As a Brit it's hard to see what the fuss is about with the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. Looking at the pictures pre-show and studying the spec sheet, it seemed like more of the same from Chevy - a large V8 clothed in the automotive equivalent of Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket.
OK, so the switch from a steel chassis to aluminium, occasional use of carbon fibre and a higher-quality interior have moved it forward, but not beyond that of its main competitors. And then there's the design - it's got a lot more going on than the current car and will have young boys flocking to buy the poster, but could you really imagine driving one in the UK without receiving torrents of abuse and unsightly hand gestures?
But then it clicked. This car isn't for me, or anyone that lives outside the US for that matter. It's the American dream with four wheels and four exhausts, and if you don't like it, you can get lost.
"You've probably heard it as a tag line, but it's true; the Corvette is more than a car, it's pure emotion," Craig Sass, the Corvette's interior design manager, told us. "When the workers put it together they take pride in their work, it means more than just building a car."
I then asked Tadge Juechter, the Corvette's chief engineer, what he thought made it so special: "America has a 60-year love affair with this car, it's a cultural icon. Over here it's a symbol of freedom, of the open road."
By way of contrast I asked Franciscus Van Meel, head of Audi's quattro GmbH division and a man without an American bone in his body, what he thought. "The performance is no match for an RS6," he replied. "I like the wraparound interior and black wheels, but we're not in danger." As suspected, an emotionless response.
So what can we learn from all this? Well, the message seems to be clear - a car is more than simply the sum of its parts or its perceived quality, it's about what it means to the individual. Talk to any American and it's clear the Corvette means an awful lot.
Disqus - noscript
I like this sort of 'off piste' article that deters from the technical bits. More of this please, AE.
It may be worth noting that the Corvette revealed in Detroit is the Base model Corvette. A Z06 and ZR1 versions are said to be in the works for a later date. The current ZR1 Corvette lapped the Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 19 seconds, which makes it one of the fastest production cars in the world. As impressive as the new RS6 looks, I doubt it would come close to lapping the "ring" in 7:19. So if Mr. Van Meel from Audi is smug and content in comparing the 77,000 pound RS6 to a 37,000 pound Base model Corvette, more power to him. But from where I stand, it is a idiotic comparison.
Not for anyone outside of USA? I see quite a lot where I live in Canada ... Typical of Auto Express' arrogant writers to simply dismiss the Corvette as a wannabe. Shameful. Disgraceful.
Agreed
Not all Europeans, nor all Americans for that matter, find any one car - or any one product - a good match for their sensibilities or needs. This article was written, transparently, as bait.
However, yellow journalism is the same no matter how or where you take your tea.
The corvette will crush the RS6 any time, any day in any track. Bring the german loudmouth to prove his arian talk. Bring it on.
Are you retarded?
Who in their right mind would be cross shopping an RS6 and base Corvette? It's a competitor to the R8, which was about as quick with the V10 as the half as expensive previous-generation Z06. No match for the RS6? It'll be quicker 0-100km/h, without having AWD. And if you think a 4400lb car could outmatch a 3000lb sports car in handling, you're probably high.
The Corvette is about world-beating performance at half the price. And that's what they achieve.
Funny how nobody in America worries about 'receiving torrents of abuse and unsightly hand gestures' based on what kind of car they choose to drive.
I'll have to remember that next time I hear someone go on about how 'civilized' Europeans are.
Someone PAID Jack Rix for this crap he wrote?
I'm an American and the Vette doesn't mean jack to me.
This article is possibly coming from the poorest perspective I have ever come across in automotive-journalism. If you cannot fathom why this car is immensely important, even outside of the United States, then clearly automotive-journalism is not your natural calling.
Put your Audi up against a GT-R. Go on, do it. AWD, heavy, comparable to RS6. Did I mention vastly superior?
Perhaps when you are old enough to drive, it will.
AutoExpress - what's the big deal? Nobody outside of a tiny island off the coast of France reads it. If someone in the US saw you reading AutoExpress they would probably beat you with it until you lost your stupid accent.
This was by far some of the most bias trash journalism I've seen in a long time. Shame of you AE. SMH. The Corvette has had the performance and handling to shame the best of Europe, not it has the styling and quality (interior). porsche audi etc beware
LOL audi gets smacked around by BMW's M division all day, everyday, and even the legends at ///M have said the new Corvette will be a hell of a car.
Lets go a bit easier on the RS6 people! Audi never meant to rival a supercar with their estate. The only person responsible for the comparison is the pillock who mentioned it.
Wait, you're offending the British accent now? Bit rich considering we invented the language you're insulting us with.