WCOTY LA Drives : Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray review
It is the sign of the times that even one of the most iconic American sports cars now sports hybrid technology and comes out none the worse for the addition.
Well the Corvette needs no introduction and as I was stepping in to the car I was reminded of driving a brand new Corvette on its release, the Z06 in its C6 avatar, that was fresh off the paint line and we were gunning the cars around very wet roads in Michigan. The car was a handful, the rear stepping out on the slightest dab of the accelerator pedal and three of the cars following me got pulled over by the cops for speeding! Getting behind the wheel of the E-Ray reminded me of that drive because the roads were once again wet and we were going to be driving up and down the notorious Angeles Crest Highway. And surprise of surprise, not only is the E-Ray quicker than any stock Corvette I had ever driven but also went around the mountain roads as if on rails!
The E-Ray is actually the first-ever Corvette to use hybrid tech, joined later by the 1,250bhp ZR1X and the brought AWD tech using an e-motor on the front axle. A 6.2-litre V8 engine mounted on the rear axle behind the cabin drives the rear wheels and the combined output of the hybrid system works out to 655bhp and 806Nm of peak torque. The interiors are modern and contemporary and seamlessly blend the aesthetic of a super sports car with the staggered gear button along with a flip switch thrown in fighter aircraft style. Actually the entire cabin from the driver’s side has echoes of a fighter jet cockpit with everything of use slanted dramatically towards the driver. On the other hand the cabin is replete with screens and features that are contemporary and in place in a modern electric vehicle.
The seats are supercar like and the vibe in the cockpit is of a machine that means business. And that is what the exteriors also convey. The V8 engine on display at the rear is perhaps the high point of the car though the doors and the front are not far behind. The E-Ray ticks all the boxes from the exteriors and the interiors and there are accents all around to remind one that this is not just any other vette but the greenest of them all. But the biggest surprise is not just the sheer power but the ride that is not skull-jarring and in fact the magnetic dampers do a good job on the concrete roads around Pasadena as well as on the motorways and most of all the ability to go around corners without fuss even on wet and muddy roads.
While the way to India for the other Chevy is quite clear the way to our market for this one does not exist as of today though one would like to see some American muscle on our roads.
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Well the Corvette needs no introduction and as I was stepping in to the car I was reminded of driving a brand new Corvette on its release, the Z06 in its C6 avatar, that was fresh off the paint line and we were gunning the cars around very wet roads in Michigan. The car was a handful, the rear stepping out on the slightest dab of the accelerator pedal and three of the cars following me got pulled over by the cops for speeding! Getting behind the wheel of the E-Ray reminded me of that drive because the roads were once again wet and we were going to be driving up and down the notorious Angeles Crest Highway. And surprise of surprise, not only is the E-Ray quicker than any stock Corvette I had ever driven but also went around the mountain roads as if on rails!
The E-Ray is actually the first-ever Corvette to use hybrid tech, joined later by the 1,250bhp ZR1X and the brought AWD tech using an e-motor on the front axle. A 6.2-litre V8 engine mounted on the rear axle behind the cabin drives the rear wheels and the combined output of the hybrid system works out to 655bhp and 806Nm of peak torque. The interiors are modern and contemporary and seamlessly blend the aesthetic of a super sports car with the staggered gear button along with a flip switch thrown in fighter aircraft style. Actually the entire cabin from the driver’s side has echoes of a fighter jet cockpit with everything of use slanted dramatically towards the driver. On the other hand the cabin is replete with screens and features that are contemporary and in place in a modern electric vehicle.
The seats are supercar like and the vibe in the cockpit is of a machine that means business. And that is what the exteriors also convey. The V8 engine on display at the rear is perhaps the high point of the car though the doors and the front are not far behind. The E-Ray ticks all the boxes from the exteriors and the interiors and there are accents all around to remind one that this is not just any other vette but the greenest of them all. But the biggest surprise is not just the sheer power but the ride that is not skull-jarring and in fact the magnetic dampers do a good job on the concrete roads around Pasadena as well as on the motorways and most of all the ability to go around corners without fuss even on wet and muddy roads.
While the way to India for the other Chevy is quite clear the way to our market for this one does not exist as of today though one would like to see some American muscle on our roads.
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