Crass vs. Class
For fans of the Corvette, news this week of the start of production of the new ZR1 Corvette brought smiles to their faces. This brute produces 620 HP and is rumored to hit 200 MPH while keeping its two passengers comfortable in a leather-lined cabin. There is nothing subtle about this car; it oozes attitude. You buy this car to be seen in, and Chevrolet has done a great job making the ZR1 truly special.
Whether staring at the blue calipers behind the new rims or the clear Plexiglas window to show off the engine beneath, it is obvious the ZR1 development team did not want this super Corvette to be mistaken for just an ordinary Corvette.
Chevrolet will have no problems selling everyone single one it produces, and since production will be limited markups at the dealer level are almost a guarantee.
The ZR1 truly is a super car, it is bold, brazen and has that “in your face” crass attitude. I like this car and the attitude it puts forth.
But what if you want a little class?
Perhaps the Porsche 911 Turbo would better suit your style. If the ZR1 is crass, the 911 Turbo certainly exudes class. Granted costing almost $30k more, it is a big jump from the $100k price tag of the ZR1, but face it, people who can afford a $100k car most likely can afford a $130k car.
The 911 Turbo is the most technological 911 Turbo to date. Showcasing the latest and greatest Porsche technology, the 3.6-liter flat six utilizes two small turbo chargers to help it achieve a top speed of nearly 200 MPH. Both cars make the sprint to sixty miles per hour in less than 4-seconds and both can be driven daily with little compromise in comfort.
But which car would you buy if you had the money. While the Porsche really does give the image of class, the Corvette is quite the opposite in its demeanor. Not that that is a bad thing. For $100k I would expect the car I am driving to get second and third glances. The Porsche has been with us in the same general shape and form for over 40 years, and as such doesn’t turn heads like it used to.
If the Porsche is the kind of car you would bring home to meet your Mom, the Corvette is the car you brag to all your buddies about, but your Mom never gets to meet.
You won’t lose by choosing one over the other. Given the scarcity of the ZR1, I would guess that it will increase in value over time, but a true enthusiast doesn’t buy a car to sit in a vault, but to enjoy out on the road.
So which would you choose, the classy Porsche 911 Turbo, or the in your face Corvette ZR1?
Yeah, I can hear you all already, why didn’t you compare the Corvette to _____? Let not your heart be troubled, I am already ahead of you on this question. Both the Corvette and the 911 have a long heritage spanning multiple decades. This heritage is something that cannot be claimed by to many cars, and while others have come and gone to challenge both the Corvette and the 911, only these two have stood the test of time to survive.
So go ahead and let us know which you would choose – 911 Turbo or Corvette ZR1.
With all this talk of crass and class, I can assure you a big dose of class when you check out the Mercedes Fashion Show Gallery.