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"They don't write songs about Toyotas" No car has ever evoked more passion from more people than the Corvette. Sure, in order to shell out $280,000 for the Lamborghini Murcielago and $650,000 for the Farrari Enzo you have to be passionate about cars but for 50 years the Corvette has reigned supreme as the original American sports car that regular people could actually afford and often drive daily to work and play. Rock, country, blues, oldies and pop songs have celebrated this passion and filled our radio dial. From "Little Red Corvette" by Prince to George Jones' "The One I Loved Back Then", the Corvette has transcended all musical styles. The Corvette has been so important to music that even the Gibson Guitar Company has designed a 50th Anniversary Corvette Commemorative Les Paul Guitar. There are over 160 recognized active Corvette clubs and the Corvette emblem is one of the world's most recognized trademarks. For the 50th Anniversary of the Corvette, The Corvette Museum in Bowling Green KY commissioned the Kansas City artist Dana Forrester to design the limited Milestone Edition Corvette. The Milestone Edition has special graphics and performance enhancements as well as Dana's autograph on the engine cover of every car. Dana's watercolors can be instantly recognized because most depict a sports car in front of an advertisement painted on the side of a brick building. Evoking an image of simpler times this art contrasts established vintage brick merchants with machines of speed, muscle and power. Dana has produced a book collecting many of his water colors aptly titled, "Like a song on the Radio" and recently hosted a book signing at his studio. Mike Larson, New Car Manager at Superior Chevrolet and I drove a "Milestone Edition" Corvette to the book signing. Cruising down the highway I was amazed how this icon of American muscle had been polished over the last several years. I remembered the Corvette of the 70's that would beat you up on a long ride, but this was as smooth as a luxury car. Even with the top off and the windows down this car exhibited the quietness and refinement of advanced wind management design. To say the level of highway comfort and luxury stunned me would not be an overstatement. I expected the power of an engine rated at almost twice the horsepower of many cars -- almost 400 horses underneath the hood mated to a six-speed transmission this car could still jump at 70 MPH. But what surprised me was the fuel efficiency from what I had assumed would be a gas hog. The 2003 Corvette with the six-speed transmission is rated at only one mile per gallon more than the 2003 Volkswagen Beetle Automatic on the highway. How does this Corvette achieve an EPA rating of 28 MPG on the highway? Simple, at 70 MPH, we were taching out at 1,500 RPM in 6th gear. So the engine is barely working with an available red-line about 7,000 RPM. I have no idea the top end on this car, but suffice it to say that it is adequate. But even after extolling the virtues of this car's power, luxury, comfort and even fuel economy there is something more that made this vehicle a bargain at almost $50,000. It's that certain "something" -- the feeling, the history and the romance that comes with a fifty-year heritage of an American Sports car. The statement this car makes on the road all bring this package together for what many in the industry consider the best value of any sports car on the road today. I realize that for a lot less money you can buy an economy car that will get you from point to point. But if you are looking for the ultimate American sports car, you can't go wrong with this Milestone Edition Corvette. Remember. They write songs about the Corvette
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©2003 - Stan Risener