[NickJ]

Here is a quick list of 10 new bits of kit for the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette. What are your favorites? What are your least favorites?

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Seven-Speed Manual Transmission
Most supercars these days have completely done away with the manual transmission (there is also a paddle-shifting 6-speed automatic version of the 'Vette in line), yet Chevrolet wanted to maintain its roots by not only keeping a stick, but by adding another gear. It uses active rev matching, a dual-mass flywheel and a dual-disc clutch to make it as smooth as possible during both down and upshifts. There is only one other 7-speed gearbox on that market, and that sits in the Porsche 911.

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Electronic Limited-Slip Differential
In the Z51 package, the 'ray comes with an electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The car assesses the conditions, differently based on what mode you're in, and alters how how fast or slow or how much the limited slip engages. This helps create more balanced and stable steering response. *

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New Aluminum Frame
For the first time ever, the Corvette frame is being produced in-house at the Bowlong Green, KY assembly plant. And that's not even the special part about this addition. The new aluminum design took 99 lbs. off the the car's previous frame while still managing to be 57 percent stiffer. The weight distribution also gives the car a fantastic 50/50 power-to-weight ratio. *

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Active Fuel Management (Cylinder Deactivation)
There are a variety of features that help the Stingray post an EPA estimate higher than the C6's 26 MPG, but the key component is the cylinder deactivation in the 6.2L small-block V8.The car recognizes when you're driving in touring mode, on the highway for example, and seamlessly will shut down four cylinders, turning the engine into a 3.1L four-banger. Simply, if the driving conditions don't require V8 power, there's no need for it, a philosophy that gives the Corvette a great advantage in the fuel economy department.*

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Functional Hood Vent and Quarter Inlets
If you think that all those vents were added just for looks, you're crazy. Every single feature on this car has a purpose. In the front, the car eats up the air through a downward facing radiator, helping to cool the engine. The air escapes through the hood vent, spewing out over the top of the car to add more downforce. In addition, the air is sucked into those rear quarter inlets, cooling the differential and transmission, exiting through the teardrop vents that come off the taillights.*

 

[NickJ]

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Active Rev-Matching
Basically, the new Corvette can read your actions faster than you can. As soon as you start to shift gears, the car pumps the throttle to make sure that it's at exactly the perfect RPM level that it needs to be for the smoothest shift possible.*

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Carbon Fiber
Yes, everybody knows that the use of carbon fiber reduces the weight of a vehicle while maintaining its strength and rigidity, but only the hood and the roof panels are made out of carbon fiber on the new "Vette. Why? Because when there's less weight on the top of the car, it lowers the center of gravity on the vehicle, giving it an even more planted feel.*

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Two Eight-Inch Digital Displays
The first is right where you'd expect, in the center of the dash, and has a touchscreen used for all things entertainment with the Chevrolet MyLink infotainment system. The second screen is right in front of the driver, built into the gauge cluster. The gauge is customizable, giving you options for what information about the car you want to know while driving, and the arrangement changes as you shift through the mode selector. For example, in track mode, the screen will give you the options for tracking your lap times that is based on the Corvette Racing C6.R racecar.*

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Drive Mode Selector
While most cars these days are taking away more and more buttons and dials, the Stingray actually added one right in the center of the interior, where your right hand would land. The dial is a drive mode selector, which has five different options that dynamically change 12 different attributes of the car.
Between Weather, Eco, Tour, Sport and Track modes, the car alters the exhaust sound, transmission shifting pattern, electronic throttle control, electronic slip-diff, chassis rigidity, steering feel, and traction control to name a few. Tour is for everyday business, weather is, of course, for better precision in rain and snow, eco is to help with fuel economy, sport is for a more tuned experience for serious road driving, and Track is exactly that: for the track.

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10-Speaker Audio
As opposed to the new Camaro Z/28, which only has one speaker (they were forced to because of safety requirements), the Stingray Corvette isn't specifically made only for the track. It can, of course, tear up Laguna Seca, if the driver wanted to, but features like the drive mode selector really enforce that this car has many personalities for many situations. One of those situations is cruising and blasting out the newest mixtape through an available 10-speaker system that has two subwoofers.

Content Contribution

 

[torijona]

I definitely like the multiple driver modes it has and how the gauges change along with the different modes. I could care less for the rev matching option. The best part of driving a car is being able to connect with it and being able to drive it with the least amount of intrusiveness. The traction control I think it is necessary since sometimes you can give too much gas at the wrong moment if not paying attention or if it is raining. I would definitely change the rev matching for power foldable mirrors...