Last week during
a sunny fall day near Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Motor Authority
test crew were gathered happily to pen their thoughts regarding the new and
very powerful beast they get to test. The new C8 mid-engined
Corvette was the bounty they had their eager hands on, and it is surely a
vehicle that we have all been excited about here at Chuck Hutton Chevy of Memphis.
Mike Hurley is the vehicle dynamics engineer who was along to supervise as well
as advise, and he was on deck to tell driver Kirk Bell to get the mode selector
dial to “Track” and fire up the Performance Traction Management System directly
before the run.
While he tethered
his foot just perfectly over the brake, Kirk then pinned the throttle and the
6.2-liter V-8 revved up to 3,500 rpm while remaining there for a split second.
Then he was able to hold on tight to the new C8's square steering wheel as the
305-mm wide Michelin Pilot Sport 45 rear tires budged a minute amount, and then
took off sporting a heightened power level that previous factory 'Vettes have
not come close to. As he took pleasure in rocketing forward, he claims that
there was zero pause in power supply between gears and seconds the
well-published notion that 0-60 mph takes place in 3.0 seconds or less.
When the new C8
first came out one of the most exciting qualities it brandished besides the
mid-engine placement was the perpendicular force exertion factor. It now sees
60 percent of the weight on the rear tires, which means that the C8 can put
down more bare-knuckle factor on the road with the drive axle capabilities at
hand. Once you are competing with the likes of cars that cost double and triple
your entry point, being able to handle daily drive duties as well as fast and
furious antics on the track are essential.
All parties
behind the wheel felt at all times that the steering had true purpose and was
always direct and that the interior takes a very noticeable leap forward from
the outgoing C7's. They were driving the 3LT package that adds to the mix a
14-speaker Bose audio system, front and rear vision cameras, a head-up display,
top-line heated and cooled GT2 bucket seats,a heated steering wheel, wireless
phone charging, and the Chevy Performance Data Recorder that lets you relive
every step of the journey by means of high-tech data gleaning.
As this testing
crew realized that the day was waning and their time was slowing to a halt,
they wished first and foremost that they could take the new 'Vette down a
California canyon road where it belongs to open it up properly and get at some
cornering. The rumble of the pipes is not quite the same as it was on the C7,
but engaging in Track mode helps with the return of the symphonic bliss. Every
time a new set of experts gets their hands on the new Corvette we get more
excited, and the Motor Authority team deemed the new release a
worthy and exhilarating example of what can transpire after decades of
patience!
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