Corvettes Rule The Road From Start to Finish

When the first Corvettes rolled off the assembly line, they were all polo white with red interiors. They were also the sleekest and fastest cars on the road. They were certainly the envy of every driver that they whizzed past. Now they come in a rainbow of colors, and, instead of one racy model, there are half a dozen. Instead of one type of convertible, there are several options.

The 2013 convertible Z06 corvettes include a 60-year anniversary addition. To reduce weight and make the corvette as gas efficient as it is fast, Chevrolet turned to race car technology. Riding on its aluminum frame, the new corvette benefits from its carbon–fiber components including its hooded dome. The engine is a 7-liter powerhouse, aluminum-block V8. The lightweight titanium intake valves and connecting rods are designed to work with an oil system that maintains and distributes pressured oil. This corvette offers race car speeds as high as 198 mph at 6300 rpm and 505 horsepower. 

The coupe offers a standard 6.2-liter V8 that can hit 190 mph with 430 horsepower and 424 torque. Both it and the Grand Sport Coupe offer a removable roof panel. Drivers get the feeling they are behind the wheel of the latest winning Corvette racecar. The six-speed paddle shifters make this automatic transmission as speed-responsive as a manual. The Grand Sport convertible takes the roof all the way down and still delivers on sporty styling. To complement its wider stance, Chevy engineers fine-tuned its power/weight ratio, heightened the suspension and added larger-than-base brakes. 

Whereas the original corvette owners had to worry about rust, new corvette owners get the same amazing durability with composite body panels that never rust. Corvettes today would make 1953 owners drool. They can go 0 to 60 in four seconds if they want to. Manual models with full start capacity make them as lithe as race cars.

The corvette has come a long way, but it still clings to the best of its past. Smartly-styled, fast-moving and fun to drive remain the hallmarks of a corvette. The fact that it is a classic before it is even driven off the lot is just the ice cream on the corvette owner's cake. The 26 mpg fuel economy is, well, the cherry on top.


Our favorite place to buy supplies for your Corvette is corvettemods.com.