Shared Ride & Drive In A Corvette C8 Defined American Supercar On Public Roads

The belle of the ball during the MPG Drive Day 2022 - the Corvette C8 in front of the iconic Ferris Wheel at Calamigos Ranch Event Center. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Shared Ride & Drive In A Corvette C8 Defined American Supercar On Public Roads

The Motor Press Guild hosts many events and meetings throughout the year. Yes! These last couple of years have had their share of protocol challenges, but to have an opportunity to drive many types of cars on everyday roads as opposed to Tracks or Autocross set environments, allows one to judge and share a special experience in drivetime that few other events can hold.

On June 7th, 2022, the Motor Press Guild (MPG) held a long delayed get-together that was originally titled Droptops & Dirt and combined it with the multi-year delayed annual awards meeting that was formally known as "The Dean Batchelor Awards" that now goes by the recognition name of "Excellence In Automotive Journalism MPG Awards" The driving experience meeting was typically held in the Spring and the awards recognition event was normally held as a 2-Fer AWARDS & Holiday Season event around mid-December.

Welcome to the views of longtime friend, colleague, and rounded Motor Culture raconteur Lou Leto on the MPG Drive Day twisty roads of the Malibu mountains in the Corvette C8: 

Corvette C8 Exterior color is listed as Sebring Orange Tintcoat. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

BEGIN

Handling was excellent in any of the modes that were available at the turn of a knurled selector knob.

And the modes were uniquely felt and heard, as the magnetic shocks changed stiffness and the exhaust note increased with more performance oriented selections. The default Touring mode was efficient. The Track mode the most stiff, of course. Got to be a performance guy to drive in Track mode all the time.

Drive Day Loop Guide for some time on public surface streets. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

As I felt both as a passenger and then behind the wheel, with the available torque of this naturally aspirated engine, this was a second-and-third gear vehicle through the short straights and radical turns. This is no different than my experience at most road race race tracks; third is always the "sweetheart gear."  Paddle shifts are very responsive and quick. The different modes will increased holding a gear longer and at higher revs prior to an upshift while in Drive. Could really squirt the car forward in literal leaps, then the brakes hauled it down quickly and without fade time and time again.

Corvette C8 Interior color is listed as Sky Cool Grey. A really great re-imagining of the 1950's push button automatic transmission has been engineered by GM for this sportscar. This system uses a combination of actions depending on the function needed. Corvette's first push-button shifter - Park is at the top, with a pull switch for Reverse behind it, a button for Neutral behind that, and then another pull switch for Drive behind that. Below Drive is another button for Manual shifting mode. Image Credit: Mid Engine Corvette Forum (2022)

The cockpit makes one feel a bit separated (isolated); more like a capsule, and the engine behind is so very quiet, even in higher performance exhaust modes. The digital dash offers much info, and forward sight is awarded with the small fender peaks (like a C3 'Vette) for cornering reference. Handing is solid and neutral. Vehicle feels lighter and smaller than it is. Until you look in the side mirrors and see the wide rear fenders, and then wonder if the car will clear the the narrow roads hugging the jutting rock-filled corners on the mountain side. The other side is the severe drop-offs without guard rails...   

Rear Camera Mirror is a General Motors safety technology that replaces the traditional rear-view mirror with high-resolution video streaming to a display in the rear-view mirror, thereby improving on the traditional inside rearview mirror by providing a wider, less obstructed field of view. - Display: the in-mirror 1280 by 240-pixel TFT-LCD display with 171 pixels per inch. One may observe that the glass protecting the display catches a diffusive reflection that compromises or distracts from the possibility of a best image presentation for the driver (look at edges of mirror image). Image Credit: Corvette Forum (2022)

The inside rearview mirror is a camera, and the imaging appears as is too... remote and off contrast. I guess that with this much power and handing, that rear view is non-important. Just nail it and go to the opening an eighth mile ahead that comes up in one heartbeat. I did use it for backing up. Works as well as my MINI or the Sheriff's "blind-spot special" Explorers that I drive to the car wash..   

Ferrari Dino 246 GTS - The Dino line was created in honor of Enzo Ferrari’s son Alfredo Ferrari who was championing the V6 engine before his untimely death. The series began with a number of 206 sport prototypes and eventually the 246 road cars. Over 1200 examples were produced over a two year period between 1972 to 1974. Image Credit: Super Cars (2022)

 

The Corvette is a bit too quiet for me. I long for the days [driving] in my Dino 246 GT when I could hear (and feel) the chain driven cams whirring, the three huge dual throat Webers sucking hard for A/F mixture, and the other mechanical sounds at 7,000 RPM+ contributing to the symphony.   

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My reality check that I am struggling with: do I want one with this size, power (and cost) as my intended everyday driver?  At my age, my car-centric evil mind says YES. My other mental gremlins are sneakily questioning; is a 2014-2016 mid-engine naturally-aspirated flat six-powered Porsche Cayman S a better (sized, power, carrying space ) daily driver choice? Rest assured, either will be bright red...

ENDS

Let's be clear, people meeting - in formal association - with like-minded folks is both affirming in cultural values and civil pursuits. We must never loose sight of how important it is to commune with Humanity on these many levels of town and country - in motion.

Thank you Lou Leto for sharing both the day, and these written reflections on our two rides in this American Supercar together - for each, one a ride and the other a drive - at MPG's Drive Day held in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in from Malibu on Kanan Road from Calamigos Ranch Event Center ... truly captured the day.

... notes from The EDJE 

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TAGS: Corvette C8, American Supercar, Ride & Drive Reflections, Calamigos Ranch. Motor Press Guild, MPG, Lou Leto, The EDJE