Do you want to really make a splash at the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s big red carpet event? Do you want to scare the bejesus out of the chauffeur squiring a couple of A-listers in a bomb-proof Suburban to the fan scrum in front of that night’s venue?
You don’t need to drop a quarter-mil on a Lambo or a half-mil on a Ferrari. For around $75K, you can bedazzle the most jaded influencers with the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT Z51. This descendent of the original 1953 ‘Vette (and direct descendent of the second-generation 1963 Stingray) is not just in the running for the world’s sexiest sports car … it’s leading the pack.
A few years ago, Lambos and McLarens seemed to possess the cutting edge in sports car design. But, the Corvette has never lagged far behind. It’s true that after the fantastically sexy curves of the Stingray in the late 1960s and through the ‘70s, a certain homogenization seemed to take the edge off. But, the Chevy designers let their freak flags fly over the last couple of years. As George Costanza on “Seinfeld” would say, “I’m back, baby, I’m back!”
Aside from the hard-angled styling and aggressive, forward-thrust front end that makes it look as much like a guided missile as a car, there’s plenty under the hood to recommend the 2025 Z51. First, there’s the 490HP, 6.2-liter V8 mounted behind the two-seater front. This will propel you at the cheek-stretching velocity of reaching 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. The engineering is as tight as you can stand for taking the car out on the test track. Yet, the engineers have done wonders to make the Z51 comfortable and street maneuverable, so it’s a delight to drive it daily.
There are six models, depending on trim and options – from the entry-level 1LT coupe at $69,995 to the 3LT convertible. The latter features options such as a Bose stereo, Napa leather seats, a head-up display, and a host of bells and whistles that push the price tag up to $88,745. But, the sane choice appears to be the 2LT, which features heated and ventilated seats, a head-up display, blind-spot monitoring, a 14-speaker Bose stereo, and a host of other goodies.
Forget screeching to a halt in front of the red carpet; you’ll make the best scene by just blowing by.
