Guys check out Autoweek, Sept 5 2005. I quote" Chief engineer Dave Hill is being modest when he comments,"Our benchmark car was the Porsche 911 Turbo-- that`s a car we purchased and have present whenever we`re doing an important assessment" and then he can`t resist taking the expected swipe " We also have a Viper, but we knew we were going to leave the viper far behind" They bought a new Porsche> Now THAT`S respect. Corvettes are allright but after 4 or 5 years it`s still a CHEVY---Shake Rattle and Roll!!!!!!!!! A 50 year olf Porsche WON`T do that I should know I just sold one!! Very solid

 

good for them to set the bar high - frankly, the right way to do it.

most of people here that bought or buying a Vette who can afford a F, P & L-car will not keep the Vette for 5 years, or should i say 5 months?! no matter how good it is it is still what it is, good or bad. i'm not biased but the fact is fact. i can see a guy jumping from Mustang to C6 or Zo6 found that's the best car they've ever owned but from the imports point of view people here are buying for its price tag. the Zo6 is not a cheap car afterall but interestingly some people here think it's the best deal in the world. bragging right can we say? who doesn't like good deal.

 

Most car companies test each others cars routienly, porsche tested the nissan skyline gtr extensively, for it's awd system but decided not to use. Chevy just admitted they do.

 

During my many years of automobile ownership I have owned a C3 Vett, 2 C4 and 1 C5. While my ownership experiences are no benchmark, I can state that each generation of Corvette, while being better than the previous, was plagued with issues. Electrical, mechanical, cosmetic and fitment. Corvette quality is, and never has been on par with world class sports cars. Chevrolet buys a 996 TT to use as a benchmark and does so using a 6 year old platform. That might be impressive to some but not me since the fitment and quality of the C6 is no better than the Impala.

On top of the vehicle issues are the typical Chev dealership service failures which have never endeared them to me. Most Chev dealers can't even service a pickup truck little alone the sophistication of the Corvette. I bought a DuraMax (have had 3) and ended up having to trade it off because the dealer and factory technical support could not fix a engine problem.

Raw performance is not the exclusive measure of an automobile and will never be the determining factor for my purchase. A true sports car must have a soul and a Corvette lacks soul.

Considering all the complaints on this board regarding depreciation of the 996 TT, potential Corvette buyers should take a close look at the value of used Vetts. That alone will keep your money in your pocket.

 

One can write a dissertation regarding the problems that plague US and world corporations, among them GM. However, GM is building good cars- look critically at the low end. The Camry and Accord are pieces of crap, as is the Impala, as is every $20-30K car. In the midrange- is a 530 really better than a CTS-V? At the high end- well, GM doesn't go there.

But, back onto topic, the new C6Z06 has a very Porsche-like feel. Actually, I've always, since the C4, found ergonomics between Porsches and Corvettes somewhat similar and very much to my liking. The new Z06 is in every way (based on brief experience) the best sportscar I've ever driven. Dave Hill got it right, and the bar has been raised.

 

Good, YES, the best you have ever driven, I hardly think so!

May I suggest you go for a drive in your TT "S" and stop by the Chevrolet dealer and drive the Z06 again in a head to head. It is time for you to experience a refresher!

I would not trade my TT "S" for two of anything GM builds.

 

some people enjoy sports cars, some people like brand names. it will always be that way..

 

John-

I am strictly talking about the car here. Having driven the C6Z, rest assured that GM got the performance equation right without sacrificing balance, comfort and fuel economy. If we were to "debadge" a C6Z, I believe you would be impressed with the car. Okay, so if you get NAV you lose the 6-CD changer while Cadillac finds a way keep both, there is more paint overspray (but not bad) than on a Porsche and the ownership experience (sales, service) is not on par with some other $70K cars. Logistic factors aside, when considering the performance, materials and build quality as a whole, it is alot of car for the money.

While GM certainly has alot of work to do on many fronts if it wants to stay in business, the C6Z is truly a great car. If GM can get its crap together and build a few more cars with the same passion, it might just survive.

Oh well, could be worse. . .

 

Talking about "soul", after owning two 360's and two other older Ferrari's, to me anything other than a CGT from Porsche has no "soul" To me they are mere transportation, while the Ferrari has "soul" to spare and is an automotiuve experience just sitting in one. However, they are not as fast from point A to B than a 996TT or a new Z06. I have had three 996TT, one being a cab, all Stage 2 or 3, and none of them are as fast as as my stock SL65, which in turn is slower than my stock 2006 Z06.

 

A lot of this is being said on the "can't stand them" thread but hoe can you guys even compare a raw, plastic car withe a 996 Turbo it just doesn't make sense to me! Its like saying: Hey! A Lotus Exige is faster round a track than a Turbo! Dump the Turbo and buy a Lotus...!" It just doesn't make sense but at least the Exige is nice looking..LOL

 

FYI, Dave Hill just announced his retirement, effective January 1st (2006). The man taking over, Tom Wallace is a manager for the small to mid-sized truck division - not sure how well this bodes for the future of the product. I always heard that DH was a real enthusiast, and the C5 program survived because of his commitment (which of continued through the C6 development).

DT

 

Yawn.... Another thread about a 996TT versus a Corvette Z06. They're both incredible cars. I'm not a Corvette fan (other than the really old ones), but how can you argue with a car that laps the N'ring as fast as a 996TT?

Personally, I won't be buying a Z06. If I had the money, I'd get a used 911 of some sort. But that really doesn't matter.

 

I really can´t see what the deal is with the Ferraris... No soul? I like the Porsche 911 experience more than the 360 and that´s a fact. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

Can you explain in quantifiable terms just what exactly is "soul" and how can a car have it?

 

Soul = The size of the **** eating grin you have when driving the car.
Soul = Turning on the light in your garage to get one last look of the car before you turn in.
Soul = Turning through a turn with confidence at speed knowing that the car is going to take you to the next straight away so that you can continue your fun.
Soul = A car that you think, at the moment, you could keep forever because it is so perfect in every way.

This is getting too gay, so I think I'll stop here.