I remember getting very excited when I heard Chevy announce the introduction of the 4th generation Corvette. It was so different looking, and held a lot of promise, particularly in the handling department.

I started college in 1985. In one of my classes, I believe it was an art class, I met a fellow student, Nick. Nick had an ’84 ‘Vette, and was willing to give me a ride home one day, as we lived in a similar area. I was so excited to finally get to experience a new ‘Vette, and Nick definitely showed me what it can do in a safe fashion.

 

Years passed by, and Chevrolet introduced the ZR-1. I was blown away with the aggressive additions to the body. The rear end had been widened, and gave it a pretty intimidating stance. I still love the way that car looks today. I never did get to drive any 4th generation, only had ridden in Nick’s.

Once I started working at the Ferrari dealership, the owner also owned a Chevy franchise. We were now into the 5th generation, and Chevy had introduced the Z-06, which was only available as a notch-back design. I wasn’t crazy about them limiting it to that body-style, but was certainly impressed with the 405bhp that it had. I took one home overnight, and walked away quite impressed with it. Although 405bhp doesn’t sound like a whole lot of power nowadays, it still moved the car with authority.

Further along in my Ferrari career, the 5th generation was introduced. By now, I had many great relationships with many of my Ferrari customers. One of them bought a 5th generation ZR1, with something like over 600bhp on tap. At this point, I was very used to driving Ferraris, and was no longer impressed easily. I have to tell you, this ZR1 was STUPID FAST! It was the kind of acceleration that one very rarely feels. You are scared the whole time you are dipping into it, but enjoying every second of it. It is a car that demands tremendous respect, as anything with this kind of power can get out of hand, and quickly. The Ferrari that compared most closely to it in power at the time was the 599. The difference between the two in how they feel is that Ferrari has a way of instilling confidence into a driver, allowing you to drive it harder and faster than you would in a non-Ferrari. The Corvette felt secure, for sure, but not at Ferrari’s level. That is part of what you pay for when you buy a Ferrari.

I have yet to drive the latest 7th generation ‘Vette, and would certainly welcome the opportunity, especially the Z-06 variant.

As far as Chevy has come with the Corvette, my favorite still remains a 2nd generation, preferably a ’65 – ’67 (they introduced disc brakes all around for the 1965 model year, which I would want). I would probably lean towards a coupe, and I love how sidepipes look on one, so would want those. Definitely would want the 427 cubic inch motor, or the 396 cubic inch that was available in a ’65. I would want air conditioning, and perhaps even an automatic transmission (might be an age thing!) If I ever had the means to start my own collection, this would be on the wishlist!