Corvette C6 (2008) CAR review

GM sees the Corvette as a genuine Porsche 911 rival, so much so that it claims to have benchmarked this lightly revised version of the sixth-generation car directly against it. The 911. Yes, you read that right.

It also claims that the Corvette is the word's best-selling sports car. Yes, you read that right too. But, then, it's a home player in the American market. The fact that Britain accounts for annual sales in double figures makes a tiny impact on that claim, but it is something that GM is keen to redress.

Is Britain big enough for the Corvette?

Yep, it's a big car, and surprisingly small inside too. But the biggest bit is under the hood, sorry, bonnet. The already gigantic 'smallblock' V8 has been stretched from 5967cc to 6162cc, with a corresponding hike in power from 404bhp to 424bhp.

If you like the idea of a big noise and a big shove in the back when you floor the throttle, the Corvette is your kind of car. Open the taps and you're immediately assailed by V8 thunder, while the horizon suddenly gets noticeably closer. This is a quick car, though it's also colossally high-geared, so the sense of unstoppable momentum really builds as you climb up those tall ratios. And you really need a long stretch of empty road to enjoy it to the full.

Okay, but does the 'Vette handle?

A nifty, squirty 911 it most patently is not. You can hustle the 'Vette, and those with an honours degree in bravery will find it hugely throttle-steerable too, but you need room. Lots of it. During the test we had the Paul Ricard circuit at our disposal in Southern France. With its huge run-off areas and reputation for safety, it's the perfect place to get to know a 'Vette, to learn when to keep your hand in and your foot down – and when not to. You soon learn too, because at these speeds the hefty steering communicates better and makes sense, and the long straights mean you can let yourself loose on that long-travel accelerator. You emerge smiling and exhilarated.

Then you try it out on tight, twisty French country lanes and find the 'Vette's sheer size a touch daunting. It's best on long sweepers, in on a trailing throttle, then powering through and out – and tail-slides are strictly optional.