Five-Point Inspection: 2014 Corvette Stingray Convertible

Well, I fit, but just barely. Standing at 6’ 2” and having a rather portly figure, my body rarely gels well when it comes to sports cars. Width wise, the seats were more than enough, and they provided nice support, for both myself and a passenger. Comfort wasn’t the issue though, it was height.

My sightline out of the car was at the very top of the windshield, making stop lights hard to see when the top was up, and providing a large obstruction with the top down. Surely it was livable, but anyone who is vertically gifted will likely find the seating position too high. And to add insult to injury, the wind hit just above my forehead, leaving my hair with a ridiculous part, right in the front.

I don’t need to tell you that the Corvette is a beautiful car, but the reaction it creates is akin to a gorgeous super model sunning herself topless. An airport shuttle driver parked his bus in the middle of a laneway to get out and gawk at the car, while well-to-do folks at an expensive resort literally bowed down when we drove past. A man in an MG Mini actively chased us down a highway just to whip out his camera and snap some photos.

Oh, and a young woman flipped us the bird as we wailed past, assumedly out of jealousy. Gorgeous lines and a stunning shade of blue known as Laguna Blue Tintcoat guarantee that you will not slip past unnoticed.

A 6.2-liter V8 provides the Stingray with 455 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. Matched with the six-speed automatic like we had it, the engine can’t be argued with. It is fast, with great off-the-line acceleration and a crunchy exhaust note always ready to wake up the neighbours.

And one of the most surprising features, the car wan’t terribly fuel thirsty. I averaged 16 mpg over four days of mixed driving, which is hardly a bad number for so much power.