What I've been driving last week

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

peppernick

Active Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2008
Messages
422
Location
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Car
E500 Sport Coupe
Powerful, 'frugal', angry, all-American ........ my criteria for a toy whilst we were basking in the Nevada desert.

The Mustang they had for hire was too docile, so I opted for a Vette :rock:

Daytona Yellow and chrome 19"s; to make it more sensational, I went topless!

Wanted a Z06, but they only come in manual. Screw that. On vacation, I am not doing more work than I need to. So, it was a 2008 Chevrolet Corvette C6 LS3, 6.2L V8 436BHP, 674Nm torque, 6-speed auto.

LasVegasSummer08004.jpg


LasVegasSummer08003.jpg


LasVegasSummer08008.jpg



TBH, the roof stayed down for 30 mins in total during daylight. It was 115 degrees F, not a single cloud in sight. It was wayyyyy to much. At night, the Vette was wondrous with the roof down. That noise! All American Nascar muscle!

I fully understand why the Americans build cars that don't steer well. There simply is no need for any car to negotiate bends on US roads. Why waste money on R&D?

LasVegasSummer08116.jpg



Probably the only bend I would take at more than 10MPH.

LasVegasSummer08069.jpg



The interior was plasticky and cheap, but very functional. Afterall, it is a car that is primarily sold within a community where the concept of a 3lb beef pattie is better value than an 8 ounce Fillet Mignon.

LasVegasSummer08040.jpg



Unless you're a rig driver, driving a car in America is a daytime exercise. That is why motels are dotted all over the the Interstates in case you don't make it to a hotel before sunset. In those rare instances when you lose the benefit of sunlight, a clever computer on board reminds you that you have light bulbs on your car, that you can use ;)

LasVegasSummer08080.jpg



The engine and gearbox pulled the Vette like no other I've experienced. Now I know the true definition of 'It hauls ass!' :crazy: The Vette did 0-60 in 3.8 secs, in first gear alone! It'll hit 85 before second gear was exhausted. You'll see 135 before third ran out. Wonder why the rest of the gears were ever required, because even if you used them, you'll still not outrun the 'chopper' above. And you're unlikely to find a get-out-of-jail-free coupon in the glovebox, not in a bright yellow Corvette.

How the Vette does it in a straight line :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6EiNFiLhV0


That aside, the Corvette blends in perfectly with it's natural habitat. For once, even Alan Jackson sounded cool blaring from the speakers.

LasVegasSummer08064.jpg


LasVegasSummer08076.jpg


LasVegasSummer08079.jpg



I love the Vette, for what it is, for what it represents. Drive it on European roads, it is a pig of a car. Put it on the Interstate 215, I could literally hear myself doing the Yeeee-Haaawww :D

LasVegasSummer08073.jpg
 
Oh yeah, I was grinning for ear to ear, especially when I buried my right foot against the carpet with the throttle pedal sandwiched in between :D

2.9 MPG; but with fuel at $4 a gallon, it's still a luxury we are deprived of back home :)

A few more pics ....... (Cars look so much better without the need of a front reg plate)

LasVegasSummer08042.jpg


LasVegasSummer08066.jpg


LasVegasSummer08078.jpg
 
Last edited:
The Vette did 0-60 in 3.8 secs, in first gear alone! It'll hit 85 before second gear was exhausted.

Sounds like a hoot, nice one.
Your comment abouthe gear ratios and looking at the speedo and rev counter in the video made me think.
The gear ratios are about the same as a E320 Cdi, in fact it's lower in the higher gears, it's only dragging about 30mph/1000 revs in 5th.

Don't worry, me coats on..:eek:
 
Good call Peppernick. I did the same back in 1987, I had a couple of weeks off when working in LA, hired a T-Top red 'vette and blasted around the SoCal desert for a few days. Huge fun, and although the car was not up to European standards of sports car handling, it made perfect sense on long straight empty roads in the US. Here's us near Palm Springs, November 1987:
 

Attachments

  • vette.jpg
    vette.jpg
    109.6 KB · Views: 206
Being practical.:rolleyes:

Where did you put your Luggage??:confused:

Nice car but my wifes luggage wouldn't fit in , let alone mine.:D
 
Nice read Peppernick and of course thanks for sharing. Top notch pics everytime.
 
Nice write up and pictures.
I wonder what its going to be like driving the CLK again.............with a few less horses. Maybe its time for an upgrade?
 
Great report and pics.

I guess the CLK350's days will be numbered?...

After V8 power / Sound

Still 3.8 seconds to 60 you could afford to brake a little for the bends...not even the C63 could touch that...

I had a Camero convertible one year in the states, loved it. Cheap as you like inside but then it was only around £15000 if you bought a new one (in the states that is)
 
Looks like you had a great trip, and thanks for sharing it with us.
The interior was plasticky and cheap, but very functional. Afterall, it is a car that is primarily sold within a community where the concept of a 3lb beef pattie is better value than an 8 ounce Fillet Mignon
I like that analogy. A lot :D
 
Loved the write up - many thanks - what is the cost of hiring such a beast in the USA?
 
2.9mpg :D It reminds of an advert for an American car I saw once.

The New ford (forgot the model). 8.2mpg. An American Tradition.
 
I guess the CLK350's days will be numbered?...
Not quite.

The 350 is still the perfect car for town driving and trips abroad. Smooth, comfortable and very refine. Plus it looks posh enough for me to arrive at a function with :D .

The only time I find it lacking is when I hoon it round a track. However, the urge is not significant enough for me to sacrifice the 350 for something faster. Afterall, I just 'graduated' from a string of back to back M-Powered cars, after deciding to slow down the pace a little :)


Loved the write up - many thanks - what is the cost of hiring such a beast in the USA?
Hertz and EZCARS are doing a deal with their new fleet of Corvettes atm. $470 per day or $1700 for 5 days, inclusive of fully comp insurance, a tank of fuel and unlimited mileage.
 
Last edited:

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom