C4 Corvette Races 1995 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, a Wild Mazda CX-30 Joins In on the Fun

The C4 has the upper hand from a dig, but you're going to be shocked by how big of a difference there is over the finish line. As it happens, Kase recorded 16.07 seconds at 91.6 miles per hour (147.4 kilometers per hour) versus Tommy's 16.7 seconds at 90 miles per hour (144.8 kilometers per hour) in the newer Trans Am.

Bear in mind that both cars are capable of better ETs in the quarter mile. Pictured on a Colorado runway at roughly a mile above sea level, the V8-engined classics are subjected to a rolling start race as well. From 30 miles per hour (48.2 kilometers per hour), the Pontiac initially pulls away from the Corvette. Only to be defeated – once again, with a feeling – by the Chevy.

The final test sees the manual-equipped Trans Am and torque-converter automatic Corvette brake from 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) to a standstill. They're much closer on this occasion, with the C4 needing 106 feet (32.3 meters) and the Trans Am recording 112 feet (34.1 meters). Both cars feature anti-lock brakes, and both of them performed reasonably well on an unprepped surface. Even more so considering that the C4 and F-body Trans Am were purchased by the peeps at The Fast Lane for just $10,000 and $6,600.

The Corvette is rocking the L98 small block, a 5.7-liter mill that was ultimately replaced by the LT1 for the 1992 model year, when traction control became standard. The L98 isn't big on power with its 245 ponies, yet 340 pound-feet (461 Nm) at 3,200 rpm is good enough for a small block from that era. The Firebird Trans Am Comp T/A is a wee bit more powerful and heavier to boot.

The C4 asserting dominance over an F-body classic is one thing, but can it keep up with a much newer vehicle featuring a turbocharged engine? The culprit is a CX-30 with the Skyactiv-G 2.5T, a four-cylinder lump that produces 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet (434 Nm) on premium fuel. Recently recalled due to potential internal damage to the anti-lock braking system's hydraulic control unit, the all-wheel-drive CX-30 turbo is equipped with one of the laziest autos in the biz.

Add some unwanted interference from the safety nannies at launch, and it's easy to understand why the Mazda simply doesn't hold a candle to the C4 over the quarter mile. Granted, the fourth-gen Corvette was designed to perform in a straight line. The Mexico-built Mazda, on the other hand, is a small crossover that is more than adequate for dailying.