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1000 hpe C7 Corvette ZR1
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By Justin Nohe Jun 25 2019 - 9:09am

This Is Why The C7 Corvette Should Be Considered a Supercar

By now I am sure all of you have seen a C7 Corvette in one form or another. What some of you may not have seen is the super car killing performance that this car possesses. In its most basic form, the Stingray is a direct competitor for low end Porsches for less than half the price.
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At 465 possible horsepower, in a base model car, costing less than $65,000, the C7 Corvette is without a doubt, a bargain buy. Let that sink in for a moment, an American made supercar for less than $65,000. The best part? You can actually get them now for way less than that.

I recently saw a C7 Stingray with under 10k miles on it for $38,000. Now keep in mind this is a car that will directly compete with lower end Porsches. Unreal. The next step up in power takes us to the Z06. To take the Z06 to the next level, it comes with an astonishing 650hp, bigger tires, better suspension, better brakes, and of course, better aerodynamics. This again pushes this car heavily into supercar territory by beating cars with the big names.

Recently official times were released by Jim Mero showing that the Z06 achieved a 7:10 second lap time on the Nürburgring which put it in front of Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, these are just a few of the names that this car has managed to best around the ring. Most people would agree that the cars listed above are in fact supercars, so what do we call the car that is beating these cars around a track and doing so for a lot less? Well... A supercar.

C7 Corvette and The Definition of a Supercar

There is not a real definition for the term "supercar" it leaves a lot up to interpretation and in my opinion, when a car beats a supercar it immediately solidifies a name for itself as a fellow supercar. Some like to argue this point and say "Production numbers are what makes a supercar" and I have only heard this point recently because it's the only point left to argue. Everything else has been accomplished by cars costing a third of some of the Lamborghinis, Ferraris, etc.

Well, this point can't really be argued any longer because now we have a C7 Corvette ZR1.

This is the final installment of the 7th generation of Corvette and it brings 755 horsepower and a slew of cooling options to the table. This car has recently lapped the Nürburgring in 7:04. This is astoundingly fast and Jim Mero openly confirmed he could have gotten a sub 7 minute mark with warm tires since GM apparently forced him to do it on cold Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.

This time literally puts the ZR1 ahead of the Porsche GT3RS which costs almost twice what the ZR1 does and if the tire statement is true and warm tires could put this car under 7 minutes around the ring then it's in the top 8 of all time around the ring. Think about that! Top 8! That literally means for 120,000 you can own a car that is equivalent to (or better than) almost any "supercar" out there.

C7 Corvette vs Lamborghini, Ferrari and Porsche

It wasn't that long ago that performance like this was not available from anything other than the Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and Porsches of the world. It's only in the last 10 years or so that we've been able to get the performance of supercars at normal car prices.

The Corvette has always been in heavy pursuit of this exact kind of blistering performance and with the 7th generation of Corvette Chevrolet has nailed it. There is no doubt in my mind that the Corvette name has been mentioned in more than one meeting of the minds at Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Porsche. They can't be happy about what Chevrolet has built and is continuing to build.

GM continues to build Corvettes that are able to take on the "top dogs" and come out victorious all for a fraction of what you'd pay for any of those automobiles. Chevrolet has a huge winner on their hands with the C7 Corvette and with the C8 Corvette coming soon they have their work cut out for them in order to make a car that is as good if not better.

The C7 Corvette was such a home run on so many levels that the C8 has to be almost perfect to live up to the name but if it does, ALL of the supercar manufacturers are going to be running scared.

Also Watch 5 Free or Cheap Things You Can Change on Your C7 Corvette to Make It Better and Click To Subscribe Torque News Youtube Channel for Daily News on Automotive Industry.

See you in my next story.

Justin Nohe can be reached on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube.

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Comments

Jesse wrote on June 25, 2019 - 10:55am
No, the C7 Corvette is not a super car. Never was, never will be. Don’t care how you dress it up. It’s a bargain as long as you’re comparing it to a Porsche or some real supercar, but it’s still a Chevy. That’s not a bad thing, but a supercar it ain’t! Lots of power for lower cost doesn’t make it one.
Tom wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:06am
I don't agree with you Jesse. I’m just curious at what makes a supper car then? The Corvette ZR1 has the performance of one just not the price.
Justin Nohe wrote on June 25, 2019 - 3:21pm
This is exactly my feeling on it. The performance, the cost, the looks, the feeling when driving. These are all things that indicate this car IS a supercar.
steven wrote on July 5, 2019 - 6:07am
ah, your supper car would be found on an interstate train - "buffet car"
Odogg88 wrote on November 15, 2020 - 3:02pm
The C7 is very much a supercar, 11-8 quarter-mile 3.90 to 60 over a hundred and eighty miles per hour top speed I'd say that qualifies as a supercar price and exclusivity does not define a Supercar performance does you were speaking of Exotics the Corvette is definitely not exotic but it is very much a supercar although a lot of cars are both not every car is.
Leethal wrote on February 21, 2021 - 2:42pm
Only a high price will turn it into a super-car, eh? Get outta here......
Bruce wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:07am
My C7 Corvette feels pretty supper each time I drive it.
Justin Nohe wrote on June 25, 2019 - 3:22pm
I completely agree!
Will wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:22am
Corvettes are amazing and I feel like its a supercar when I drive it, but I agree that it is not a supercar. It is not rare enough or exclusive enough to be in that category. Yes the ZR1 is rare, but its basically a special version of the Stingray - and then there is the Z06 and GS... its a badass automobile and I'm glad to have one. Lamborghinis are awesome and they've done very well by themselves over recent years, Ferrari can suck it, and the McLaren deserves special mention for being an great car without AWD.
Odogg88 wrote on November 15, 2020 - 2:50pm
The c7 has very much made the jump to supercar, it has a top speed over 180mph, runs a 1/4 in 11.8, 0-60 in 3.9, handles over 1g on a skid pad and you can daily drive it.... And that is just the base model!!! Performance defines a supercar, not cost, pruduction/exclusivity or where the engine is placed. The only people that say these things are Ferrari or Lambo owners that look down there nose... There cars are exotics.... A corvette is definitely not an exotic.. But it very much is a supercar. On the flip side... There are plenty of exotics that don't make supercar #s in performance. Just my opinion!!
Will wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:23am
The price, exclusivity and performance make a definition of a supercar. The Vette interior has come a long way, but its still an affordable, not that rare automobile.
Jesse wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:25am
What else makes a car a supercar. Rarity, very low numbers of production. Lots and lots of Carbon fiber... I do buy a new or used McLaren 520s or 720 before a ZR1 simply because the cost is not that much for a McLaren and it’s certainly a supercar. Big power alone a supercar does not make. There are way to many Corvettes produced in general for any of them to be a supercar these days. The Z would be closest though since it’s produced in lower numbers then the rest as far as I know. BUT. It’s still a Chevy.
Justin Nohe wrote on June 25, 2019 - 3:24pm
Everything you just described as making a car a supercar IS the ZR1. Lots of carbon fiber, low production number, ONE year run. The fact that there are many that would agree the C7 Corvette is well into supercar status and some that wouldn't tell me there is no clear definition as to what makes a car a "supercar" and if left up to me? The C7 Corvette IS in fact a supercar.
Will wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:26am
We could totally call the C7 Corvette an American supercar, but we'd all know it would be a bastardization of the term. We could call the Ford GT an American supercar, but personally I can't get excited about a V6 that doesn't have a lot of headroom for modification left without exotic fuels.
Justin Nohe wrote on June 25, 2019 - 3:26pm
I feel the same way. It's really hard to dispute the C7 Corvette being an all around supercar. We can call it the "American supercar" but like you said, it doesn't really give it the credit it deserves.
Tim wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:26am
Definition of supercar is in the eye of the beholder. Sounds like price is some folks defining point that meets that's definition. Go buy a super expensive car and feel special, maybe on another site for the elitists.
Justin Nohe wrote on June 25, 2019 - 3:27pm
This is really my experience as well. There isn't a set in stone definition of "supercar" that isn't specifically describing exactly what the C7 Corvette brings to the table.
John wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:41am
Corvette is popular and common enough to define what a sports car is. It raises the bar, but supercars are and should be another league. If a supercar gets beat by an American sports car then that's on them.
Willy wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:42am
lot of guys customize/modify their Corvettes. I believe the definition of a supercar is an individual concept. An extremely rare and very expensive 1960s muscle car could be described as a supercar by some because it fits two of the criteria used.
Jesse wrote on June 25, 2019 - 11:43am
Although there are supercar owners who customize theirs, the majority do not. Plus, customizing a Corvette doesn’t add value at all and most often detracts from resale in a big way. Don’t know what it does to supercars as I’ve never owned one. I will say that all the Vettes I’ve owned were my personal hot rods! Supercar or not.
Justin Nohe wrote on June 25, 2019 - 3:29pm
I wouldn't imagine that customizing the car would do anything for the "supercar" status. With that said, I do believe the C7 Corvette is pushing heavily into that "supercar" world and any definition of "supercar" I've read it seems the C7 Corvette meets it almost word for word.
DeanMcManis wrote on June 25, 2019 - 10:03pm
The Supercar title is hard to define, and get agreement. Years ago, the titles of Supercar and European exotic car were interchangable. But a Supercar was first defined by it's performance, being in a league of it's own. Then it's rarity and style. The Stingray C7 Corvette is hardly rare, but from time to time I will spot a C7 Corvette on the road, and the split-second before I identify it, my mind sees it's bold, exotic car styling, especially from the front. The Z06 offers legitimate supercar performance, and the ZR1 is a Monster. But the hard part for the Z06 and even the new ZR1 is that unless you are an American performance car fan, you are not going to be able to instantly know the difference between different levels of Corvette. Porsche has the same problem with the 911, where nobody but a fan is going to spot a GT3RS as anything special compared to the regular 911s. And the story is worse for cars like the Shelby GT350/500, and the Camaro ZL1. The Camaro ZL1 1LE lapped the Ring at 7:16, which was faster than an earlier Porsche GT2RS and the Ferrari 488!, but good luck in getting someone other than a Chevy fan in acknowledging it as ever being a supercar. I own a Dodge Viper, and for many years the Viper's performance, styling and rarity qualified it as a Supercar, but the only concession that you might get by exotic fans would be "American" Supercar despite the fact that the ACR Viper held more track records than most other production cars for years. The GTR also suffered from it's Nissan connections despite offering supercar-beating performance. Even though you might not like the fact that the new Ford GT has a V6 engine, it would be genuinely hard to NOT say that it is both a supercar and exotic car by virtue of it's rocketship styling, rarity, and amazing performance. But part of that qualification unfortunately also comes from it's $450K price tag. I loved the Corvette that I owned years ago, even though nobody would have called it a supercar, despite performance modifications that made it faster. I think that the decision to build the C8 Corvette as a mid-engined car was as much a point of status (being compared to Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren) as it was expecting to see any notable performance gains over the Z06 and ZR1. One good side about NOT getting universal acceptance of the Corvette as a "Supercar" is that the price doesn't get jacked up by speculators and collectors, and we can buy them used for a great deal. Getting all that great performance and style without the "Supercar tax" of inflated prices is worth it.
Steven wrote on July 5, 2019 - 6:05am
whether the hype is true or not, I'm sure most enthusiasts would rather the Porsche regardless of cost. Once said that it's the only supercar yo can drive every day, it invokes the very idea of a sporty super. That's why SUV Porsches are so ridiculous. And there's little argument much of the world sees America's past supercar attempts, car building attempts in general, as vulgar, unsophisticated and LARGE
Thundrune wrote on August 17, 2020 - 5:14pm
Just silly. To opine that a c7 corvette, and any of its model variants, isn’t a supercar because of price point and production numbers but then offer that a 911 is a super car is an argument that crumbles onto itself. Is a super car super because it’s expensive? Then a Rolls Phantom is a super car. Is a super car super because of super low production numbers? Then a hand built street rod with an old school small block is a super car. Obviously “super” in this context is primarily derived from the performance perspective of any particular platform. But perspective is what it is. I’m fortunate to own a track modified 2019 C7 GS and a GT3RS (unmodified). Both are NA rear wheel drive scalpels and I love them both. They are very different in that the experience is totally unique, which is what makes them fun, but one better than the other - nope. And by the way, castigating and entire “race” of automobiles, or anything else for that matter, as unsophisticated and vulgar is, of course, unsophisticated and vulgar.