C6 Corvette - Signs of Things to Come

By Lloyd Frazier

If you could think of one American built car that stood the test of time and was in a class all by itself, that would definitely be the Chevrolet Corvette. First appearing in 1953 as a unique entry into the sports car market dominated by European makes, it was not a muscle car by definition. The Corvette used muscle car powertrains and has represented American performance for over 50 years. The new C6, which designates the 6th generation design, is truly a 21st century Corvette. The all new Corvette is equipped with an all-new standard LS2 6.0 liter small block V8 that delivers 400 horses at 400 ft lbs of torque, major revisions to the automatic and manual transmissions, and a muscular exterior design that is 5 inches shorter and 1 inch narrower than its older sibling the C5. And finally, the exposed headlights return after being mechanically concealed since 1963.

My first exposure to the new C6 was exhilirating. It has a roomy cabin, low profile and a cool heads up display. The acceleration is awesome. Bringing the car up over 120 mph and cruising at that speed for several minutes, you really begin to understand the superior aerodynamics of this car. When you back off the accelerator pedal, and cruise at a legal speed with all the rest of the mortals, you feel cheated, almost as if you are standing still.

To steal a phrase from a past GM marketing campaign for the Oldsmobile line, which they offed in 2004, 'This isn't your Fathers' Corvette. The aftermarket is looming large for the new 'Vette. Performance, handling, and appearance packages are all available to personalize your ride. The example on the right is a new Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust system and custom exhaust tips that replace the pair of dual flutes for a more bold, muscle car appearance. It adds a few more horses and gives it a great sound. And yes, you can add some kick with simple enhancements under the hood. There are fuel injection performance kits from K&N that can increase the air flow to the air intake chamber and release even more horsepower that is so well hidden. The example on the left is a K&N FIPK on a 2005 C6 Corvette. As you can imagine, there are as many combinations of enhancements you can do to personalize your ride as your imagination can come up with. That is the beauty of the American automotive experience. As usual, I am pleading my case to you. Go out and experience those great American cars!

Lloyd signing out.