2008 Corvette Is A Whole New Beast
Sep 28, 2007
GM
Torque is good! More torque is better. For anyone who likes to drive, an engine with a stratospheric red-line is fun for a while, but a fat torque curve means acceleration is just a squeeze of the right pedal away. Compared to a Ferrari engine, GM’s classic small block V-8 may seem crude and unsophisticated, but the latest variation is anything but. The basic architecture of the 2008 Corvette power-plant dates back to 1955, but aside from some of the basic dimensions, this is a whole new beast.
In the engine bay of the C6 Corvette, the new 6.2L LS3 V-8 now cranks out 430 HP @ 5,900 rpm and 424 lb-ft of twisting force @ 4,600 rpm. That’s 25 hp more than the pricey and complex Lotus-designed LT5 in the old ZR-1, and the base price of this car starts at about $45K. At its 2008 model intro, GM offered up a base ‘Vette with the six-speed manual gearbox to toss around.
It’s actually been over a decade since I sampled a Corvette, having skipped over the C5 generation. The last ‘Vette I drove was a late C4 model and the transformation over that time period is simply amazing. While C4 ‘Vettes had tremendous performance relative to competing models of the time, refinement was not part of the equation. From a functional standpoint, the biggest flaw of the C4 was a severe lack of structural integrity. The chassis flexed so much that it did most of the work allowing the wheels to follow the contours of the road, not the suspension.
