734-266-1815
10am To 5pm Weekdays
Closed Saturday and Sunday
32635 Ford Rd Garden City, MI 48135
10am To 5pm Weekdays
Closed Saturday and Sunday
32635 Ford Rd Garden City, MI 48135
2014 was a landmark year for anyone who knows anything about cars. This is especially true for those in the U.S. and even more so for us in Michigan. I am talking of course about the release of the 7th generation Corvette.
The Corvette is undeniably America’s homegrown sports car. Though others may try, they fit better in other categories and/or simply cannot match the Corvette in terms of performance. And while previous generations of the Corvette may have gradually slipped in popularity, the C7 changed all that. The people at Chevy are proud enough of the new generation to bring back the Stingray name that hasn’t been used since 1976. I think it’s well-deserved.
2014 C7 Corvette Stingray
The seventh generation Corvette has been completely redesigned, sharing only 2 parts with the previous incarnation. More of the exterior design was changed than it has been since several generations ago.
The interior, while again mostly focused on the aesthetic, is a welcome major change for the C7. It seems Chevy is finally making a real effort to address long-standing criticism about the neglected feel of the interior in the previous generations. This time, they’ve finally caught up to modern times.
Then, we get to the inside bits. Following the sacred tradition of small-block pushrod V-8’s, the C7 has it in 6.2 liters, making up to a whopping 460 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, naturally-aspirated. This translates to a 0-60 in just 3.8 seconds. During regular driving, it automatically shuts down half of its cylinders, making like a Japanese import and getting around 30 mpg on the highway.
The seven-speed rev-matching manual transmission is said to be another best-ever in the Corvette legacy. The all-new transmission sports four shift gates and the rev-matching works for both down- and upshifting and is said to be the smoothest ever in the Corvette.
The Z51 performance package adds limited-slip differential, closer gear ratios, dry-sump lubrication, cooling for brakes, LSD and transmission, larger brakes and 19” front and 20” rear Michelin Pilot Super Sport run-flats.
Changes for 2015
There are many exterior changes for 2015, including all-new colors, carbon fiber parts, and black aluminum wheels. Interior changes include the 10th generation OnStar with Wi-Fi hotspot capabilities and the new Performance Data Recorder. Set in Valet mode, it locks interior storage and infortainment, and even takes HD video and records performance data to make sure the valet doesn’t take it out for a joyride. An all-new eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters makes for faster times and even better fuel efficiency.
The biggest change, however, is the Z06 sub-model. It comes with an Eaton TVS supercharger that adds almost 200 extra horsepower and torque, bringing the figures to 650 bhp and 650 lb ft of torque. To use the exact words Car and Driver and TopSpeed used (probably among many others), this is definitely “the best ever” – and definitely not in a running-around-the-ring-and-hugging sort of way, if you know what I mean.
A Word on Safety
With all the power at your hands and feet with the C7, sometimes an empty stretch of freeway is too much to resist. In this light, I feel I must add a word on radar detectors. When it comes to these, the Valentine One and the Corvette go together like champagne and caviar. The Valentine One has been undefeated by a long shot since its entry in 1991. It simply performs better than any other radar detector on the market, never mind the false positives (better safe than sorry, right?). The problem is, its mounting bracket seems to be stuck in the early 90’s as well. Just say no to suction cups when it comes to your mounting system.
This just will not do for a Corvette. That’s why the owner of Great Lakes Trophies Ed Duprey, himself a long-time Corvette enthusiast, took it upon himself to make his own mounting brackets. These designs attach seamlessly either on the rearview mirror or the visor.
You can order your Great Lakes Radar Detector Mounting bracket on-line at: https://www.greatlakestrophies.com/corvette-radar-brackets/ or come in to the store which is located at 32635 Ford Rd, Garden City MI 48135. Call us at 734-266-1815 to learn more!
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