Indeed, the word epic comes to mind when thinking of adjectives for the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. Take that a step further and the Stingray Coupe that I drove becomes epic times 10. I mean who doesn’t love the fact that everyone wants to tell you how much they love your car? Who can blame them since the Chevrolet Corvette is a crowd pleaser in both performance and beauty.
New this year, the 2016 Corvette has the addition of a leather-wrapped steering wheel with a flat bottom so it fits your hands as well as the addition of a power-closing trunk and on the more luxurious trims you even get a front view camera. Not offered this year are the Atlantic and Pacific packages. And if you want the adaptive suspension dampers, you can get that included without having to take the entire performance package option to do it.
Competition includes the Porsche 911 and you could also look at the Cayman as well as the BMW M4, Dodge Viper and the Nissan GT-R.
For body styles and trims, you can get the 2016 Chevrolet Corvette in either a coupe or convertible in the Stingray, Stingray Z51 or Z06 trim. On the coupe, you get a roof panel that is removable and you can store in the trunk and with the convertible there is a powered soft top. Take that a step further and remember you can also power the top up or down while driving at up to 30 miles per hour. With the Stingray and Stingray Z51, you can opt for the 1LT, 2LT or 3LT sub-trim and with the Z06 there is a 1LZ, 2LZ or 3LZ sub-trim option.
Lots to choose from beginning with the Corvette Stingray 1LT and you get 18-inch front and 19-inch rear wheels, Brembo brakes, xenon headlights, heated mirrors, power-closing trunk, keyless ignition and entry, cruise control, leather interior and a tilt and telescoping steering wheel as well as eight-way power front seats. For technology buffs, there is the Bluetooth phone and audio, eight-inch color driver display and not only Onstar, but also Chevrolet’s MyLink as well as a rearview camera and nine speakers of the Bose variety with USB ports and an SD card reader.
If you opt for the Stingray Z51 1LT there are 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, sportier suspension, a revised transmission gear ratio, electronic limited-slip differential, differential cooler and a dual-mode performance exhaust that is also an option on other trims too.
With the 2LT trims, there are the front-view parking cameras, auto-dimming driver and rear mirrors, heated and air conditioned seats and a power lumbar and side bolster adjustment and 10 Bose speakers including subwoofers.
On the 3LT, you get upgraded leather upholstery, synthetic-suede interior trim as well as an interior-color instrument panel and a navigation system.
There are additions you can add to the Corvette trims like the adaptive suspension dampers and on the Corvettes that are not Z51 models there are still the Z51-styled rear spoiler and summer performance tires you can add too.
Opt for sport seats, you can add this on to any of the Corvette trims and there is also the choice of a transparent roof panel if you go for the coupe model.
Under the hood, the 2016 Corvette Stingray and Stingray Z51 have 6.2-liter V8 engines and rear-wheel-drive putting out 455 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. It’s a seven-speed manual or there is also the eight-speed automatic and both have a launch control mode.
On the Z06, there is a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine with 650 horsepower and 650 pound feet of torque available in both the seven-speed or automatic transmissions.
For safety, you are looking at antilock disc brakes, traction and stability control, side-impact airbags and a rearview camera.
Inside the 2016 Corvette, it’s low to the ground and it feels like you are taking the controls inside a finely decked out cockpit. Everything fits and is easily arranged for your needs intuitive and logically designed. The material used in the interior is suburb and fits the high-end cockpit persona and the seats are comfortable for long rides. Located on the console in the center is a dial in which you can choose from five different driving options; weather, eco, tour, sport or track and depending on your choice you can feel the difference in the steering and the overall power of the engine and the Corvette’s intricate parts.
On the coupe, you get 15-cubic-feet of space — pretty big for a car of this nature and even with convertible you get a roomy 10 cubic feet for hauling what you need.
Driving the 2016 Corvette is fun, you can feel the power as the car takes over the road and moves the lesser automobiles out of the way. Even the automatic on the Corvette sings a song of sheer power as she maneuvers the corners and navigates the highways and the seven-speed manual is just fun to drive. A sports car, yes, but one that is worth the money because you will definitely find endless hours of enjoyment while driving this powerful machine.
Should You Need to Know: This particular generation of the Corvette was introduced in 2014 and has quickly gained a high-end sports car status for those who want to own the road and then some.
Miles Per Gallon: I drove the 2016 Corvette Stingray Coupe w/Z51 with 17 miles to the gallon in the city and 29 miles on the highway.
Cost: The 2016 Corvette Stingray Coupe w/Z51 that I drove had a price tag of $70,830.
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