I have a good friend who enjoys a glass of bourbon at the end of the week. While I have nothing against a nice stiff drink, I personally prefer another antidote to the chaos of the real world ”“ a sports car and a winding road. And if the sports car is a convertible with a hearty exhaust note, so much the better.
Chevrolet recently handed me the keys to a 2011 Corvette Grand Sport Convertible, the company”™s most aggressive version of the drop-top ”™Vette. The GS carries the aggressive bodywork and track-worthy brakes and suspension of the Corvette Z06 mated to the 436 HP (with optional exhaust) naturally aspirated V-8 from the base model. The numbers are impressive:Â 0 to 60 mph in 3.95 seconds, 1g on the skid pad and 26 mpg highway. This particular manual-transmission-equipped example was painted in the beautiful and aptly named Supersonic Blue. It was outfitted with a long list of options including the head-up display, power top, navigation, adjustable suspension, and my favorite ”“ the dual-mode exhaust. When cruising around town at normal speeds, the car is fairly quiet and docile. But when the road is clear, full throttle acceleration opens up a baffle in the system letting all eight cylinders roar in a burst of testosterone-fueled harmony. It”™s not as loud or aggressive as a Harley, but the neighbors are certainly going to notice and pull their young kids a little closer as you drive by.
To really appreciate a sports car, you need a proper road. I chose a route that took me onto Route 116 along the Titicus Reservoir in North Salem, featuring a twisty two-lane with a mix of on- and off-camber turns and some nice sections of full throttle straights. The GS responded well to every steering, braking and throttle input. The road was far from smooth, with some sections of broken pavement, and while I felt the rough parts, the Corvette absorbed every one with minimal drama, even though the suspension was set to “spine cruncher.”
I eventually accelerated onto the Saw Mill Parkway (thankfully light on traffic) heading south, where the Grand Sport”™s true purpose was revealed: high-speed sweepers are intoxicating in this car. With the top down, the exhaust echoing off the trees and the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar G:2 tires providing serious grip, the driving experience was near perfect. The Corvette is certainly not as refined as a Porsche, but it”™s not meant to be. Driving a Porsche is a very symbiotic experience ”“ the car becomes almost an extension of the driver. The GS is more visceral and requires more attention when pushed. Which is not a bad thing. You won’t find many Grand Sport drivers dialing cell phones while driving this car at speed, not that they could have a conversation over the exhaust roar anyway.
Much has been written about the Corvette’s seats, going back to the C4. Overall, the latest Corvette interior is quite functional, but the seats are still less than perfect. They have acceptable support, but are not nearly as bolstered or comfortable as they should be.
When testing a new car, I always consider its practicality as a daily driver. Here the Grand Sport falls a bit short. I can”™t imagine commuting in this car, even with the auto transmission. Sitting in traffic would be highly frustrating ”“ the car just wants to run. If you think of the Corvette Grand Sport Convertible as a fantastic second car, you won’t be disappointed.
Roger Garbow is president of Full Throttle Marketing in Ridgefield, Conn. Reach him at roger@fullthrottlemarketing.net or on his website, www.fullthrottlemarketing.netÂ