Corvette C6 Convertible (05 on) - Review

Review by Simon Harris on
Last Updated: 01 December 2009
The Corvette Roadster may be an iconic sports car in America, but it’s a slow seller in Europe. This is particularly true in the UK where the car is hamstrung by only coming in left-hand drive, which puts off many potential buyers. But there's no doubting the performance on offer - the 6.0-litre V8 engine delivers 400bhp and an intoxicating noise. In 2007 this was uprated to 6.2-litres and 430bhp, plus the optional automatic gearbox came with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. This car is also the first open-top Corvette with a fully electrically-operated roof, but it lacks the quality and refinement of the best high performance roadsters on the market.
2.5 out of 5

Other Corvette reviews

3.5 out of 5

Safety

The Corvette Roadster comes with twin front and side airbags as standard, and ESP traction control is also included to keep tabs on the V8 engine’s grunt. New buyers have the option of specifying a head-up display that shows the car’s speed and other functions as a digital read-out projected on to the windscreen. It’s easy to see and reduces the amount of time the driver takes his or her eyes off the road.

NCAP Test

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3.5 out of 5

Reliability

The Corvette’s V8 engine is very strong and unstressed, while the gearboxes are trouble-free too. Build quality appears much higher than previous Corvette's, but some of the interior plastics look and feel cheap compared to rivals.

Car check problem points

Body

No problems reported.

Engine/Gearbox

No problems reported.

Other

No problems reported.