Born as an eccentric little roadster with a straight-six engine in 1953, the infant years of the Chevrolet Corvette were something that any self-respecting strongman would want in their mother's photo album. But it was only when performance-driven engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov got his wish to insert the first small-block engine into the Corvette C1 in 1955, that this increasingly popular American sports car became an icon.
And though the 1960s are recognized as the halo years for outright horsepower, it wasn’t until the new-found performance potential of the 1990s that the Chevrolet Corvette entered auto racing -- beating some of the greatest performance cars in the world on the racetrack and on the sales sheet. In 1999, General Motors formed Corvette Racing to enlist their Corvette C5s to do battle with the new American kid, the Dodge Viper. In spite of a 30-plus year absence from major competition, those Chevrolet Corvettes racked up 45 victories in international races over five seasons. The Chevrolet Corvette C6.R came in second and third place at the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring, and assumed the front line for Corvette racing in a charge that captured a fourth-place finish at the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans.
So because Corvette continues to annihilate competition on the roadways and on the racetrack, it's only fitting that this classic finds its most serious competition within its own family. With that being said, lets smoke some tires within the C6 and C6.R bloodline.
Chevrolet Corvette C6
MSRP: $44,995Engine: 6.0-liter LS2 V8
Horsepower: 400 hp
Torque: 400 lb-ft.
MPG: City: 18; Highway: 28
Performance - 16/20
A tribute to a simpler time in high-performance muscle, the Chevrolet Corvette C6’s heart and soul has been the bulletproof V8 small-block. Featuring a small-block's two-valve, push-rod design -- though lacking the mesmerizing workings for a Ferrari or Porsche 911 power plant -- the LS2 V8 simply pounds the sound of 400 horsepower out of the four-tip exhaust system, serving as a 6,500 rpm symphony (or more appropriately, a 6,500 rpm rock concert). Shifting the six-speed manual into first gear, the Corvette coupe guns it down Route 66 with a 0-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds.
Cross-drilled brake rotors and the Active Handling traction control maximizes your driving experience at any speed, keeping every movement of the Corvette C6 firmly in your hands.
Exterior design - 17/20
Retaining the wedge-like silhouette that dates back to the legendary 1960's Corvette Sting Ray models, the 2007 Chevrolet Corvette's design is a subtle modernization of one of the most recognized American cars. One of the most noticeable design cues you'll discover on the C6 is the new pair of flush headlamps, doing away with the iconic, though aerodynamically deficient, hidden headlights that had donned every Corvette from 1963 to 2004. With the headlamps now visible, the conventional door handles were also re-engineered to be hidden while operating on a cutting edge set of membrane-activated switches placed behind the door panels.
Interior design - 9/10
For the first time in a long time, incredible attention to detail has paid off inside the Corvette’s cabin. Engineers have even focused on the cup holders to secure your beverage for high-speed corning. Behind the envied steering wheel, the driver is cradled by a six-way adjustable sports seat along a simple six-gauge instrument panel including easy-to-use dash controls.
Sound system/goodies - 9/10
For whatever reason you’d prefer to listen to something other than a 400-horsepower V8 (perhaps because you're the passenger), the C6 comes with a seven-speaker sound system that includes optional XM Satellite Radio and a six-disc CD changer. Not well-known for showcasing electronic sophistication, the sixth-generation Corvette clearly wants to change our expectations. A voice-activated, DVD-based navigation system and dual-mode head-up display (HUD) gives a taste of a tech-savvy American sports car. However, the highlight comes with the touch-operated electric door handles. The C6 Corvette incorporates a standard keyless access to unlock doors and to start the engine.
Driving experience - 18/20
It's nearly impossible to be bored driving a corvette on a high-speed stretch of road or through a downtown metropolis. If the manual gearbox proves not to be your thing, the Corvette C6 can also come with an available six-speed automatic featuring a touch-shift feature. With either transmission, the C6 will take you pretty far, averaging more than 22 mpg while its Goodyear Eagle F1 tires dig into the road. Beyond the aggressive rubber footprint, the combination of Active Handling along with the optional Magnetic Selective Ride Control create a steady-footed sports car that allows a motorist to be as bad as they want to be.
Bang for buck - 18/20
It could be argued that a two-seater sports car is a luxury item. However, for under $50,000, this car is definitely one of the best performance vehicles on a cost-per-horsepower ratio. If you want to opt for a convertible or the 505-horsepower Z06 edition, the price tag can swell to over $70,000. With that understood, the Chevrolet Corvette C6 is certainly a bargain for a luxury car.
Final score - 87/100
An “A” all around for the C6 Corvette. On the whole, an accessible, attractive, affordable, American performance car.
Chevrolet Corvette C6.R
MSRP: NAEngine: 7.0-liter LS7.R V8
Horsepower: 590 hp
Torque: 640 lb-ft.
MPG: NA
Performance - 20/20
Providing substance to a dream, lucky members of the Corvette Racing team -- like Ron Fellows, Olivier Beretta and Johnny O'Connell -- get the opportunity to take a 7.0-liter V8 Corvette engine to its limits. Regulated to 600 horsepower using air restrictors by the ALMS, the construction specs for this 180-mph racer closely mirror a production C6. On that note, the C6.R's dry sump and titanium valves are actually racing features that have crossed over to the Corvette Z06.
The Corvette C6.R removes all unnecessary weight and includes an aerodynamic rear-wing/front-splitter combination to improve speed. Revised over its predecessor, the C5.R, the new aero pieces are adjustable to suit slower, high-downforce tracks as well as high-speed circuits like Le Mans.
Exterior design - 19/20
A rear spoiler and front air dam adds something to the allure of the Corvette. The C6.R otherwise maintains a close family resemblance to the showroom model. The program engineering manager for Corvette Racing, Steve Wesoloski, comments “the low drag features on the C6, such as the sleek body and flush headlamps, lend themselves to an easy task of converting the production design into a low-drag race car.” Besides functionality, the Corvette C6.R bravely carries its timeless styling into some of the harshest race events in the world. The only major downside: The sole color option for the C6.R is factory-racing yellow.
Interior design - 4/10
Racing with the same steel space frame as its production counterpart, the Corvette Racing team reduced the C6.R to only the bare essentials while adding a multipoint roll cage. As much as the street-version Corvette C6 is a driver's car, this C6.R mandates that the only occupant is the driver.
Sound system/goodies - 5/10
The C6.R decided to forego its stereo tuner for Motorola two-way communication sets. This may not be the entertainment you're looking for when dicing with other racers during a molten-hot race. However, the C6.R is equipped with a type of air conditioning that feeds cool air directly into the driver’s helmet.
Driving experience - 20/20
Grab a helmet, a driving suit and a HANS device, because with the C6.R you're about to get one sensational ride. The Chevrolet C6.R wrangles the 50 mph corners of some racetracks as well as it motors down the 180-mph Mulsanne Straight of Le Mans, France. Besides the fact that you'll probably see the same stretches of pavement over and over again, you will likely have a wonderful view of the clear road in front of you (that is, unless you're driving wheel-to-wheel with an equally-competitive Aston Martin).
Bang for buck - 3/20
Corvette Racing doesn't sell C6.Rs and therefore they all reside within the factory team. On the plus side, if you do get to drive a C6.R you'll most likely be getting paid to do so.
Final score - 71/100
The Chevrolet Corvette C6.R is practically untouchable in more ways than one. On the racetrack, the C6.R is the benchmark for production-based race cars. The major drawback, of course, is that this Corvette's steering wheel will only be held by a few selected professional drivers.
c6 takes it by a comfortable hair
While both cars fight different races through the course of the year, when pitted against each other, these two fight feverishly in the performance categories. But when it comes to performance, in the end, it’s pretty damn hard to beat a Le Mans racer. Unfortunately for the C6.R, performance isn’t the only way we judge our vehicles, with the C6 winning on merits of comfort as well as availability. After all, with tens of thousands of C6s hitting the streets every year, this once eccentric little roadster -- which sold only 300 examples in 1953 -- seems like a good deal for motorists searching for some traditional American iron (or in this case, composite material).In the end, overall honors go to the street-based Corvette C6 by a sizable margin over the Corvette C6.R -- sometimes family rivalries can be unfair.
Resources:
http://www.aol.com/
http://www.bowlinggreenassemblyplant.com/
http://www.chevrolet.com/
http://www.corvettemuseum.com/
http://www.corvetteracing.com/
http://www.conceptcarz.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/
http://www.forbesautos.com/
http://www.motorsportscenter.com/
http://www.vetteweb.com/
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