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The all-new Corvette Stingray
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Even just the name sounds exciting, sounds correct somehow. And that's before you've even considered the fact that it now has a mid-engine chassis for the first time
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with a stonking new 6.2-litre V8 sitting behind the seats and an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox
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Opinions about the styling are mixed. Some like it, others don't. But surely the more important question is, what is the new Corvette like to drive
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Evo went to the Spring Mountain Circuit in Nevada recently to find out
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Right, I'm coming straight out with it. This thing's bloody awesome. I've done a few laps of this quite mad circuit in the States
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It's where Chevrolet and Corvette train all their drivers. But honestly, the balance of the chassis is just brilliant, considering they haven't done a mid-engine chassis before
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It's absolutely fab. It really is. With really lovely steering to go with it
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very strong, very nice touchy-feely brakes. Excellent, excellent dual-clutch gearbox. But the star of the show, of course, is that thing back there
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That big naughty beautiful atmospheric V8 It is a belter of an engine Trust me Just believe me
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The gearbox is also absolutely bang on. It really is. And then there is the straight line performance, which is pretty titanic, I have to say
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0-60 in 2.9 seconds and this one which has got all the aero bits on it will do I think
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it's 186, 180 high something. The less expensive one weirdly has actually got a slightly higher
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top speed, 190 something, 194 I think. That's because it's just the one with all the aero
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on it has got a bit more drag so you lose a bit of performance the new eighth generation corvette
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is a much more complex car technically than any other to bear the magic name and not merely because
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it's mid-engined the main chassis structure is fashioned from aluminium with aluminium sub-frames
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at either end to which the double wishbone suspension is attached the dampers are digitally
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controlled in the top spec z51 performance pack version you see here there's also an electronic
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diff and a brilliant new dual clutch gearbox that pre-selects the next gear up or down
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to produce super fast but almost seamless shifts i even like the way it looks some people have had a bit of a go
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In fact we had a bit of a go at it for looking a little bit contrived in its detailing And I OK fair enough I sort of understand that argument
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I'm not sure I sympathise with it, because in the flesh, it looks the nuts, this car
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The interior of the new Vette represents a massive leap forwards, both in its design and in its overall quality
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Numerous different drive modes can be selected, altering the display within the intuitively designed new TFT instrument cluster
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But it's the leap forwards in perceived and actual build quality that represents the biggest improvement
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The new Corvette feels like an exotic, expensive car to be in now
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which hasn't necessarily been the case in the past. And the fact that it will be available in right-hand drive
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also makes it a far more realistic prospect for UK drivers. I'm really, really struggling to find anything I don't like about it
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Except for the fact that I don't own one. Gosh. The steering is so good
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It does feel like a Corvette. OK, it's mid-enjied, but it has that same cuddly
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not old-fashioned but just approachability about it you don't feel like you're teetering around on
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the edge there's a weedy bit of understeer but not much not much you can actually give it a send
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as well just to get them to kill that understeer to get the nose where you want want to like into
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here I a bit wide so send it in and the understeer disappears The base price if you literally translated it directly into sterling from dollars is
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£46,000. This thing is going to cost a lot more than £46,000 when it comes to the UK
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It's probably going to be near a 70, 75, something like that. But it will also be right hand
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drive which is the first ever for a Corvette and the engineers the people
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who have created this monster they're saying that there is absolutely zero
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compromise in the right-hand drive layout so not a different driving position dynamics will be exactly the same but
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you'll just be able to sit on the normal side of the car for a UK punter you can
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get quite carried away in this car and the nice thing is it doesn't bite. It constantly
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fits. It's lovely into there. I've come right off the throttle there and the nose is tucked
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in beautifully. Congratulations Corvette. You really, really have done the business on
