The Coolness of American Sports Cars

I haven’t been able to travel recently due to COVID, but I usually go on business trips to the U.S. once or twice a year.

Whenever I do, I always rent a slightly higher-grade car and try to travel by car as much as possible. For example, I’ve done grand tours from LA to Las Vegas and then to San Francisco, which is one of the pleasures of business trips.

What I often notice there is that American sports cars look incredibly cool. You sometimes see them in Japan, but Camaros, Mustangs, and Corvettes on American streets look especially cool—whether it’s because of the scenery or the uplifting spirit, I’m not sure, but they just look great.

Every time I return to Japan, I find myself browsing Car Sensor, completely captivated.

This isn’t white, but a color called Ceramic Matrix Gray Metallic—a gray very close to white with a slight bluish tint.

I was particularly very interested in the C8 Corvette and had even thought about going for a test drive someday.

By chance, I recently had the opportunity to test drive this new Corvette, so I’d like to share my report.

Test Drive of the Corvette (C8) 3LT

My first impression of the exterior was that it’s simply cool. It’s the kind of design that boys might draw when sketching supercars or sports cars—a concentrated expression of what boys find cool.

The wide and low body measures 4630mm long x 1940mm wide x 1225mm high, but it actually looks longer and wider. This is probably due to the large protruding side mirrors and the rising press lines from the front wheel arches to the rear end, which visually enlarge the car.

It feels bigger than a Ferrari (like the F8) but slightly smaller than a Lamborghini Huracán—that’s the impression it gives.

Pull the D button up with your finger to engage Drive mode.

The switch to open the door is located under this black aerodynamic plate. Since this plate protrudes quite a bit, you need to be more careful about the width than the official measurement suggests.

According to the owner, the width often causes trouble. The side mirrors protrude more than the official width, the doors are long, and the black aerodynamic plate extending to the air intake on the door sticks out quite far, making it difficult to park next to other cars.

To get in, you press the button under the door handle to open it, similar to a McLaren. The doors are huge but not as heavy as they look, and they feel just right—not cheap, but not overly heavy either.

The interior feels very enveloping and cocoon-like. The dashboard extends into a large center console that tilts toward the driver. It somewhat reminds me of the interior of the A80 Supra, which I personally really like.

The seats are electric, and unlike older American cars, there’s no issue with Japanese body types struggling to reach the pedals. For an average build, you can find a proper driving position.

Ride Comfort

When you start the engine, the 6.2L V8 roars to life with a bold sound, which is rare for modern cars. However, it’s not overdone and stays within a reasonable volume.

Pulling the D-range shift switch up with your finger, the Corvette starts moving slowly. Just after driving about 10 meters out of the parking lot, I found myself saying, “Wow, the ride is so smooth!”

Contrary to what the exterior suggests, the tires roll softly, and it doesn’t have the stiff, solid feel typical of European sports cars.

This is probably among the top-tier ride comfort levels for supercar-styled cars and ultra-high-performance sports cars like Porsche. In fact, based on my experience, I can’t think of many that surpass it.

This makes it perfect as a date car and ideal for long-distance grand touring.

Ease of Driving and Handling

When you press the accelerator, the over-6-liter OHV engine feels surprisingly smooth and easy to handle, with a lightness comparable to a torque-rich 3-liter engine.

As expected from a large naturally aspirated engine, it delivers strong torque from low RPMs with very little fluctuation. The torque feels very natural and proportional to throttle and RPM, making it easy to drive even in stop-and-go city traffic.

While chatting with the owner, I said, “This is really easy to drive!” as we took a few corners. The steering response is very natural. Although I initially thought the suspension was mild, there was no sense of insecurity. It felt like the suspension of a Mercedes coupe—soft and supple yet firmly planted with no hint of fear.

Switching from normal touring mode to sport mode, the electronically controlled dampers, like Porsche’s PASM, increase damping force and tighten the suspension. Yet, there’s no discomfort. It probably feels about as firm as Porsche’s normal setting.

Lifting off the accelerator and lightly applying the brake while cornering, the Corvette glides through a clean arc. I hadn’t consciously realized it while driving, but this is Corvette’s first mid-engine layout.

The MR layout delivers an amazing, exhilarating feeling, and once you experience the joy of cornering freely, many drivers will naturally smile and the image of American cars as poor cornerers will be completely shattered.

8-Speed DCT, Engine Sound, and Power Feel

I switched the 8-speed DCT (dual-clutch transmission) to manual mode and shifted with the paddles. This DCT is very good—responsive and crisp shifts with fantastic shift sounds. On upshifts, it connects gears with a “BANG!” that sounds race-inspired, and on downshifts, it perfectly matches revs, producing a thrilling engine note.

This DCT is excellent. It’s worlds apart from the transmissions of some far more expensive supercars. Compared to Porsche’s PDK, it’s more refined than the 991.1 or 981 and close to the level of the 991.2 or 718 PDK.

The 6.2L V8 NA engine. The owner mentioned that some parts use simple plastic, indicating cost-saving in those areas.

This alone makes the Corvette very fun to drive. On top of that, the engine sound is fantastic. I had imagined the old, rough V8 rumble, but it’s nothing like that. It sounds well-balanced and rather pleasant.

The engine’s revving feel when you push the throttle is heavy and solid, as expected from the large displacement, but the rotation is smooth with no reluctance to rev.

Regarding power, my honest impression during the test drive was, “Maybe around 400hp?” Afterward, I learned it actually has 502hp and 637Nm, but I didn’t feel that much power.

This is probably because I’m used to high-performance turbo cars with instant turbo boost, and also due to torque delivery and gear ratios. In terms of mid-range acceleration feel, the 992 Carrera feels faster, and my 991.1 GTS with 430hp NA engine even feels a bit quicker.

That said, the manufacturer’s claimed 0-60 mph time is a blistering 2.9 seconds, so it’s definitely not slow. Since I only tested mid-range acceleration, the torque’s mild onset probably made it feel less powerful.

Overall Impression

I really liked this Corvette and am quite fond of it. If I could expand my parking space, I’d seriously consider buying one.

It’s been a while since I’ve driven such a comfortable, fast, and fun car. Plus, the design is cool, and you can buy a coupe for around 14 to 16 million yen. This price includes modern options like front lift and nearly all conceivable features.

In terms of cost performance, it’s an outstanding car by far. If you want this design and driving quality at this price, it’s a great buy. If you want to satisfy ownership and status desires, I’d recommend much more expensive supercars, but if you love driving and value driving quality and fun, I strongly recommend the Corvette.

On the other hand, compared to Porsche, the cost performance is also good. Focusing on driving, Porsche is more solid, with better road feel, stability, and finer drivability quality, but many people probably don’t need that level of driving refinement.

Considering that, the Corvette is definitely a valid choice.

This new Corvette completely exceeded my expectations. It shattered the image of American sports cars and showed a new world. If you like this design and don’t mind the width issues, this car is highly recommended.

I believe it will become the perfect partner for you.