My C5Z has about the same power as the new C7, and it's absolutely worthless on the Goodyear's and Nitto Invos. Worthless. I can't imagine the vette being a good street tire auto-x option.

 

Have you tried the Michelin Cup tires? They're just incredible and I can see why chevy doesn't even use goodyears anymore on vettes.

 

They make rivals in C5Z size .

While I don't know your driving experience, Ryan Otis is a national caliber driver with one 1st and several trophies. If he says its plenty drivable then Ill take his word on it.

 

I have not tried the cup tires, and I run SSP in auto-x. I know Ryan's car is stock, so I'm about 80 whp/tq over that. The reason I made the comparison is because the C7 has similar numbers to my modified car. With regards to my experience, I'm usually TTOD, and top 3 in PAX. We had 4 drivers in our region finish at the top of their class at Packwood Nationals a couple weeks ago. I'm not saying I am a great driver in my second year driving this car, 6th year auto-xing, but I'm competent enough to know that most street tires (maybe with exception to the cup tires I haven't tried) would be extremely difficult to control on a typical auto-x course while putting down good times - with a vette pushing 475 hp/tq. I could be wrong, but it's my opinion for now until I drive or ride in something different.

 

Yep, Ryan is the standard SS build. I could see the extra 80hp creating some problems on street tires. By the best guesses Ive seen on corvette forums, the new C7 will be 390-410 whp. So that's likely less power to the ground you make, more weight to push around, E-diff, and PTM. Should amount to an easy car to drive with PTM on. Only time will tell though .

 

Apparently the PTM and torque vectoring make the car easy (probably for the first time ever in a corvette) to get good lap times in. Professional drivers are using it and getting better times, adding that with a lot more laps they can get a better time with all the aids turned off, but the car might not be in one piece!

I don't know what that means to the corvette purists out there. I suspect they're not like 911 purists who throw a gigantic fit over the slightest addition of something electronic (not to mention any changes in design. the corvette is drastically different to the point where if the 911 changed that much, everyone with a 911 would have a stroke), so probably these new driver aids will be well received in that crowd.

My friend at work ordered a Z51 a few months ago. I cannot wait to drive it. I think it's going to end with my wapce really, really pissed off at me and my new C7.

 

From what I've seen a stock C5Z 'vette on Hoosiers is a PAX-winning monster. Once they move into street prepared or higher that isn't as much the case.

 

I wish I could have stayed in SS, but alas, I couldn't fit. Seat replacement put me in SSP.

 

Things like this are why SCCA rules **** me off at times - one insignificant mod can vault you ahead my multiple classes and screw you over. I don't see why a seat + ballast shouldn't be legal in the stock class. I prefer the NASA-style rules where cars are assigned a base class then mods are assigned a value and the total value of your mods + base class determines your final classing.

 

Totally just my opinion, but….

The new vette is so freaking ugly, it’s downright insulting. Granted, I have never seen one in person, and maybe in time it will grow on me, but as of now I honestly think it’s the ugliest car of the last decade (particularly the backend). Even with all the great performance, the looks alone would keep me from buying one. You know how some classic performance cars are slow by today’s standards, but you still just want to get in and drive them and experience them? I feel the total opposite about the vette; even with all the performance, I don’t want to be anywhere near it lol. For whatever it’s worth, I think the C6 Z06 was an amazing looking/performing car. Again, maybe it'll change in time.

 

I am a long time Vette found and find the C7 hideous as well. The performance sounds great, but look at the rest of the competition. Nothing ground breaking here.

 

My fiancée went to the dealer, saw it, and she placed an order for a brand new Z51 3LT Manual. We're doing factory delivery, and we're keeping the Evo. Should be awesome.

 

I'm looking forward to picking up a used one in a few years.

 

Saw one in person the other day on the highway... White with black accents... Didn't know what it was until I got close but wowwwww was it gorgeous... Had the high end exotic look to it I was extremely impressed

 

I was looking into it, a c6 zo6, gtr, c7. Instead went back to evo. They wanted too much down on the gtr and the c6 is old news now and a zo6 is more expensive than a c7 with only 50 more hp so not worth it... Then the c7 is first gen... Never buy a first gen of anything. I will be jumping ship once I pay this evo off so another 4 years lol but by then... Multiple gens of C7 will be out, hell maybe even the zo7 will have 2 gens on it and grab that!

I hated the c7 design at first because it just seemed to be a copy paste of viper/gtr with a little touch of "corvette". But it has grown on me quite a bit since I first saw the pictures and it actually is MUCH better in person that is in pictures. It really looks beautiful.