Troy Roberts

Wooo Hooo!!!

This is not C5.5. This car is a big leap forward.

I spent 55 or 60 minutes driving around the back roads of Kentucky with Dave Hill. We went through many good roads with ups and downs and tight corners. We also had a stretch on the interstate where I hit triple digits. This car is fantastic.

Overall it's summed up by saying that it is more refined. It's all vette, but it has taken some of the best attributes of German and Japanese sportscars and combined them into an all American Corvette.

The interior feels much higher in quality. The materials are higher quality and the fit and finish are tops. It feels more like the quality of a German interior than the C5 does. The layout is also improved. There is a convenient "Oh S***" grab bar. In fact, it was tested by Dave Hill as I came into a corner a bit hot on our drive! The exit button is handy. The buttons are seperated into logical groupings that you can find by feel easily. It's also easier to get into the convertible as the windsheild is not in the way as much as with the C5. The only downside to that is the sun shades no longer come back far enough to protect from the sun on a hot day.

The shifter is hugely improved from the stock C5. It has a shorter throw and is very light. It lines up to 3rd/4th gear when released. It has the fun factor of a little Japanese shifter but with a 400hp Corvette instead! The gearing for 1st seems a bit shorter also. I don't see many aftermarket shifters being sold for this car.

The torque is unreal. Any gear, any speed, hit the gas and it goes. I'm used to 420rwhp and about the same torque. I was still impressed with the torque on this factory Corvette. I find it hard to believe that the base C6 isn't as fast as the C5 Z06. HP is almost the same and the C6 has a far better torque curve. I know it weighs more, but I think that it has to be at Z06 performance levels.

The ride is impressive. It's smooth and you don't hear or feel squeaks and rattles. It still handles great in the curves.

The headlights were quite impressive also. I took the car out as the sun was setting. It was dark by the time I returned. The headlights lit up the road with a very clear light even without the brights on. When I turned the brights on it was like daytime in front of me.

I loved everything about the C6. I had planned on keeping my C5 for two or three more years but I don't see that happening now. I need a C6.

I'll have videos in a week or so of the test drive.

Matt Gruber

i want your job
was it a Z-51? or base suspension? or?

Troy Roberts

Base suspension unfortunately.

btw... it was open to anyone to go for a drive. Dave Hill graciously allowed the museum to auction the drives off. It was an expensive 55 minutes.

need-for-speed

Capitalism at work......it's definitely a good thing. The ones who wanted to drive a C6 bad enough, were afforded (pun intended) the opportunity. I think that was a great way to raise money for the Museum.

Troy, could you tell if the new run flats were quieter and stickier?

Troy Roberts

I haven't had run flats on my C5 for years so I'm speaking from memory. It seemed to me that these run flats were much smoother. I didn't push them to the limits of adhesion but they seemed relatively sticky.

I'm sure that if you want max performance you're still going to need to go with specialized tires. These should be a huge improvement for everyday spirited driving and cruising.

bcmarly

Excellent report! It's everything I had hoped for. I can't wait to take delivery. Please don't make me wait long!

TRAYC7

Troy I have pics with you all standing with Dave next to the one your drove.. I will get them downloaded today...


[Modified by TRAYC6, 12:18 PM 5/31/2004]

ivan111

That is great to hear Troy......

C6 lap times at the Ring are 7:56 that is the same as a Z06......

Z06 might pull away a little in straight line from the C6 but looks like in the Curves that edge evaporates......

Matt Gruber

Troy
when you say "unfortunatly" base suspension,
does it bottom out at speed? bounce too much?
Or did you simply wish to try the z51?

TRAYC7

Here ya go Troy...

Troy Roberts

Simply that I will order the Z51 and would have liked to have driven a car with that option.

Corvette Junkie

But the money went to a good cause.

Grumpy

thanks for the review!!

Allthrottleandsomebottle

But.........how big was your smile again

RIC96

TJsToy

Zilla

Very Cool thanks for sharing

5150 BRD

Thanks for the review Troy.

bramwellt

Now, the question we all want to ask, but are afraid to know... Is the CAGS system still installed? The one that takes you from 1st to 4th? Is so, I wonder if the relay-override from the C5 system will still work.


[Modified by bramwellt, 7:18 PM 5/31/2004]

curvesman