: 3.8 seconds
Price (as tested): $73,525
Positives:
Handsome new design
Grin-enducing power
More precise than previous generations
Negatives:
Still too “American” feeling
Minor quality issues
Performance doesn’t equal price (as tested)
PHOTOS: See More of the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible Premiere Edition