Sorry, but american cars being tech marvels... erm... no. They're definately cool, but not a tech marvel.
Really? Because I'm pretty sure Ferrari liscences the magnetic ride control that Caddilac developed. And I'm pretty sure that the LT1 in the new stingray is the first OHV V8 with cam phasing. Not to mention the structual engineerig neede to take an ALMS winning car and lighten in by 100Lbs. I think you are biased and not aware of all the developments that the American car industry makes every year.
And now compare this to a car like the Lotus Elise or the Smart Roadster, which don't need a diet or a V8 to get the same results and offer even more fun without all the unnecessary electronics. From my POV a tech-marvel is not the car with as much fluff as possible, but with the least fluff instead. You can call it biased ofc, but I call it reasonable.
It's a 1.4 ton two-seater coupe, it's hardly light. I think the very fact that you have to explicitly state OHV shows just how outdated the American car market is. As for VVT, BMW has been selling V8 engines with their VAMOS system for at least 10 years and Honda has a VTEC V6 for almost 20. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the American automotive industry is never innovative, but a tech marvel the new corvette is not.
The car is simply not comparable to the Lotus Elise or the Smart Roadster because it's not supposed to be. They're different cars, for different requirements, serving different purposes - Competing with the Elise was no more on Chevrolet's minds when designing the new 'Vette than competing with a Polo diesel was on Lotus engineers' minds when designing the Elise. Sounds a lot like bias to me. Don't pick on the new 'Vette for being overweight because it's American, so couldn't possibly be as dynamic as something European... pick on the trend within the motor industry in general - a 911 doesn't half get the same level of grief for being a fatty yet weighs no more or less than a 'Vette.
We're talking about two-seated roadsters, don't we? So why can't I compare the Vette to an Elise? And yes, the 911 has too much of unnecessary fluff aswell these days, which makes it unnecessary heavy.
You're right, they're entirely comparable. How about 140bhp and 520kg base-spec Caterham then (never mind the CSR or R500)? The base Elise is a positive heavyweight at 900kg and a piffling 134bhp. How about a Zonda F Roadster? Radical SR8? They're comparable with the Vette and the Elise, right? Two seats and no top, those are the rules, correct? I'm laying on sarcasm in swathes here, granted, but your argument makes so little sense I feel it's necessary. What's unnecessarily heavy? Is a Hi-fi unnecessary? How about a dozen or so airbags? Air-con unnecessary? Electric seats and leather upholstery? There are some that may consider a passenger seat, doors and street legality unnecessary, too.
No. The Corvette isn't a roadster. The Pontiac solstice would be more comparable. And perhaps the late 50s and early 60s Corvettes. Today's Corvette is a GT car, comparable to the XKR and the AMGs. You simply have to look at its Hp and torque output to see that. And it's handling record speaks for itself. Looking at price to performance, it's one of the best cars in its class. There isn't another car even close at it's base configuration, and it holds it's own against some of the best in the Z06 and ZR1 specs. Having spent time driving a CTS-V coupe, the old C6 and now the new ATS; I can tell you your bias is unfounded and silly. An yes, I have driven the direct competitors in comparison.
You're wasting your breath guys - some folks just can't help but absorb and regurgitate the thoroughly boring anti-US car sentiment. The US industry makes a lot of crap, but the Corvette is not part of it, just because it isn't exactly the same as the stuff that's produced from Europe is rubbish. IMO you need your head adjusting if you think a carbon and composite-bodied, V8-powered sports car that, in its native market, comes in at under £40k is a bad thing in any way. Never mind the fact that they're seriously quick and cleverly-engineered cars.
Far from it, I actually quite like it (not the syling, mind) but calling it a technological marvel is just plain wrong.
It doesn't bring any spectacularly new tech to market, but what is it that makes you think it isn't at the cutting edge?
I've nothing against the Vette personally, and sure it's rather low pricetag for what you get is a really nice dea. However, the Vette is a big fat V8 two-seater made for the US-market. In Europe this car simply isn't going to cut it, as we've got gas-prices @ €1.70/liter and small windy roads, where a two-seater like the Elise simply fits better into. Or if the Elise is too small for your taste, then look at the Audi TT RS with its 5cyl 2.5l TFSI offering 340BHP and 450NM using 50% less fuel then the new Stingray. And speaking of affordable fun GTs... look at the new Toyota GT86, which is also a really nice deal l @ €30k. With the Aero-Kit and some extras you're at 35k for a really fun car. The US-cars simply aren't very attractive for europeans with their big V8s and the only thing attractive about them is their design, which the new Stingray lacks imho.
Thank. You. You summed my argument up well before I had a chance to make it. Now, can we get back to oogling rather than bickering? Sorry, bindi, buthave to disagree with you. Sharp, clean lines are definitely the way to go, IMHO. Jr77: Frankly the new Toyota you listed just made me queesey. Course I just figured out I got the flu so it might not be that. Bleh. The new design was not intended for the euro market. It was made big, shouty and badarse. Just like the '14viper, the way us Americans like our cars. Feel free to duke out whether the new viper or 'vette is king though. From the preemptive specs I've not seen two more equal cars for quite a while. The new 'vette just has much better economy. The last time I, personally saw cylinder deactivation was on the Cadillac sixteen concept. I was a viper fan, of the new viper for sure, until the sharp dressed man( zztop, anyone?) made renders of the new vette. Once i saw those mind blowing pictures of those sharp, gorgeous curves, it blew SRT straight out of the water. It made me feel just as the Viper did when it shot straight to headlines. Awe inspiring. Caressing the pics like a lunatic just wishing you were there. I have no doubt ford has to have something to say to this. The new mustang model, perhaps? Food for thought. 12 was eventful, but the next nine months... this year is gonna blow me up for sure. Right now, though, I gotta go blow chunks.
But bickering is what the internet is for! (other than that other thing) No ogling here though, I may sound as I'm a fan of the new Vette by defending it, but a fan I'm not. IMO it looks like a Ferrari California that's had the Mansory (or any one of the other supercar ruiners) treatment.
Exactly! This thread was made with the intent of a vast collection of 2014 corvette pRon! Seems that many on this site think all the good cars are ugly. Ah, well, all folks have their backwards days Seriously though, thanks for the neutral standpoint.
I never said it was ugly, just too many vents, fins and LEDs for my taste, like it's trying a bit too hard to be aggressive.
