QUICK SHIFTS: New Years Edition Featuring C8 Corvette Reviews, A Blogger Buys a Camaro, and more!

Happy New Year, Corvette Nation! We hope that your stocking was full of Crossed Flags accessories, memorabilia, or even a new set of keys as we charge into the second full year of eighth-generation Corvette goodness!

We would also like to welcome you to fun-filled holiday edition of Quick Shifts, a content feature here at CorvetteBlogger featuring links to Corvette and automotive-related stories of interest.

FIRST GEAR:

We have been absolutely bombarded by new C8 content as we close out 2020. Forbes gave us a double-dose of C8 goodness recently. First, they greatly improved a popular song with All I Want for Christmas is a 2020 Corvette Stingray Convertible, catchy, huh? Then, a second contributor got their hands on the now-familiar Accelerate Yellow member of GM’s test fleet for a full review.

Next, we will throw it over to our friends on the forum, who put together an official video review.

As we covered earlier in the week, car enthusiasts were treated to a belated gift from Motor Trend. This year’s Best Driver’s Car has been crowned, and as always there is a large chunk of extra content to consume before getting serious about your resolutions. Check out Randy’s track rankings (hey, at least we beat the Ferrari!), take a behind the scenes look at how the competition is put together, and watch the most recent running of the World’s Greatest Drag Race.

We will wrap first gear with the Philadelphia Inquirer, where Scott Sturgis posed the $60k question; is the C8 a better car than the Lexus RC and the BMW 4-Series? We won’t spoil his conclusion, but if he chooses either of those not overly sporty, driver-focused, or even competitive vehicles, we give all of you Corvette-lovers the green light to “rip him a new one.”

SECOND GEAR:

On the end of the spectrum opposite of our working man’s supercar, it has been another good couple of weeks for the ultra-wealthy members of the car enthusiast fold (for them, all weeks are good, but this one was extra special). Tuner turned manufacturer, Hennessey unveiled their 1817 hp, 311 mph F5 hypercar. Unlike their previous effort, the Venom, the new, tornado-themed Henn doesn’t have LS powered, lessening our interest a bit.

Across the pond, McLaren introduced their most powerful non-hybrid vehicle ever, the Sabre. The crazy, 824 horse beast will be limited to just 15 (pre-sold) examples, and amongst other things it can claim that even America’s sports car can’t, the Sabre will only be sold in the free world of the United States, cool move by Bruce!

THIRD GEAR:

Third is where you’ll find a neat Road & Track cover story that finally made its way online. Do you notice something missing from their Search for the Greatest Sports Car of All Time?

Especially after seeing their chosen victor, we can’t help but think that a ’67 L71 Convertible should have been included. It would have been a very similar (but prettier) car, built on a much bigger budget, that you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford, even to this day. To us, that seems like a no-brainer.

FOURTH GEAR:

The last time that you read this column, a link to Hagerty’s new Bull Market List was one of our chosen articles. Since then, they posted an interesting follow-up piece where they looked back at each list that they compiled since 2018 to see how their predictions have fared. Don’t forget to take a look at the ’96 Grand Sport from the 2019 list, and if you want a great deal on the best looking ‘Vette of the ’90’s (with the rare, and highly-desirable red interior), check out #136. It has been tempting your author for months, someone please give it a nice home where it will be cherished and enjoyed!

A quick aside while we are talking about Hagerty, car values, and temptation; check out this mint IROC-Z that went for big money earlier in December! (Aside from within an aside: If a future Camaro of the plug-in variety becomes a thing and it isn’t dubbed IROC-E, we don’t know what the marketing people at the Ren Cen are even paid for).

One final aside, while we are on the topic of the Corvette’s big, little brother; there have been some rare news on the Camaro front, the current, sixth-gen car might stick around for a while. If this is true, and the ‘Maro will be joining the extremely scarce ranks of modern cars that stay in production for a full decade, maybe our fantasy LT2 SS and LT5 ZL1 will materialize out of necessity to keep the nameplate relevant.

FIFTH GEAR:

No time for a cleaver transition here, I got us on the topic of Camaros for a good reason. After struggling to acquire an early C6 Z06 for most of 2020, I finally aimed at a newer target and pulled the trigger. I just got back from a road trip to Iowa where I took delivery of a Summit White 2018 SS 1LE. Because it’s the biz, busiest time of the year, I had to put off my little road trip by a full week and the wait was excruciating! I can’t imagine the anguish that so many of you C8 customers have gone through with all of the production delays this year!

Anyway, I’m certain that several automotive marketplaces have had a noticeable drop in traffic this week as I’ve spent my small amounts of free time pouring over reviews (here’s my car finishing between a 911 and Viper ACR (and ahead of some other extremely serious hardware) during one of the most stacked editions of the previously mentioned, MT Best Driver’s Car competition, doing a weird body-swap thing with an Ultimate Driving Machine, and just plain being a hell of a car) and making wish lists on Adam’s Polishes and out of parts catalogs.

Did you know that Corsa makes an exhaust system that integrates the stock NPP valve actuators so that you can still switch from silent mode to tour and so on? I’ve already written Santa about it for next year!

Corsa’s sound geniuses also recently partnered with Lingenfelter to create the ultimate C8 exhaust! Get ready to write your own letter to St. Nick for an increase in sound, style, and, most importantly, a boost of 19 wheel horsepower for your mid-engine baby!

SIXTH GEAR:

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the Korean auto industry has been on a tear as of late. In the past couple of years Kia, Hyundai, and Genesis have combined for the impressive hat-trick of Motor Trend Car of the Year, MT SUV of the Year, and even Road & Track Performance Car of the Year (still a sore subject around here). It isn’t just that they are pumping out impressive vehicles at hard to beat prices, but their dealerships have also stepped up their game. My wife just bought her second Sorento (she’s a bit of an enthusiast who is thinking about registering the domain ‘RentoBlogger.com) from our local Kia store, i25 Kia and the entire experience was top notch. Non-commission salespeople make a massive difference.

My Camaro came from a Hyundai dealer 9.5 hours from my home (Stew Hansen Hyundai) and it was absolutely worth the trip. My three-year-old Chevy warranted a spot on the showroom floor, where it waited for me with a sold sign hanging from its rimless rearview mirror. When I arrived in Des Moines, I got to channel my inner Kip Raines as I drove it through the doors. Simply put, I highly recommend these guys if you are in the market for non-Corvette transportation for your family. Of course, if you need More-Vettes, be sure to call Mike Furman or another of our official (and pre-screened for quality) sponsors!

REVERSE:

It might be a little strange owning a Camaro and writing on this wonderful site, but the bow-tie boys have always been a close-knit pair with healthy doses of rivalry and respect, as The Drive’s look through the models’ storied histories points out here for our reverse gear.

Have an outstanding new year, everyone! We will see you back here in 2021!

Previous Quick Shifts:
New Gymkhana, C7 vs C8, 1988 ZR-1 Prototype for Sale, Blackwing News, Remembering General Yeager
C8 Convertible Review, R&T’s PCOTY, RAM 1500 TRX Wins Truck of the Year, and More.
New C8 Corvette Reviews, Manual C8s, Price Comparisons, Awards Season, and More!