We know that the new and first midengined Corvette will be revealed at the Detroit auto show (to be precise, the North American International Auto Show) next month. If you've been scouring the web, you'll have seen spy photos and possibly the real car on Corvette Forum. But if you are a casual car person, you might have worked yourself into a frenzy, when you saw this Stingray and figured that Chevy was going in another direction with the new Corvette. Relax, it's from a different company.
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| 2018 Suzuki Wagon R Stingray |
Then back on the shelf it went, as the malaise era of the Corvette started. An era when the biggest motored model (I had one) back in 1976 turned a torrid 0-60 time of just over ten seconds! Get your head around that figure for a moment. I think a well oiled bicycle might match that number these days.
Fast forward to 1990 and things had improved, so time for a second crack at the ZR1 legend........
Now, this model had real power for its time and a different back end to differentiate it from the common everyday Vette. Before it was officially released, I was driving on a side road just north of Toronto and pulled up beside one with Michigan plates. A Chevy engineer out for a weekend jaunt? Whatever, that was my thrill for the year ('nuff said about my quiet life). Another short run for the model, as it was shelved again in 1995.
Patience pays off for Corvette fans, as this range topper was once again introduced in 2009 with the tire smoking enthusiasm of a mighty powerful 650 HP engine..........
Something to spit in the face of tree huggers everywhere. Competition? Sure, but much more expensive and not nearly as practical........
As perfectly suited to composed street driving, as it was to being a track beast. This new legend was yet again shelved after 2013. No new ZR1 appeared when the Corvette was redone for 2014, but Vette fans are infinitely patient.
Waiting, waiting, waiting until last month's Dubai Auto Show. Dubai? Well, I guess that says it all as to Corvette being (or wanting to be) an international brand. Here we go again with the front engined Vette's swan song(?), the 2019 ZR1......
Time for a few cliches? Big, beautiful, bold and with a rear wing big enough to seat the entire family around for Christmas dinner. Best of all, it's packing 755 HP, 715 ft lbs of tire shredding torque and just look at those tires.........
Of course, if you can afford this monster, you can afford to burn off some of Michelin's finest. So how much? Being a Corvette, this baby is affordable and tens of thousands less than a comparable (performance wise) exotic. Start saving as the coupe is a paltry $119k, while the convertible ramps the $ up to $123k. All US dollars, of course, but even in our lower valued Canadian coin, it is a supercar bargain.
Colour? Make mine Introduction Orange or whatever they call this eye grabber. And Santa, please don't get this mixed up with that lowly Suzuki, when you are planning my Christmas presents.
Until next time.......
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