2014 Corvette Stingray Wows The Crowds
One of the biggest draws at the Frankfurt Auto Show is the new 2014 Corvette Stingray. Literally hundreds of European buyers are reported to be swarming GM’s newest iteration of the American sports car.
Under the skin of the edgy-looking 2014 Stingray, the GM guys have built a car that surpasses the previous generations in all categories. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, can corner at 1 lateral g, can go from 60 to 0 mph in just 107 feet, and the frame is 57% stiffer and weighs 100 pounds lighter than any previous Corvette. All this has been accomplished by using cutting edge materials and advanced assembly methods. These advancements, combined with the 450 horsepower power plant, make the C7 Corvette serious competition for its European rivals. Most of the European buyers in Frankfurt are trying to finagle a way to get one of these American Supercars out on the autobahn.
The Stingray comes with a 7-speed manual transmission, a completely customizable instrumentation display, 5 driving modes (eco, weather, touring, sports, and track), and the special track-ready Z51 performance package.
Serious upgrades are available for the Corvette interior (remember the ZR1 got some questionable reviews because of its very standard interior when it came out.) These include Napa leather and a sporty luxurious drivers compartment which may set the bar higher for all other sports cars in the future. See five interior colors below.
The new Corvettes have several functional grilles and vents incorporated in the body design. Unique to the Z51 performance package, air intakes, under the side windows, direct flow to the transmission and the differential coolers that are mounted in the rear of the car, and exhaust air leaves the stylistic vents adjacent to the rear taillights. Up front, air entering the grill hits a forward angled radiator, which at higher speeds provides a down force for the front wheels. The balance of air, which is able to pass through the radiator, exhausts through the sexy-looking vents in the hood.
(Photos and copy provided by eClassic Autos.com)