2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray: Track Tested

Edmunds.com

2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray: Track Tested

Edmunds.com bought a 2014 Corvette Stingray, so naturally we took it to the track as soon as possible. Here's how it fared.

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velocity_x

1st comment

velocity_x

Please provide more useful information about the "no-lift shift feature"

66vette2

Wow. The color certainly isn't working on this car.

sichin2000_

Is it an optical illusion, it looks like the Ray has SUV like curb clearance?

noburgers

You have a disclaimer at the end that "the manufacturer provided Edmunds this vehicle for the purpose of evaluation"--but you also say you purchased it in the post.
Also:"are there any differences in performance between the preproduction Corvette GM loaned us and the production-spec unit we purchased and picked up from the factory in Kentucky?" Why not answer that question directly in the post without us having to go look up the original test?

duck87

Immense grip and traction

ds26hoon

great car but NOT loving the green paint...reminds me of the 95 Grand AM!

metalmania

Not sure on the color yet. I'm assuming it's a metallic paint (I hope)? Probably looks better in person, but I think it's cool they honor Lime Rock, a classic road racing track, with a color name. Heck they could do a bunch - Sebring Silver (done before), Le Mans Blue (done before), Road America Red, Road Atlanta Yellow, whatever. I don't know that GM capitolizes on Corvette's racing success over the last 15 or so years in its marketing of the car. I'm not a fan of the black wheels. I'm not really into chrome either, but I think a painted aluminum or some other "normal" silver colored wheel would look better. Just my preference though.

metalmania

Followup on my last post about the color - I posted that before I looked at all the pictures. It's obviously a metallic green. I still think it must look better in person, but I like that they got it with the tan/brown interior. I'd definitely do that too if I were going with green, but I'd pass on the black wheels. I know the car is awesome, but as a lifelong Corvette fan I haven't fully accepted the styling on this one yet. I'm getting there with the front and side but the back end leaves me cold. I still want rounded tail lights, and it still strikes me as too hard and angular. There's no grace to it. That's one thing I have to give up to the 911, it has a grown up elegance to it that I think the 'Vette lacks.

v8vroom

Did you guys use 91 or 93 octane gas?

cjasis

v8vroom - Edmunds is in S. CA so unless they mixed 100 octane race gas, have their own private stash or flatbedded the car over the border from AZ, they likely ran this test on the best we can get here... 91 octane.

I'm in the camp that thinks this color combination of dark metallic green and black wheels do no favors to the cars looks but even though I am really not a 'Vette guy... the numbers remain awesome. Good for you Chevrolet and good for all of us enthusiasts.

joefrompa

I think the green looks phenomenal, but that green pops best against contrast so the wheels don't work for me.

Test looks about as expected, only two surprises:

1. I think your trap speed/eta is down a bit. Maybe it needs break-in, maybe it's the fuel (91 octane, maybe a bad batch too)

2. That curb weight is higher than I expected. What's going on there? I thought they maintained a lower curb weight than this.

Lastly, I'm very curious if Edmunds bought this car or if Chevy provided it. Edmunds has been giving, frankly, wall-to-wall Corvette coverage. I've been enjoying it because it's an amazing vehicle, but it crossed the line into corvette promotion some time ago.

engineer_mba

I like the dark metallic green and the tan leather interior. It looks very classy (and British). At least it is not another bright red, yellow or worse, another shade of grey or silver. I am not certain about the black wheels, but they are certainly not a deal breaker. I wonder if some owners like black wheels because they hide brake dust and they are too lazy to clean them. Either way, awesome car. I am curious to know how the C7 Stingray with the Z51 package compares to the new Camaro Z/28 (tested on the Nurburgring recently) both objectively and subjectively.

fordson1

They bought the car themselves. Love the green. Don't like the black wheels. Great performance and very usable.

reminder

I hope they followed the manufacturer's recommendations for 'break-in'.
I don't think pinning your right foot to the carpet is step one, but I would like to try that maneuver myself.

themandarin

Clashing bodywork + wheel gaps + color combo = SUV

speed12sil

I for one welcomes a car that isn't "stance" in stock form, especially one that can accomplish such phenomenal handling numbers. I'd rather not have to worry about scraping every freakin' parking lot entrance, which this car certain should have no problem with.

And those who complain about suv height/color combo aren't likely to buy it anyway.

rayzor

This color reminds me of my sister's Ford Thunderbird she had purchased new back in 1977...LOL!!

airdale182

Well 66vette2, when I saw photos of the LRG I might have agreed with you, but once I saw it in person I was sold -- literally -- there's one in my garage right now.

LRG with Kalahari interior -- it's beautiful. Everywhere I go people want to take pictures of it. As they say, "You can't judge a book by its cover"... or in this case how a color looks on a Stingray until you've seen it.

agentorange

I'm still not getting those black wheels with a dark body colour.