2021 Chevrolet Corvette Z51 Yearlong Review Verdict: If You Need Only One Car...
More than a few automakers have tried to build a supercar you can drive every day without much compromise. and Those efforts, whether cleansheet or adapting an existing car, have rarely succeeded. There's a meaning behind the saying "a jack of all trades and master of none." Something's gotta give. After 14 months behind the wheel of a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Z51—our 2020 Car of the Year—that something isn't as big as you might think.
Yes, we're really going to stand here and tell you a Corvette is the only car you need. Within reason, of course. People with kids or who regularly transport plywood will need another set of wheels. Everyone else? Get a 'Vette.
See, I did about everything you could think of with this Corvette. Eight-hundred-mile road trips? Several times. Bring home the Christmas tree? Tied to the roof. Off-road? There was that one time Google Maps sent us on a shortcut that turned out to be a poorly maintained dirt road and we made it without damage. Hardware store? Done it. Grocery shopping? Every week. Beat a Porsche Cayman GT4 around a racetrack? All while costing nearly $47,000 less.
Sure, there were a few times the thing we needed to move was too big. On those occasions, we handed the local big-box store $20 and rented a pickup for an hour, or had it delivered. Problem solved, and for a lot less money than owning a second vehicle.
We could do all this because the Corvette really is as practical as it is a superlative performer. With two trunks and a removable roof, hauling most stuff home was no big deal. Neither was taking it all on vacation: We just packed multiple carry-on bags instead of one big one.
Whether it was running down the street or crossing half the state, the C8's combination of class-leading ride quality, unusually comfortable sport seats, and high-speed stability made a drive of any length easy. Set to "My Mode"—customized with better brake feel, loud exhaust, soft shocks, and light steering—the car absolutely ate up miles. Should you happen to be on a dead-straight rural highway with no other car in sight, it'll happily cruise at 100 mph for hours at a time without beating you up in the slightest.
Occasionally, you'll have to slow down for the big bumps, be they on a dirt road or pulling into your own steep driveway. When you do, the nose lift with GPS tagging is an absolute must-have. We stopped taking chances altogether and just raised the nose any time a driveway or speed bump or whatever looked like it might be trouble. Tagging all the spots in our neighborhoods and around the office made commuting much less stressful.
The car also does Corvette things really, really well. Like putting that Cayman GT4 in its place. Or hitting 60 mph in as little as 2.8 seconds and embarrassing cars with significantly more power and fatter MSRPs. Also great for just tearing up our local canyon roads whenever the mood struck.
The only thing that made driving this car even better was putting it in track alignment and leaving it there. Not only did it make for better lap times, it made the steering more responsive and communicative. True, it wore out the tires in less than 10,000 miles, but it was worth it. Worth it to the tune of $1,889.96 for tires and $100 for mounting and balancing by our friends at ZipTire. Maintaining supercars ain't cheap.
Comparatively, though, the Corvette is pretty affordable to fix. The one service appointment we paid for set us back just $183, which is significantly less than the average luxury car service (usually well over $200 per visit) though a lot more than our long-term C7 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z51, which came with complimentary maintenance for the first few years and didn't cost us a dime aside from tires. As it happened, the front trunk stopped opening right around the time the car needed service, which required ordering a new opener and returning 12 days later to have it installed, but that was covered under warranty along with a pair of minor recalls. Our C7 Corvette was a bit more trouble-prone than our C8.
While nothing else needed fixing, we have a few suggestions for Chevrolet when the midcycle update comes around. Although we don't hate the long row of center-console buttons like some people, we agree the ergonomics just aren't there and it creates a wall for the passenger to reach over. While Chevy is rearranging all that, it can also move the wireless phone charger from behind your elbow to somewhere easier to reach. A set of hooks on the ceiling behind the seats to hang your jacket wouldn't hurt, either. It's not like you can see out the back window, anyway. More heat insulation in the rear trunk would also be great. Cold groceries go in the front trunk, always.
Outside, it would be great if Chevy could figure out a way to keep rainwater pooled on the hood and decklid from pouring into the front and rear trunks when you open them. It would also be nice if they could slim down the decorative side blades. They're mounted on the widest parts of the door and are the first thing to hit the car parked next to you. Shaving them would make it easier to squeeze in the door when someone parks too close.
All in all, these are little fixes that would make us happy, but they're hardly deal breakers. Thoughtful features like the front hood release hidden under the headlight, the downward-facing front cameras, automatic proximity locking, and automatic comfort entry/exit features make us forget most of our gripes.
On a fairly regular basis, our friends and coworkers post photos of cars they've seen parked next to each other in the wild with a caption like "ultimate two-car garage." Great if you can't pick just one car and you have money to spend on multiple. If you can live with just two seats, though, you don't need a two-car solution. The C8 Corvette is the ultimate one-car-garage solution.
Looks good! More details?2021 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Mid-engine, RWD ENGINE TYPE 90-deg direct-injected V-8, alum block/heads VALVETRAIN OHV, 2 valves/cyl DISPLACEMENT 376.0 cu in/6,162 cc COMPRESSION RATIO 11.5:1 POWER (SAE NET) 495 hp @ 6,450 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 470 lb-ft @ 5,150 rpm REDLINE 6,400 rpm WEIGHT TO POWER 7.4 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 8-speed twin-clutch auto AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 3.55:1/1.71:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Control arms, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; control arms, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 12.5-15.7:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.3 BRAKES, F; R 13.6-in vented disc; 13.8-in vented disc, ABS WHEELS, F;R 8.5 x 19-in; 11.0 x 20-in, cast aluminum TIRES, F;R 245/35R19 89Y; 305/30R20 99Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 107.2 in TRACK, F/R 64.9/62.4 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 182.3 x 76.1 x 48.6 in TURNING CIRCLE 36.4 ft CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,643 lb (40/60%) SEATING CAPACITY 2 HEADROOM, F/R 37.9 in LEGROOM, F/R 42.8 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 54.4 in CARGO VOLUME 4.0 (frunk)/8.6 (trunk) cu ft ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.3 sec 0-40 1.8 0-50 2.4 0-60 3.1 0-70 4.0 0-80 5.0 0-90 6.2 0-100 7.6 0-100-0 11.4 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.5 QUARTER MILE 11.4 sec @ 120.4 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 99 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.01 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.4 sec @ 0.86 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,300 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $67,295 PRICE AS TESTED $80,420 AIRBAGS 4: Dual front, front side/head BASIC WARRANTY 3 yrs/36,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 5 yrs/60,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 5 yrs/60,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 18.5 gal EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 15/27/19 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 352 miles RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium ON SALE Now Our Car SERVICE LIFE 13 mo / 16,512 mi BASE PRICE $67,295 OPTIONS Z51 Performance pack ($5,995: 3.55:1 axle ratio, electronic limited-slip, rear spoiler, heavy-duty cooling, performance suspension, brakes, tires, and exhaust); Front lift w/memory ($1,995); Magnetorheological dampers ($1,895); GT2 bucket seats ($1,495); Red brake calipers ($595); Composite rockers ($550); Premium paint ($500); Carbon flash side mirrors ($100) PRICE AS TESTED $80,420 AVG ECON 17.0 mpg PROBLEM AREAS None MAINTENANCE COST $400.69 (2- inspection, oil change) NORMAL-WEAR COST $2,062 (set of tires) 3-YEAR RESIDUAL VALUE* $96,800 (120%) RECALLS None *IntelliChoice data; assumes 42,000 miles at the end of 3-years Show AllYou may also like
A Definitive End to the Malaise Era Inside the 1986 Acura Integra: Like, Totally Tubular! The Engine of Tomorrow, TodayBack in the '80s, the Integra's 16-valve 1.6-liter engine really turned our heads. It's easy to chuckle at the oversized DOHC PROGRAMMED FUEL INJECTION decal on the Integra's flanks, but in 1986 this was exotic stuff. Detroit's four-cylinder engines were awful eight-valve lumps that were only just beginning to be tamed with throttle-body fuel injection, a cheap single-injector assembly bolted into the same spot as a carburetor. Even Honda, already known for the best four-bangers in the biz, still offered only single-cam 12-valve engines, all with carburetors (with fuel injection as a new-for-1986 option).Of course, MotorTrend was no stranger to two-cam multi-valve heads; we tested plenty of European supercars, but to see such exotica on a reasonably priced car was a novelty. Same for multi-port fuel injection, which in 1986 was only just making its first appearance on Chevrolet's Corvette and IROC-Z. To see such hardware put together with Japanese precision and refinement, though, was something new, even for us."The Integra's four-valve-per-cylinder 1.6-liter engine proved much more than anticipated," we wrote, "with a blend of flat-torque-curve power-on-demand, quick throttle response, and effective NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) damping unsurpassed in engines of its kind on the market today."In the muscle-car '60s—not too distant in 1985's rearview mirror—1-horsepower per cubic inch was the Holy Grail. The Integra drew a righteous 113 horsepower from a mere 97 cubic inches, this at a time when GM's 231-cid (3.8-liter) V-6 only delivered 110. We clocked the then-new 1986 Acura Integra to 60 in 8.9 seconds, just 1.8 seconds behind a 1985 Ford Mustang GT.The Engine of Yesterday, TodayToday we're driving this classic Integra amid fast-moving Los Angeles traffic, and it's a struggle. We're trying to keep up with KJ Jones from MT's Truck and Off-Road Group in his Banks-enhanced Chevy Colorado, and we need every last bit of the Integra's 99 lb-ft of torque. This example has 168,000 miles on the clock and feels appropriate for her age. But Jones knows where we're going and we don't, so museum piece or not, we've no choice but to flirt with the Integra's near-7,000-rpm redline. At least that's our excuse because we like pushing the Integra—and the Integra likes being pushed.With any luck, you are too young and/or fortunate to have driven a four-cylinder car in the early '80s. Trust us, they weren't great, with low and feeble torque peaks concentrated at low or mid revs. Few Americans had experienced anything like the Integra's engine, it's thin low-end torque gradually building and building before surging at 4,000 rpm into a crescendo of power delivered all the way to its exotically-high 6,700-rpm redline—and all the while accompanied by a wonderful sonorous snarl. Today's drivers might say, "So what? That's how every engine drives!" Sure, today they do—and we have the Integra's influence to thank for it.The Correct Tire Transforms the 1986 Acura IntegraBelieve it or not, in our original 1986 test report we complained about the Acura Integra's handling, fixing blame on its Michelin MXV tires which put low limits on the Integra's grip for both turning and braking. (Back in those days we had to modulate brake lock-up in panic stops; there was no ABS to do it for us.) "It was as if the chassis dynamics were tuned to a much more high-performance set of tires," we wrote, "only to be replaced at the last minute." We surmised that better rubber would make the Integra a handling gem.Thirty-five years later, our supposition is confirmed. Our classic Integra's 14-inch aluminum wheels are fitted with a modern set of Falken Azenis RT660s, and the car is masterful. Out on one of our favorite curvy roads, it simply refuses to relinquish its grip on the pavement. The suspension—struts and torsion bars up front, twist-beam in the back—keeps body motions under control, and despite a complete lack of electronic stability control, the Integra never does anything sudden or scary. The steering reminds us why people miss hydraulic assist; it feels alive and chatty with feedback. The effort to turn the tiller is light, and yet the power assist is dialed back enough that you almost forget it's there at all. If a brand-new car drove like this 35-year-old Acura, we'd have nothing to complain about.Lost in TimeAnd that, right there, is the conundrum we face in writing about this classic 1986 Acura Integra in modern times. Not long ago we drove another classic Honda, the foundational first-generation Accord, and there was no mistaking it was a disco-era relic. The timeline is a mind-bender: Only eight years separate that Accord from this Integra. Meanwhile, the time gap between the Integra and modern cars is more than four times as long. And yet it feels like 35 years separate the original Accord and this original Integra, which surely can't be more than a decade older than modern day cars, tape deck and gnarly upholstery notwithstanding.We understand why. In the wake of the Acura Integra's introduction, the 16-valve, dual-overhead-camshaft, multi-port-injected engine would become the industry standard, reigning right up until the recent adaptation of turbochargers, direct injection, and electrification. Detroit would give up its ribbon-style speedometers and one-finger-light power steering to better emulate the Integra. Thanks to Acura, upscale cars would soon be judged not by their size but by their performance, agility, and build quality.Indeed, Honda, Toyota, and the other Japanese automakers fundamentally changed what American automobile buyers wanted, and the 1986 Acura Integra was the car that pointed the way. And so, we can forgive this three-and-a-half-decade-old classic for feeling ordinary. After all, it defined what ordinary would become.
aston-martin dbx Full OverviewMeet the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707, the world's fastest, most powerful gas-fed SUV. What you need to know up front is that when Tobias Moers left AMG to take the top job at Aston, he almost immediately set the company's sights on Lamborghini. Not, as you might expect, by announcing a new supercar. No, Moers instead figured Lamborghini's first ever SUV, the Urus, presented a juicier target.Moers had liked what he'd seen of Aston's own SUV debutante, the DBX, during his due diligence prior to making the jump from AMG. The DBX's fundamentals were good, he thought—all it needed were some powertrain and suspension upgrades, plus a couple of other changes, and Lamborghini's snarling, extrovert Urus could be knocked from its perch as the world's fastest, most powerful SUV.The suffix in "DBX707" refers to the number of European ponies under the shapely Aston's hood. In America, that's 697 hp, 56 more horses than the Urus musters. (Though shy of the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat's 707 hp, remember: That SUV was a one-and-done 2021 model that lacks a 2022-or-beyond followup. Also, we specify "gas-fed" because Tesla's Model X Plaid and Rivian's upcoming R1S pack much more hp.) And Aston Martin claims this DBX707 has a top speed of 193 mph, making it 4 mph faster than the Urus (and far faster than a Model X Plaid, which tops out at 163) at full throttle on an empty autobahn. Take that, Lamborghini.With its 697 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque, the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 packs a significantly bigger punch than the regular DBX. The extra power and performance come courtesy of a revised spec of the M177 4.0-liter V-8 used in the exhilaratingly rapid Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupé. The GT 63 S version of the engine, which has twin-scroll ball-bearing turbochargers for faster response, makes "only" 630 hp, but its torque output is identical.The Aston Martin DBX707 engine drives through the same Speedshift MCT wet-clutch nine-speed automatic transmission used in high-power, high-torque Mercedes-AMG cars. The transmission includes a Sport+ mode with launch control and a full manual control mode. A new e-diff has been fitted to the rear axle to handle the high torque loads and deliver a quicker locking rate. The final drive ratio is shortened by 7 percent compared with the regular DBX to help get the DBX707 to 60 mph in less than 3.5 seconds.Suspension upgrades include compression and rebound damping that is increased by 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, on the front shocks, and 15 percent and 5 percent on the rears. The electronic active roll system is recalibrated to deliver 50 percent more torque on low body motions, and the roll control is now more rear-biased at higher cornering speeds to reduce understeer.To ensure the stiffer suspension works effectively, the stiffness of the front shock top mounts is upped by 55 percent with the addition of a cross brace, and the front control arms are fitted with hydraulic bushings to improve ride comfort and bump isolation without compromising dynamic performance. A 0.16-inch-thick underbody panel improves torsional stiffness by 1.3 percent for better steering response and impact control.As you'd expect in a 5,000-pound-plus SUV capable of 193 mph, the standard brake setup features carbon-ceramic rotors: 16.1-inch units clamped by six-piston calipers up front, 15.0-inch items at the rear. Standard wheels measure 22 inches and are shod with Pirelli P Zero tires. You can order all-season tires if you want, but that means the Aston Martin DBX707's stop speed is restricted to a mere 186 mph. Exclusive to the DBX707 is a new and optional 23-inch wheel, though you can't get all-season tires for it.Grafting iconic sports car graphics onto a big two-box SUV is a challenge—just ask Lamborghini—but Aston Martin chief creative officer Marek Reichmann's team of designers has, by and large, succeeded in making the regular DBX look as glamorous as the rest of the Aston Martin family.The new DBX707 adds muscle to the glamour. The roof spoiler is bigger. A new front fascia features a bolder grille, larger cooling intakes for the brakes, and a more aggressive front splitter. The rear fascia is new, too, with quarter-panel vents integrated into the bumper, and a large diffuser underneath flanked on either side by dual exhaust outlets. The sportier styling details don't compromise practicality, though: Front and rear departure angles remain the same as the standard DBX, and the 707 can be ordered in Europe with a retractable tow hitch.Inside, the 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 can be had with either sport or comfort front seats, the former offered with a unique herringbone perforation pattern on the backrest and squab. A vertically mounted rotary controller is added to the center console to allow rapid selection of drive modes.The 2023 Aston Martin DBX707 is expected to arrive in the U.S. in the middle of 2022, with prices starting from $235,086.Looks good! More details?2023 Aston Martin DBX707 Specifications BASE PRICE $235,086 LAYOUT front-engine, AWD, 4-door, 5-passenger, SUV ENGINE 4.0L/697-hp/664-lb-ft twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 32-valve V-8 TRANSMISSION 9-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT 5,000 lb WHEELBASE 120.5 in L x W x H 198.4 x 78.7 x 66.1 in 0-60 MPH 3.4 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON (CITY/HWY/COMB) 14/20/16 mpg (est) EPA RANGE (COMB) 360 miles (est) ON SALE Summer 2020 Show All
It's time to present the finalists for the inaugural MotorTrend Performance Vehicle of the Year. Yes, after running through our contenders—those rides that missed the cut for the final round of voting the PVOTY honors, we're introducing those that did make the finalist cut. One of these vehicles earned our Golden Calipers, having excelled in all six of our criteria (safety, value, advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, and performance of intended function). The weighting of some of those criteria may differ slightly from our Car, Truck, and SUV of the Year competitions—after all, when outright performance is our focus, efficiency is perhaps graded on a curve—but every single one is considered when choosing our winner.Read on to meet the first four members of our finalist field—the rest will be unveiled tomorrow—to represent the cars that made it out of our initial round of voting following evaluations at Hyundai's Proving Ground outside of Los Angeles. The finalists then went on to road drives on Angeles Crest Highway and, later, grueling track tests at Willow Springs Raceway. Come back on Monday, February 14 to see which one emerged with the title!
0 Comments