Evolution of the C7 Corvette Stingray, a Buyer's Perspective

As a Corvette fan, I have stayed in tune with the changes made to this platform as it has evolved through various generations. These changes should be considered by anyone considering the purchase of a Corvette, as one year may mean some serious differences while the price is nearly the same. One main reason for this, is each generation of Corvette maintains a nearly identical body style over its run, with the significant changes appearing under the skin. You can't see most of these things, and if you're an untrained buyer that could mean missing out on some great features. For the purposes of this article, we are going to focus on the newest generation of Corvette, the C7, AKA the Stingray.

2014, 2015, 2016... Can you tell which is which?

 Debuting in 2014, the Stingray represents the most modern iteration of the Corvette, new from nose to tail, and featuring the unprecedented technology and performance. Most notable is the interior, which now matches the world-class performance, raising this generation up to finally contend with serious luxury sports cars from other countries. While already far more feature packed and advanced than past generations, there were some big leaps made in the spec sheet even in these few years. Let's look closer:

2014 Features

• Carbon fiber hood and removable roof panel
• Fiberglass composite fenders, doors, and rear quarter panels
• Hydro-formed aluminum chassis
• Indirect LED rear tail lights
• Tremec TR-6070 7-speed manual transmission with active rev matching
• Hydramatic 6L80 6-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission with Active Fuel Management
• Driver mode selector with five settings: Weather, Eco, Tour, Sport, and Track mode.
• Functional hood and side vents and inlets (cooling and aerodynamics
• Advanced driver display with 69 selectable sources of information 
• Sport touring seat or competition sport seat for track driving with pass-throughs for a racing harness
• All new Corvette LT1 engine, featuring direct fuel injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation), and continuously variable valve timing, rated at 455hp/460tq
• Z51 Performance Package including: dry sump lubrication, close-ratio gearing, transmission-cooling system, larger alloy wheels and dual-compound tires, larger slotted rotors and brake-cooling ducts, electronic limited-slip differential and differential cooling system, unique chassis tuning, optional Magnetic Ride Control active-handling system with Performance Traction Management.

Pretty stellar list, and includes a lot of car, even more than what's listed. Let's then look at what changed for 2015:

2015 Changes

• Performance Data Recorder: A 720p high-definition camera mounted within the windshield header trim, which records the driver's point-of-view with audio
• 8L90 8-speed automatic replaced the previous 6-speed 6L80
• 2.41 limited slip rear axle ratio for non-Z51 cars equipped with the 8AT (Z51 cars retain the 2.73 gearset)
• Two colors added (Shark Gray Metallic and Daytona Orange Metallic)
• Sueded upper interior package standard with 3LT order package
• OnStar with 4G LTE
• ZF1 appearance package for non-Z51 cars (provides Z51 wheels and full width rear spoiler)
• Multi mode exhaust standard on Z51 cars
• New wheels optional on non-Z51 cars
• Carbon Fiber exterior package

Now the list offers a few things that are nice but not necessary. In this category are the new optional wheels, and the sueded upper interior. What remains, however, are some very serious differences that make this a distinctly superior car than the 2014. First and foremost, for anyone opting for the auto, the switch from the old 6-speed to the very advanced new 8-speed should be a no brainer. Aside from faster shift times, and overall performance, the new transmission also delivers vastly improved fuel economy in utilizing a full two extra gears. Second is the new lower gear ratio now standard, dropping 0-60 times on models so equipped by nearly .2 seconds. Lastly, as far as major changes, is the inclusion of the multi mode exhaust system. This valved system allows the driver to select four distinct tones and volumes of exhaust note, tailoring the sound of the car to their preferences and precluding the need for an aftermarket exhaust. All of this amounts to a superior Corvette, and a clear choice over the 2014.

Considering the 2015 beats out the 2014 in such significant ways, the 2016 must be better still, correct? Let's check!

2016 Changes

• New exterior colors: Long Beach Red Metallic Tintcoat and Corvette Racing Yellow Tintcoat
• New Two-tone seating options
• Front Curb View parking cameras
• Two new leather stitching options: yellow and red
• Power cinching hatch and trunk
• Exposed Carbon Fiber weave hood insert
• Red, White and Blue Full Length Racing Decal Package
• Magnetic Selective Ride Control without Z51
• Carbon Flash Badge Package
• Two new motorsports aluminum wheels
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability

So taking a look at this list, we see primarily aesthetic changes. Some new seating colors, new stitching options, new paints, wheels, etc. Of note are the curb view cameras, aiding parking without scraping wheels, and the availability of the superb magnetic ride control in non-z51 cars. That said, it all doesn't amount to a huge difference in car from 2015 to 2016, and mainly in the optional equipment.

What does this tell a savvy buyer? Your best bet would be to find a fully loaded 2015 model at a slightly lower and depreciated price equivalent to the cost of a brand new Corvette of a lesser trim. In essence, you get the most bang for your buck out of a one year old CPO car. I so strongly believe this to be the case, that I made this recommendation to my new girlfriend. This past weekend we picked up her 2015 Corvette Stingray Z51 3LT, absolutely loaded with every available option, for nearly $25,000 less than a brand new car of equivalent build.

When it comes to Corvettes, pay attention to the year and what changes were made for that year. GM's evolution of its platforms, within the same generation, can make for a great deal if you know what to look for, or a pile of regret if you didn't do your homework. A truly phenomenal car regardless of year, you won't regret purchasing any C7, but pick the right year, and you get that much more.


See you on the road,

Alexander

Chevrolet LS Motors: Old Dog, New Tricks

Spend some time in the car community, and get serious about performance and power, and a trend quickly emerges; people put LS motors in everything. Representing the pinnacle, generation after generation, of Chevrolet's gasoline powered V8 motors, almost every gearhead has had some experience with one. Now decades old in design, and based on the small blocks our grandfathers still rave about, they power modern sports cars, pickup trucks, and sport sedans, and can be swapped into about any platform larger than a Fiat. Those uninitiated masses in society, scraping along in their anemic little economy cars, wonder why this motor's use is so prevalent. Simply put, the Chevrolet LS platform plain kicks ass, and for three main reasons. One reason is of course engineering, the second is size, and the third is the "modability" if you will.

As one would expect, engineering is everything when it comes to a high performance motor. More than just displacement and configuration, the engineering of individual motor components and how they interact is where true power is made in this technology heavy era. Being a largely naturally aspirated platform, LS motors need an expert level of engineering to continue to evolve and become increasingly more powerful to keep up in an era of forced induction. When we are talking aspiration and induction, we're talking air, and few motors make better use of it than the LS. A motor needs more air to make more power, and when we dissect an LS we see that everything from the intake manifold, to cylinder heads, to intake ports is designed to flow a whole lot of it. We're talking volume that only race motors used to be able to flow, available in any turnkey LS motor on your showroom. Second in engineering is strength, equally as important for a high performance motor. LS motors are built as a "Y-Block" meaning the angle between each bank of cylinders is much tighter than a traditional V8. This lends inherent strength in creating a thicker cross section in vital areas of the motor. Combine that with six bolt mains, with four down each cylinder bank, and two running across them, and LS motors are virtually bomb-proof. Lastly, especially in regards to the aluminum block models, LS motors are very light. Historically, V8s have been big, heavy motors; about the heftiest you can find in a standard production car. One finds, however, that the LS motor has been engineered in such a way that it's generally no heavier, and in some cases even weighs less than its V6 and I-4 counterparts. One of the primary reasons for this difference is that the LS motor is actually quite compact.

Ford 4.6L DOHC V8 (Left), Chevrolet 5.7L LS1 V8 (Right)

Here we find one of the first big shocks regarding the LS motor; despite displacement, it's a tiny V8. No other motor on the market cam boast such large displacement and massive output in such a small overall package. Take the photo above, in which a Ford Modular V8 severely dwarfs the larger displacement LS1 V8. Why is this important? Motor swaps. You can fit an LS in anything, transforming it into a fire-breathing V8 powered boulevard bully.

Yes, anything...

This is very important for builders, as it represents an easy option for making big power from a swap alone. Merely replacing the stock motor with an LS generally means a big boost in output and reliability, and as mentioned before at little to no weight penalty. Once there, builders find that their newly acquired LS motors also represents one of the most "moddable" platforms in the world.

Entire catalogs have been dedicated to aftermarket parts for the LS motor. Full companies exist exclusively selling and building them. Simply put, the options as far as modifications for an LS are limitless, and they each have a profound impact on the motor's output. Some say it's an expansion of the engineering behind the motor, I like to think it's voodoo, but the LS loves new parts. It's your go to when you need to make big power for little money, and each individual mod represents a giant leap in horsepower and torque. Installed a big camshaft? There's forty horsepower. Threw headers on the car? There's another forty. Giant flashy intake manifold? How about another forty. Don't even get me started on adding forced induction to this platform; the numbers seem ridiculous, not to mention make me jealous. Best of all, it's an amazingly easy motor to work on.

All in all, you have a well engineered, light, compact, easy to mod motor that makes big power and with amazing reliability. On it's face it's no mystery why they've been so successful and for so long. Add in more subjective elements like the vicious sounds they make, the aesthetic beauty of the platform, and the high availability, and you can easily become a convert. If you're not already, find a car with one, roll the windows down, and drive it; drive it hard.

See you on the road,

Alexander