Cruising around today, I stop into a Chevy store to check out what's new. Parked in front of a row of c7's and in less than 30 seconds an eager salesman comes out. He starts going off about how much better the new Vette is than mine and I have to trade up. I'm straight with him and tell him I'm just having a look....then he says if I drive it, I'll have to get one. Well, I've never driven one, so, OK then, let's go for a spin!
I have to admit, the interior is a huge improvement over the c6. It had the cooled sport seats and they felt great, also the guages are very cool. However I was a bit let down by the test drive. Not that there was anything wrong with it.....just that I was expecting more. It didn't feel a lot different than my '06. The paddle shifters reacted a little faster and the targa roof didn't creak and groan like mine does. That's about it. I even "got on it" as the salesman suggested. Again...it didn't feel 60 horsepower stronger.
Although I had no intention of buying a c7....the test drive convinced me that I'll be keeping my "old c6" a while longer.
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I find more differences from my "old C6" every time I drive mine but is there enough to sway you over to buying one if you weren't predisposed?
Probably not. I loved my C6. It was a great looking and working car and I finally even figured out how to silence the creaky roof. But I fell for the C7 lines and that was that.
Mine is an 7spd and the biggest difference I feel in power is the distribution through the revs. My C6 was the LS3 so I had only 30 HP less than my C7. My C6 loved its revs and had a distinct place when you were 'getting on it' that it felt like someone kicked you in the a$$ and really made you go. The C7 is much smoother and has that 'go' power through a much broader range of revs. But that's the major difference power wise. Do I jump in and say Wow! this thing is way more powerful... no! But percentage wise, the extra HP is not really that significant.
Interior you noticed so won't go there.
My paddles toggle the rev match on and off and this is a great feature. When on, this car reads how you are driving and adjusts the revs for a perfect rev match on every shift. If you track your car, this gives you the heel/toe coordination whether you know how to heel/toe or not. Big bonus for the track newbie that thinks he can shift down into a corner and doesn't realize if he doesn't rev match, he's gonna end up in the grass...or worse... Also is great in town if you are on busy streets and need to shift a lot...
Handling in my C6 was amazing. Short of a couple imports, I had never driven a vehicle before that cornered as flat and handled the G's nearly as well as the C6. With that said, the C7 cornering difference is definitely noticeable. I have an S turn and an off ramp to the highway on my way into town and every time I go that way, i push the C7 a bit more on each of them. Every inch further you push the C7, it just reaches down and grips the asphalt more and more.... so big difference there.... but for the average driver.... not a difference that really matters a lot as like I said, my C6 handled great....
I love the adjustable driving modes on the C7. One simple turn of the dial and I can toggle through Eco, Weather, Touring, Sport, and Track modes. Have never been in Eco or Weather. But like the ability to 'get on it' pulling away from a light and not attracting attention while I'm in it. That's Touring mode. Sport opens up the exhaust and turns heads with even a little punch on the pedal.... Track mode opens everything up and although I don't track my car (or totally understand everything it does), I love jumping on it in track mode once in a while... just because I can...
That and the new styling makes me smile that I drive a C7 but my smile is no bigger than it was driving my C6. Love them both and would never turn down them or any generation... love them all....
Eric
