Cons :
- Exterior changes very subtle indeed.
- Annoying 1st-to-4th skipping shift feature.
- Stiff shifter feel.
- More electronic gadgets mean more things that can go wrong later.
- Gets sidetracked by bumpy roads.
Interior :
Press Coverage :
After a milestone year in 2008 that saw the introduction of the LS3 6.2L V8 as the new standard engine, a custom, leather-wrapped interior and more upgrades, the Corvette powers into 2009 with a raft of enhancements that further distinguish it and give customers more choices – including a lower-priced convertible model.
The 6.2L LS3 small-block V-8 is the standard engine in coupe and convertible models. It is rated at 430 horsepower and 424 lb-ft. of torque with the standard exhaust system. An optional two-mode exhaust system brings a power rating increase to 436 horses and 428 lb-ft.
Optional on coupe and convertible models is a dual-mode performance exhaust system. It gives the Corvette a more aggressive exhaust sound character that appeals to performance enthusiasts, as well as a boost in horsepower.
The Corvette is offered with a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional six-speed automatic with paddle-shift control. When ordered with the Z51 Performance Package, the six-speed manual comes with a more performance-oriented gearing, including a “shorter” 2.97:1 first gear. The shifting feel for both the six-speed manual transmission and paddle-shift six-speed automatic transmissions were improved in ’08, with the manual transmission shifting improvements include a more positive and direct feel during gear changes, with better gate-to-gate location. The six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission on the coupe and convertible delivers quick shifts, with the ’08 enhancements bolstering the feeling of performance and driver control when using the shifting paddles. A 2.73 performance axle ratio is available with the automatic transmission. It is included with the Z51 package.
Three suspension choices allow drivers to choose the setup that best suits their driving style. The standard suspension is tuned for a balance of ride comfort and precise handling. Corvette is now more poised at even higher handling levels, yet easier to drive. The optional Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension features magneto-rheological dampers able to detect road surfaces and adjust the damping rates to those surfaces almost instantly for optimal ride control. Cross-dilled brake rotors are included when this feature is selected, allowing customers to combine the larger brakes from the Z51 performance package with the comfort of Magnetic Selective Ride Control. The Z51 Performance Package brings coupe and convertible performance very close to the widely admired previous generation Z06. The Z51 offers more aggressive dampers and springs, larger stabilizer bars, Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar EMT tires, enhanced cooling and larger cross-drilled brake rotors (13.4 inches / 340 mm in front and 13 inches / 330 mm in rear) for optimum track performance while still providing a comfortable ride. With each suspension, three standard dynamic chassis control systems – anti-lock braking, traction control and Active Handling – operate in concert. In all, the dynamic chassis control systems are smarter, less intrusive and more adept at making the total driving experience precisely what drivers have come to expect from their Corvette.
Corvette’s interior is inspired by the car’s dual-cockpit heritage. High-quality materials, craftsmanship and functionality help deliver premium quality meant to enhance performance driving. The instrument panel and doors are covered with cast-skin foam-in-place trim with the look of a leather panel. It is warm and inviting and has double the life of conventional trim materials.
An AM/FM/XM radio with CD player and audio input jack is standard. An optional Bose audio system with an in-dash six-disc changer adds to the choices available to the audiophile owner. Steering-wheel mounted audio controls are included on all models. XM Satellite Radio is standard.
A full-function OnStar system with Turn-by-Turn Navigation capability is standard and an onboard navigation system with voice recognition is available. Using a 6.5-inch (165 mm) color touch-screen display, the DVD-based system contains all the map data for the 48 contiguous states and most of Canada on two discs.
General Motors Media
The new car's steering effort increases in a more natural way. It's generally lighter but, at the same time, feels less artificial, like there's less friction in the system. The Vette no longer has to be muscled through turns; it now glides along with far less drama.
Most of the curvy roads near our offices have broken pavement and are bumpy—this is Michigan, after all, a place where blacktop is beaten up by the weather and a shrinking state budget. These bumps, especially when they're in the middle of a turn, still present a problem for the Vette. The car will skip sideways, which makes drivers understandably nervous.
Even so, we found ourselves driving through the turns 5 to 10 mph faster in the new car than in the old. Because both cars had the same unchanged-for-2008 Z51 suspension package that includes larger brakes, shorter gear ratios, and a stiffer suspension, we didn't expect such a dramatic difference. We even rechecked the pressures in the Goodyear tires to make sure they hadn't been overinflated, which would make the new Vette jumpy over the bumps, but they were all at the factory-recommended setting of 30 psi. Clearly, then, the changes have made a huge improvement in the Chevy's handling.
So, does the Vette feel as good as a 911? That's hard to say, because we didn't have a Porsche on hand for comparison, but the gap has certainly narrowed.
Car and Driver
Naturally, we opted for the revised Tremec six-speed manual transaxle creating what is now the second best performance Corvette. Gearing in the Z51 is nine to 14 percent shorter in the first four gears relative to the base manual, and while the base six-speed paddle-shifted automatic matches the Z51's gearing in first, the other gears are 12 to 25 percent taller. Automatic buyers can opt for a slightly shorter axle ratio (2.73:1 versus 2.56:1), which doesn't have much effect on the performance numbers, but improves in-gear passing acceleration. GM reckons the automatics should trail our Z51 stick by about a tenth to 60 mph, two-tenths and two mph in the quarter.
It's worth noting that the gentler launch technique is easier on the tires, doesn't leave big streaks on the pavement, and adds only two to three tenths, so it may be worth utilizing against less threatening opponents at the local dragstrip. Oh, and bracket-racers, take note: Seven quarter-mile runs using different launch techniques spanned just 0.22 second and 2.03 mph. This is due in no small part to refinements in the gearbox that facilitate smooth quick shifts every time (balky 2-3 upshifts scuttled many an accel run in earlier C6s).
In the handling department, we managed to circulate the Black Lake's 216-foot-diameter circle at about 40 mph with no drama or stability-control intervention, generating a respectable average of 0.97 g. Similarly, there's not much to report in the braking department-our 110-foot stop from 60 mph slots nicely within the statistical noise of all other non-Z06 gen-6 Corvettes. Swapping to a non-run-flat tire with a bit more sidewall compliance and more aggressive tread compound would likely drive that number up above the magic 1.00 g. That's probably the first and certainly the easiest modification an enthusiast with robust cell-phone service should consider making.
This recommendation is strengthened for owners of base Corvettes, which get slightly less-aggressive Eagle F1s.
Motor Trend
History:
2005-2007 Chevrolet Corvette C6
5,970 cc / 400 hp / 400 lb-ft / 3179 lbs / 0-60 mph 4.2 sec.
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