YUMMY! My co-worker's car is more rust-colored... kinda like a subdued 350Z cooper color... I like it. His is a 6-speed with the Z51 sports suspension.

I love the new look except for the headlights. I didn't like the colored headlights when Ferrari did it, I don't like it now. The rest is gorgeous.

There is no key. You walk up, car unlocks, you sit down, push a button and the car starts. Press button to turn it off, get up, close door, walk away, the door locks. LOTS of complexity to save an inch long piece of aluminum but... cool.

It's smallish inside but fits my 6'2" 210 lb frame. Wouldn't want to be taller (as it is, I'm bending down to see traffic lights) and not wider. But it fits like a glove and very comfortable for the 20 minute drive. The steering wheel a little too far away (I haven't driven a car yet where it's close enough...) but the shifter is perfectly placed.

The power: Little surprised actually... Not as savage as I had envisioned. I compare everything fast to the "11.0 in the quarter mile" Buick Grand National I rode in during college. THAT car planted you in the seat so hard you'd scream "Seymour!". Instead, it's train-like... linearly builds in torque (at least until the passenger/owner-imposed 5000 rpm redline). But tractable and almost civilized. It's quiet, too, even you get on it. Quieter than my BMW with a stock exhaust... sounds better though.

The handling: I took one of my favorite on-ramps, tight entry but steadily increasing radius so you can plant the throttle and hang on as the turn winds out. I was terrified of turning this car around and so I took it easy. Ran up to 0.8g (as it said on the HUD...heh) and put my foot in it about a second later than in my cars. The car thought about twitching, then squatted and went. Crossed the bridge at 80 mph. In my stock BMW, pushing as hard as it will go, I cross the bridge at... 70. Cool.

I want one. Anyone want to loan me $25,000? I'll be your best friend....

 

somehow, they managed to give the C6 a bigger *** than the C5.

 

"If you want a plastic left hand drive car with Vietnamese suspension, here it is."
care of Top Gear

 

It looks so much better in silver:

http://www.tamscc.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3108

And he installed a skip shift eliminator

http://www.tamscc.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3121

 

My boss just bought a Yellow one...now I've got to try to get him to take it out to the parking lot...

 

i see one around my area from time to time with the 350z orange color...imo looks alot better in real life than in pics

 

I think I'll wait until the C6 Z06 comes out...maybe it'll have better suspension, and improve on a few things (ie: 500hp?).

 

Car is sliik. I think the headlights are gorgeous, too.

 

Anymore info on the Keyless?

Is it On Star controlled, security codes and the like? Or do you just have a computer chip impregnated in the owners arm upon delivery?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by tnord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">somehow, they managed to give the C6 a bigger *** than the C5.

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Oh don't be such a *****. For how fast it is at $40k I'd drive it even if it looked like an Element (shudder)

How such a great car came out of a shithole like GM I still wonder...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Angry Joe &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Oh don't be such a *****. For how fast it is at $40k I'd drive it even if it looked like an Element (shudder)

How such a great car came out of a shithole like GM I still wonder...</TD></TR></TABLE>

well they are pretty much improving on very old technology like leaf springs and the like...so whatever works works i guess

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by azian21485 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well they are pretty much improving on very old technology like leaf springs and the like...so whatever works works i guess</TD></TR></TABLE>

...and it's not like coil springs weren't around in the 1600's or anything...

They use a composite leaf spring - which definitely has some advantages over a coil over shock type suspension(and some disadvantages). Don't be such drones guys - there actually is some decent engineering going on for these flagship American cars these days.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Def &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Don't be such drones guys</TD></TR></TABLE>

It gives the ricer fanboys something to cry about when they get their *** whipped on track by a 'vette.... "his car sucks anyways... i got dubble wishbonze, vtak and mad hp/liter y0!!!"

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr Hammond &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Or do you just have a computer chip impregnated in the owners arm upon delivery? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Close... there is a RF-coded fob you keep in your pocket. The car senses its proximity outside the car and has a triangle-shaped RF "net" inside the cabin that allows the ignition to become active if the fob is within it.

 

I have only had experience with a Renault version of that system. I know, I know, Renault isn't exactly a good automotive reference, especially as far as electrical/electronics are concerned.
Anyway, it was in a Megane this summer, and I didn't like it much. I was one more reason for something to fail. In this case, it was a credit card sized fob, and they also had a card reader in the dash. In case the proximity sensor failed, you used the card reader. I ended up using the card reader by default... POS. Hopefully GM has a better system - then again, what's THEIR reputation for electrical/electronic systems?
If I had the option, I'd buy a car without - this coming for the guy who is usually the gadget geek, early adopter dude...

 

Give me a metal key over that keyless crap any day. Why? I dunno, it's not that I don't trust the technology or GM, I just want a key. Makes me feel like I own the car.

As for composite transverse leaf springs... They are lighter than coils, lower CG than coils, allow for different geometry flexibility... Nothing wrong with them. It's hard to argue with the proven performance of the Corvette chassis - at least C5+.

I took some measurements in the LS7 powered C6 at GM's proving grounds in Milford, MI earlier this month. WOT pulls from stall to redline in 3rd gear. Thrilling to say the least.

All that being said, I would still prefer an Elise. More my style. Give me a 2000 lb car with a screaming 4-banger and I'm happy. Big V8s and big cars just aren't me.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by .RJ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

It gives the ricer fanboys something to cry about when they get their *** whipped on track by a 'vette.... "his car sucks anyways... i got dubble wishbonze, vtak and mad hp/liter y0!!!"</TD></TR></TABLE>

then the vette guy would say,
"right, but i also have dubble wishbonze, vEIGHT and just plain mad HP!!"

 

I drove an '05 Cadillac STS that had this keyless system. There is still a key, and you can use it to open the door, there is just nowhere for it to go in the ignition. You just put your foot on the brake and press the Start button to turn it on, and press it again to turn it off. Pretty cool.

The only thing I'd be afraid of is if I'm within a close enough proximity of my car and then someone comes and beats the crap out of me and drives off without the keys. We tested if the car can drive out of key range with a Lexus once, and it worked. It just said "Car out of Key Range" on the dashboard.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Sean O’Gorman &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I drove an '05 Cadillac STS that had this keyless system. There is still a key, and you can use it to open the door, there is just nowhere for it to go in the ignition. You just put your foot on the brake and press the Start button to turn it on, and press it again to turn it off. Pretty cool.
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There is no keyhole on the outside of the corvette. There is no key on the fob in this system.

 

Is there a keyhole for the trunk? If not, how do you get into the car if it's got a dead battery?

Personally, I really like the new Vette's styling. Glad to see GM freshening things up

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Xian &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Is there a keyhole for the trunk? If not, how do you get into the car if it's got a dead battery?</TD></TR></TABLE>

There is a button on the fob for the trunk. If the battery is dead, there is "a mechanical method" to get in the car. I don't know what it is... I forgot to ask. Let's hope it's more secure than that sounds.

If the battery in the fob is dead, there is a slot in the dash you can plug it into and it'll power the fob.

 

I looked it up. There is a keyhole above the license plate (facing down). That will pop the trunk and then there are "cables" that will open the door.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by maxQ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">There is a keyhole above the license plate (facing down). </TD></TR></TABLE>

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by maxQ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
There is no key on the fob in this system.</TD></TR></TABLE>


?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by elgorey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">


?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Substitue the word "key" for the word "Brick" and you've got your "mechanical" method of entry.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by elgorey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hence my confusion. There is no key on the fob that I saw but there must be an emergency key somewhere as well.