2009 Chevrolet Corvette

The base 2009 Corvette coupe sports a strong bang-for-the-buck factor. Starting at $47,045, the coupe is less than half the price of a Corvette ZR1 and about $3000 less than the cost of the previous-generation Z06. The 6.2L V-8 still produces 430 hp (25 more than the C5 Z06) and an optional 2.5-inch dual-chambered exhaust system bumps that number by six. The 2009 Chevy Corvette Z06 is powered by the same 505-hp, 7.0L V-8 as last year, and of course, the ZR1 receives the supercharged 638-hp, 6.2L monster.

No major changes to the Chevrolet Corvette lineup means loyalists will be more than satisfied. The styling adjustments and convenience features are sure to make the sports car more welcoming, and a lower-priced convertible doesn't hurt, either.

Shock and awe. That was the design directive, the mantra operandi that Chevy Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter instilled in his ZR1 team as they developed the most powerful regular production passenger vehicle in General Motors' 100-year history (the freshly certified stats: 638 horses, 604 pound-feet).

The needle sweeps clean past 60 mph in what GM claims should be 3.4 seconds, before it's time to tug the shift-lever into second.

Most of the Corvette's change for 2009 is cosmetic. Buyers can now choose from two additional paint hues (Cyber Grey metallic and Blade Silver Metallic), contrasting against new Dark Titatnium and Ebony leather interior trims.

Corvette Z06 owners can distinguish a 2009 Chevy Corvette Z06 from the 2008 model by new 10-spoke wheels, sporting finishes ranging from chrome to competition gray. The ZO6 interior receives gray stitching on the Ebony leather seats, door sill plates with the Z06 logo, and a revamped acoustic package as standard fare. Those changes won't improve performance figures, but buyers interested in more performance from a Corvette may opt for the ZR1 (if they can catch one).

Boiling down our data revealed that the ZR1 is the true Corvette acceleration king based on its ability to sprint to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds during an 11.9-second blast through the quarter-mile traps at 126 mph. Tighter third-through-sixth gear-ratio spacing and the 3800-rpm torque peak (versus 4800 rpm in a Z06) also make the Corvette ZR1 more enjoyable to stitch through traffic without incessantly flogging the shifter.

In both braking and cornering performance, the ZR1 can't touch the Z06, most likely because the more expensive 2009 Chevrolet Corvette carries two-thirds of its 273-pound weight gain on its front wheels. Nevertheless, the ZR1 earns style points for its more benign behavior at the limit and its more compliant highway ride.

Blemishes we noticed during our 500-mile round trip in the Chevy Corvette ZR1 include a loud, unfiltered roar from the rear tires over textured pavement and an annoying amount of exhaust heat wafting off the floor. Third and fifth gears sometimes go hiding when the driver attempts expeditious upshifts.

I like Corvettes, would like to have one of my own, but I would surely choose a Corvette Z06, or even a base level automatic convertible, because no one can responsibly use all the available performance on public roads, and any Corvette is incredibly fast, and incredibly cheap for the performance on offer. And there's probably not a performance car that is less expensive to maintain in daily use.

A magic carpet with the sweetest engine. Like everyone else, I love the noise when you boot it. The ZR1 is quick off the line, then unleashes another level of power and gory speed when you light it up at 85 mph.

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette now has a very tightly, perfectly put together interior. Thankfully, shifter has lost the blocky, notchy shift shape and quality of earlier C6s. Lose the hood window though. Dorky.