Drove my first Corvette, Oppo.

"Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!" (eurylokhos)
07/16/2019 at 20:36 • Filed to: None

A buddy of mine bought a new 2019 Grand Sport about a month ago. He brought it over today so we could use the lift and I could help him put on a new X-pipe (Corsa) and AFE Intake.

What a nice machine. Especially brand new so everything was clean and came apart easy. There’s actually surprisingly good access to all the bolts we needed to get at, and most things in the engine bay, although he asked if I wanted to help with the headers and I pointed out the fasteners and told him that he should go to a shop for those.

My driveway was pretty impressive today.

Took it out for a drive, he drove first and showed me what it could do. Very impressive. Super acceleration, very flat in corners, and the magnetic ride suspension was amazing. Smooth in touring, firm in track, in the middle in sport. The steering also had noticeable change in feel with the different modes.

Very nice interior with red leather seats, carbon package and Alcantra wheel and shifter. Also, ventilated seats. I’ve never had a fan just for my butt. I want to always have a fan just for my butt in the future.

Then I got to drive it. It’s pretty awesome. Very powerful acceleration, and the brakes. Dear god, the brakes. Those are incredible. It rev matches the down shifts as well, sounds absolutely amazing when it does. I didn’t drive it hard, just a few acceleration runs up to 60 or so, and tested those amazing brakes multiple times.

What didn’t I like? It felt big compared to the 996 and GTI, it just took up a lot more of the lane, which makes sense, the tires hung off the side of the ramps on my lift, where my cars both have room on either side. Also, felt pretty tight. The 911 feels roomy inside, I can put the seat back far enough that I can barely touch the pedals in the 911, where the Vette my knees were still bent with it all the way back. I was able to get it in a comfortable position, but the whole thing is just tighter than I prefer. Head room is also tight, we were driving with the roof off and my head was right at the top of the windshield, where on my car there’s about 2 inches between my head and the top (I’ m 6'1").

Performance wise the Vette is obviously on another level, but I felt that the throttle response wasn’t as immediate as my car, although we are talking a fraction of a second difference here. It was noticeable though. The brakes were amazing. I would love to have brakes like that, and may look into upgrading mine if they aren’t significantly better after I put the pads and rotors I have in the garage on. Just general driving, I prefer my steering while the Vette’s ride is definitely better with that magic suspension. Exhaust wise, the Vette sounds great. Stealth mode it is very quiet, track it is crazy loud with pops on upshifts. I prefer the higher pitch smoother sound of the 911, but that’s just preference.

So what did I come away with? The 2019 Grand Sport is a hell of a car. I’m not sure it is a car for me, the 911 just fits me better. Which is good because I own the 911 outright and couldn’t afford a new Vette anyway.

DISCUSSION (12)

random001 > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/16/2019 at 21:12

I just ha d an LTxgasm....

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/16/2019 at 21:18

Thats an awesome color combo!

Im 6'3" and thought I fit fine in a C7, even with a helmet. You cant stretch much, it is tighter cockpit feel (for better or worse) but I never felt cramped.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast
07/16/2019 at 21:36

The color is gorgeous. It looks grey from some angles and almost dark green in others. He interior is great as well. Red leather is always a winner in my book.

I have strange proportions with shorter legs but a long torso and I’m 320lb so I definitely don’t fit in everything. I loved the relationship between the pedals, seat and wheel. Most cars I cannot get the wheel as close as I’d like without my legs being uncomfortable. This was dead on with that relationship. I fit, it just felt tight to me. In all an awesome car and when he sells it in 2-3 years I have first rights to buying it. Who knows how I’ll feel then, but at this point I think I’d just go to a newer 911.

wafflesnfalafel > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/16/2019 at 21:37

Y ou are not helping me not buy one of these..... The Grandsport really seems to be the sweet spot recently.

Interesting about the “do I fit” info - I always felt the 911 was tighter, less head room. Maybe it’s a torso vs legs thing. 6'2" and I have to pull the seat up quite a bit.

Danimalk - Drives a Slow Car Fast > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/16/2019 at 21:39

Right on, i was very skeptical about firting with a helmet and was very surprised I made it. But yeah, while I fit the car, I definitely FILLED the car haha

we’ll see the C8 does to C7 values. I’d love a stingray in the next couple years.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > wafflesnfalafel
07/16/2019 at 21:49

Give you an idea of my freakish proportions, I’m 6’1” with a 29” inseam. I’m all torso, and being a fat guy I’m sure I sit taller than most.

Under_Score > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/16/2019 at 22:40

How did you fit in a 4Runner with a sunroof?! I fit in plenty of cars with sunroofs, but I’m around 6’5” with a 36” Inseam. My dad is 6’4” with a 35” Inseam and he only has an inch or two before his head hits the roof in my mom’s CR-V. The third gen 4Runner was one of the worst cars for headroom.

superdave847 > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/16/2019 at 23:39

I agree. It looks drop dead gorgeous in this photo. I love the dark gray over red.

I just spec’d a Corvette Grand Sport with the information you included and it runs ~$81k new. So it’s hard to compare it to the new 911 (or any comparable new sports car—truly a bargain.)

But for $80k range in the used market, I can easily find a Porsche 997 GTS, a 997 Turbo, very low mileage 996 Turbos, 997 GT3s, 996 GT3s, and AMG GT s.

Is the Corvette better than any of those? I’m not sure.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > Under_Score
07/17/2019 at 06:43

Really, really tight for headroom. Had to keep the seat reclined pretty far or my head would hit. Legroom was good , but headroom was at a premium in the 4 Runner.

Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!! > superdave847
07/17/2019 at 06:46

This was one he specced and had built for him. It was around $20k off, I think he said $63k out the door (no sales tax in NH). It’s an amazing car at any price, huge bargain at that price.

superdave847 > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
07/17/2019 at 08:03

That’s incredible

  > Eury - AFRICA TWIN!!!!!!!
08/01/2019 at 20:20

Hello. I saw that you are interesting in my corrado last year. i never saw this site before. Contact me on facebook, or on viber +381 63 757 43 70
I will post a link where i saw your coment, and i can send you more pictures if you are interested.

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/theres-a-corrado-country-for-sale-here-1829101511