Gen 5 Driving Observations Continued

[swexlin]

Since taking delivery of my car from Bill P last October, I've never yet had it out in really warm weather. It was already chilly last fall and then winter hit. Even this spring has been cold. Well today, it hit 80!

HO LEE SHEET! These Corsas when warmed up stick like GLUE, MUCH better than the PS2s on my 2003. Since they are probably due for replacement by the end of the year ( get ready for a call Jon B!) I was originally planning on replacing with just the standard P Zero, but I'm considering spending the coin for the Corsa. I did a combo of local roads, heavy stop and go traffic, back roads, and highway (I95) on my way to ad from a cruise this afternoon. I had at least two people in cars ask me what kind of car it was, and a girl young enough to be my daughter ooogling in an SUV next to me. Or maybe it was my boyish good looks....

At an rate, this car is sublime. Never once did it feel like it wanted to get away from me, unlike my 2003. The clutch and flywheel combo just races through the gears, and those brakes just STOP. In the cold weather, I was very cautious of course, and still am, but this car takes my windy back roads like it's on a rail.

To those on the fence about a Gen 5, just do it.

[LA STIG]

I drove a C6 Z06 for four years and 57,000 miles when circumstances resulted in me having to replace it, which I did with a 2014 GTS last November. I was under the impression that they were similar cars. I was wrong. The Viper is WAAAY different and attracts a lot more attention than my Z06, most of which I was unprepared for. The Viper is a race car that has some civilizing elements added for the Gen V. But out of the box the motor, brakes, and suspension were superior to the Z06. I am also glad I didn't buy a C7 Z06 and the few that have been on the track with me have so far been dispatched with authority. Thank God for the Viper.

[Nine Ball]

So... have you run it through at least 4th gear, to just under the rpm limiter in each gear? If not, you are missing out :)

[swexlin]

So... have you run it through at least 4th gear, to just under the rpm limiter in each gear? If not, you are missing out :)

Pretty close, but still seeing where the limits are (my limits!). Getting my feet wet, so to speak. It is intoxicating though!

[Murpowa]

Enjoy this great weather swexlin!

[swexlin]

In 35 years of driving, I've driven all sorts of cars and trucks - from anemic, emissions choked clunkers, to 400 cid Pontiacs, 1.3 L Rotary Turbo RX-7, Cummins and Powerstroke diesels, V10 Ram, Gen 3 Viper, Jag E Type V12, my SRT8, my current Dart Turbo (fun car by the way). And THIS car, of all of them, is absolutely the best and most fun. I've only put about 700 miles on mine since I took ownership, but they have hit a grand slam, no question.

[ViperPete]

We're on the same page. There are these beautiful long sweepers right near my house and my face hurts from the smiling. I can take them at 90mph or so with my meager skills. A skilled person could do 120 or more I have no doubt. The car pulls so damn hard its amazing. I haven't really noticed a difference between Sport and Race modes. I definitely don't have the balls to get the car anywhere near the edge of grip...

[LA STIG]

I've tracked mine seven or eight times since November and there is a noticeable difference between the shock street and race mode. On the street you should notice a much harder ride and on the track the car feels tighter. I'm not sure it makes it handle better on the track in race mode but I'm doing a lot of experimentation to see what I can learn. What I can say for car is that it has tons of traction, the back end stays very planted, and the few dozen times I've exceeded the limit the loss of grip was intermittent and very manageable. On the track I turn off all the computers but I don't recommend that for a new driver on the street. The traction control and stability control intervention points are pretty high and although its pretty hard to screw up leave learning the limits to the track.