Friday 21st April 2017

Corvette Grand Sport v. 911 GTS: Time for Tea?

50 years of rivalry culminates in one super tight Sport Auto track battle!

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In truth, Corvette against 911 hasn't always been the closest of rivalries. Arguably now they are more closely aligned than ever, albeit with key differences. Both make a virtue of their performance and track credentials, with the 911 perhaps now having a more luxurious edge and the Corvette remaining a more traditional sports car.

Here the circuit kudos can be tested to the extreme, with a Sport Auto track test of the latest examples. So it's 911 Carrera GTS - 450hp and 405lb ft, here with PDK, two-wheel drive and Pirelli P Zero Corsas - taking on the Corvette Grand Sport - 460hp and 465lb ft, a seven-speed manual and Cup 2s - around Hockenheim, with Christian Gebhardt driving. Place your bets!

Without giving the game away, it's fascinating to watch the two cars attack the circuit. Perhaps unsurprisingly Gebhardt is busier in the Corvette, manually shifting gears and having to deal with the limits of grip. The Porsche is less dramatic, shall we say, even the changes on the PDK requiring the tiniest finger clicks.

Which is quickest? We'll let you find out, but the final times are extremely close despite the two cars' differences. And in both you've never seen two such aggressive, committed, intense Hockenheim laps. Well, unless you've watched other Gebhardt vids. Enjoy!

Watch the video here.
 

[ZX10R NIN]

Here's Motortrends Head2head

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbtoXMOiqtQ

I know the Porsche is the better car but I'd be sorely tempted to grab the Corvette.

[patmahe]

Me too, I just think I'd have more fun in the Corvette and that sound

[AndySheff]

Front engined V8, RWD and a manual box between them. That makes the choice for me.

[Guvernator]

10 years ago I'd never have said this but right now it's no contest, Corvette all the way. The American car has come on leaps and bounds while the 911 appears to have stood still and even goen backwards in some respects. A standard Porsche no longer really stirs the soul like they once used to, they've become to ubiquitous and just too refined. Even just looking at them stood still, the Corvette has that wow factor and just draws the eyes like a sports car should while the Porsche looks positively anonymous by comparison.

The Europeans used to be the king of the sportscar but the Yanks have definitely caught up and in some cases passed them now.

[unpc]

Guvernator said:

10 years ago I'd never have said this but right now it's no contest, Corvette all the way. The American car has come on leaps and bounds while the 911 appears to have stood still and even goen backwards in some respects. A standard Porsche no longer really stirs the soul like they once used to, they've become to ubiquitous and just too refined. Even just looking at them stood still, the Corvette has that wow factor and just draws the eyes like a sports car should while the Porsche looks positively anonymous by comparison.

The Europeans used to be the king of the sportscar but the Yanks have definitely caught up and in some cases passed them now.

Yep. I agree with all of that. The Americans have really upped their game.

[belleair302]

The Corvette looks way more aggressive and sounds wonderful. Chassiswise the Porsche is way calmer but I bet nowhere near as fun to drive and possibly less comfortable when just cruising. Love the manual Corvette but would wish to try the brakes after a few hard laps myself before driving home. Corvette interiors are now much improved.

[macky17]

Corvette by a country mile - in fact there's nothing under £100k I can think of I'd rather have.

[SidewaysSi]

Good comparison. Thrown the Exige 380 Cup on there and that would be a tough choice in the £75-90K range. Of course the Porsche would probably be a lot more expensive once you add a few options.

[blasos]

I'd also take the Corvette. It is has a real sense of occasion about it and looks special. The Porsche is a technically superior product but doesn't transmit any excitement from how it looks.

[Arsecati]

It would have to be the Corvette - and I actually own a Porsche!! Granted, it's only a 944 S2 Cab, but it was the best I could afford 15 years ago as a 30th birthday present to myself! Just find modern Porsches to be soulless, zero character (and don't get me started on the owners: just 20 minutes at a Porsche Owners Club 'meet 'n' greet' all those years ago, was enough to convince me - I was in the wrong place!!!)

[menguin]

unpc said:

Yep. I agree with all of that. The Americans have really upped their game.

I'd agree with it except Europeans still make great sports cars - it is just Porsche that have become refined cruisers rather than something that makes you look back at the car while walking away. The Porsche just sounds so dull!

[DonkeyApple]

blasos said:

The Porsche is a technically superior product.

The other way to view is that the Porsche requires vastly more technology than the Corvette to achieve the same performance. Leading to the question of which is actually the smarter the car?

[anonymous-user]

Well, I've got a Corvette Stingray and a modern Porsche. They are very different from each other yet both utterly brilliant cars IMO.

As regards 911, I've never owned one and still don't feel the need....

[DM525i]

Once I would have laughed at the American car but now it would be my choice. I can't stand all the Porsche BS around at the moment. The Corvette seems a more honest product. Make America Great - go Corvette.

[MDL111]

Mmhh Rossfeldstrasse - maybe get the car out and take a drive up there for the first time this year ....

[DM525i]

Viewing various online content I would say that the Americans are far more in touch with what drivers want. The European manufactures appear to me to be in a technology war with themselves and the world. I'm not entirely sure that what they are producing is actually of any real benefit in the real world. They are designing sports cars to go around the Nurburgring at silly speeds leading to productions cars that aren't QUITE what is needed in the real world. The interiors of many European sports car that I have seen pictures of look like nasty theme part attractions, pit speed buttons and all that. America all the way. The only thing that worries me about American car is their size.

[MiggyA]

DM525i said:

Viewing various online content I would say that the Americans are far more in touch with what drivers want. The European manufactures appear to me to be in a technology war with themselves and the world. I'm not entirely sure that what they are producing is actually of any real benefit in the real world. They are designing sports cars to go around the Nurburgring at silly speeds leading to productions cars that aren't QUITE what is needed in the real world. The interiors of many European sports car that I have seen pictures of look like nasty theme part attractions, pit speed buttons and all that. America all the way. The only thing that worries me about American car is their size.

Absolutely this.

[VGTICE]

The guy driving in the video is either very tall or he sitting way too close to the steering wheel. Either way it has to be the Corvette.

[tjlees]

Love American muscle cars!

To date all of ones I've driven don't translate well into the uk for me (quality, size, mpg, reliability etc). Maybe this one will change my mind.

I feel an American road trip coming on

Europe's obsession with emissions is ruining the car experience for me through EPS, demise of NA engines, smaller 4 pot engines, coasting, stop/start, eco tips etc etc.

I don't mind the tech such as 4WS providing it adds to sensory overload, but yesterday's track day in an AA2 reminded me why I don't need ABS, powered steering, traction control nor AWD to have LOTS of fun!

[Veeayt]

Terrible gear ratios on that 'vette