We’ve often heard automotive media describe the Stingray as a supercar, but it certainly isn’t one. Not as rare as a Ferrari nor as ludicrous as a Lamborghini or as painstakingly crafted as a Pagani, the mid-engine Corvette has a lot going for it. So much so that it’s worthy of being called a supercar killer if you remember to specify the Z51 go-faster pack.
YouTube vlogger Speed Phenom is the proud owner of a Z51, and on this occasion, the Corvette is compared against a Porsche that retails at $100,000 before options. 718 Spyder is how the open-top sports car is named, and it’s pretty much the same thing as the track-focused Cayman GT4 underneath.
For starters, the Boxster’s prettier sibling comes with a six-speed manual transmission, whereas GM offers a dual-clutch transaxle in the Stingray. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer sweetens the deal with the six-cylinder boxer from the 992-generation 911, bored and stroked from 3.0 to 4.0 liters.
Capable of 414 horsepower at 7,600 rpm and 310 pound-feet (420 Nm) of torque from 5,000 to 6,800 rpm, the free-breathing engine is vastly different from the small-block V8 of the Stingray. The dry-sump LT2 may not rev as high, but its larger displacement does translate to slightly bigger output figures. When optioned with the NPP performance exhaust, the 6.2-liter motor develops 495 horsepower and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) of torque.
Speed Phenom describes the driving experience as being similar to his Stingray, which is understandable if you remember where the engine is located. The front-end grip is plentiful, as expected of a highly-strung Porsche, and the neutral handling adds to the specialness of the 718 Spyder.
The Corvette, meanwhile, is known for mid-corner understeer. You can eliminate this condition with trail braking, which isn’t easy to master. An effective way of making the Stingray feel better in the twisties is to change the alignment, which costs in the ballpark of $875 at the dealership.
Austin Everett, the young man behind the Speed Phenom channel on YouTube, doesn’t offer a clear verdict on how the C8 Z51 compares to the 718 Spyder. Be that as it may, his facial expression speaks louder than words about the corner-carving machine with a good ol’ manual tranny.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News