NsXMas said:
test drove a C6 yesterday at Autoshow In Motion, the manual 6 speed.
Didn't feel as "race car" like as my NSX, but it was not too bad. The interior still is a lot worse wthan my 15 year old NSX, but hey I can over look that.
Bottom line is I like my NSX, nay, love my NSX, a lot more than the C6.
I also went to the GM Autoshow in Motion (Phoenix International Raceway), stood in line for 45 minutes for the 6-speed C6 and when it was my turn, I took my sweet time.
Got into the car and chatted up the 'professional driver' in the passenger seat. He was an instructor for Skip Barber Racing School and we talked about the NSX. He said it's a fantastic car and the only complaint he had about it was for the track, it was a bit underpowered.
While talking, I was familiarizing myself with the interior, getting the seat and mirrors set, etc.. the vette I got didn't have any of the HUD or Nav system or anything, the center console had the kinda 'calculatorish' LCD displays, but when the gauges lit, up they looked pretty nice. This was the 6-speed and the shifter didn't really feel right to me. Not sure if it was the grip on top (which seemed a little big), the throw angles, or what, but it would take some getting used to.
Time to go... I asked for the keys and he said I just had to hit 'that button'... Ahh.. neat. We set off for the starting 'stop sign' at the beginning of the track. At this point, I noticed something strange about the clutch. I'm not sure if it was because it was a hydraulic clutch or that this car had been abused for however many laps, but the clutch just felt weird to me. Got to head off around the track and 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gear kept me buried in my seat. There were a couple of near-100mph straightaways and a long sweeping right-hander in between that we took around 70mph and the car stuck much better than I was anticipating. I'll just say it's *really* hard to get a feel for a car in a single 1:20 lap.
After pulling in to the staging area again, we talked for a bit more about my shifting technique, bad habits I've picked up, etc.. Was really fun. I asked about the clutch and he said it was because it was a hydraulic clutch, there's not much mechanical feedback and you just have to get a feel for it. At this point, the next person waiting outside my door was getting a little exasperated, so I got out.
All in all, it seems like a great car. Really fast, I liked the handling better than I was anticipating, and the modern-day-gadget options appeal to me even though the base model I drove didn't have any of them. However, in that short amount of time, I really couldn't get the feel for it or see myself in one. I guess the best way to say it is that I'm in like, but not in love.