Not So Little
by David Finlay (11 Oct 05)

Corvettes have been around for a long time. General Motors brought its first muscle car of that name to market back in 1953, and since then the very notion of a Corvette has involved a large engine up front, tortured tyres at the back, storming straightline performance and a rousing soundtrack. The Corvette you can buy now, more than half a century later, is the sixth-generation model, but the basic philosophy hasn't changed at all.

The design of the C6 is essentially traditional, too. A 1953 customer transported through time would immediately recognise this car's purposes, even if he (probably he) might be surprised by some of the styling details, a few of which might be mistaken in sufficiently poor light for early sketches on the back of a Ferrari designer's cigarette packet.

Among the traditional features there's some real up-to-dateness about the Corvette's technical spec, though you have to go beyond the £45,850 list price to find much of it. Magnetic Selective Ride Control is a very clever concept involving metal filings in the shock absorber oil. When increased damping is required, the metal bits join together, effectively stiffening the oil and therefore the shockers themselves. Ingenious, but you have to ask for it and be prepared to stump up an extra £1600.

Similarly, you must add £1950 to your budget if you want the excellent head-up display (which shows the car's speed and other information on the windscreen) and reach adjustment on the steering wheel (which you just gotta have unless you happen to be exactly the size GM hopes you are).

These things do not themselves cost £1950, of course, but they are available only as part of the Luxury Pack, which does. Other Luxury items include heated seats with memory, auto-dimming mirrors and a fancy audio system.

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