One of the long-standing legends of America's streets, the Corvette has been freshened up with a range of engineering improvements, but remains true to its basic, age-old formula of grunty, front-mounted V8 plus rear-wheel drive.
Little has changed on the exterior, sporting obvious nods to the car's forebears combined with a sharpness that's definitely modern, and we think is a good thing. The cabin is quite roomy, but the space available could have yielded more storage.
Muscle car lovers will be hesitant on hearing the 'Vette now packs a small block engine that has been designed for better fuel consumption and emissions, but fear not, it's even more powerful than before, too.
The LS3 V8 engine has been bored out by 200cc to give a new capacity of 6.2 litres, helping boost output by just under ten per cent to a mouth-watering 435bhp. Give it the beans and you'll beat an Audi R8 V8 for pace as the C6 reaches 60mph from zero in 4.3sec and tops out at 186mph. That considerable grunt is channelled through a paddle-shift auto 'box, improving usability while cruising, and shorter gear ratios than the previous manual version mean significantly better acceleration.
There's a targa option for those who enjoy their supercars al fresco, and the race-bred ZO6 sheds weight and adds stiffness for a more intense experience, though all European-bound cars have a more taut setup than their stateside counterparts. Our test car sported an optional exhaust system that yielded an extra 9bhp and cranked the noise from the quad pipes up to a blood-curdling roar. A worthwhile extra, in our opinion.
As for that improved efficiency, you're never going to enjoy the frugal smugness of a family car with a V8-powered behemoth like the Corvette, but a claimed urban cycle of over 20mpg is pretty impressive in context.
While the car still excels on horizon-puncturing straights, its abilities through the twisty bits are considerably improved. There's much more feel to the steering, and tackling a challenging B-road is altogether more engaging and enjoyable than before, especially in the ZO6 that benefits from a chassis tuned around the notorious N?rburgring. Attack a corner too quickly and the heavy nose produces predictable oversteer, but this can be checked with throttle inputs. Magnetically operated adaptive ride is available as an option.
The Corvette will always be a niche choice in the UK thanks to its left-hooker setup, bland interior design and finish, and wince-worthy depreciation. On the other hand, the price tag of under 50 grand provides great value compared to its supercar rivals, even if that's around twice the price our cousins across the pond will pay. Official GM imports mean there is a proper three-year warranty and service support, it has a decent boot, and the improved engine means running costs are lower than before, meaning the 'Vette is a marginally more practical proposition than before.