I have that first-day-of-school-feeling as I descend the stairs of the bus and hit the tarmac, where I am surrounded by previous generation C5 Corvettes and, at last, a fleet of the new C6 models. Clean as a whistle, except for the beaded up rainwater, they are in Corvette colors that smirk at the weather. There are auto transmissions, 6-speed trannies and Z51 versions. I suddenly figure it out--it’s about driving 51 years of the past packaged for the present—it’s a car nearly symbolic of America and -- for a few hours of an afternoon -- politics, terrorism, and the price of fuel at the pump goes away. The sound of engines, the smell of rubber and the feel of power rule the land, even in the rain.
Chevrolet’s Corvette has been a defining character in the General Motors lineup since 1953. This fiberglass sports car has captivated enthusiasts worldwide, with sales of over a million models. So when designing a new version of Corvette, The General had to respond to the car’s heritage, in order to maintain this icon’s appeal.
But nothing lasts that looks behind too longingly. The latest rendition, dubbed C6 because it’s the 6th generation model, thrusts mightily into the 21st century, with new styling in and out and with some of the latest techno-gizmos straight from the electronics’ parts bin. At the glance, it’s easy to see that the C6 is smaller than its C5 predecessor. Over five inches shorter and about an inch narrower, the newest Vette approaches Porsche 911 dimensions.
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