Tuesday 5th November 2013

Kazunori Yamauchi in a Stingray: Time For Tea?

Corvette calls it the 'Reverse Test Drive', which isn't what it sounds like

---

If you've read our Kazunori Yamauchi interview, you'll know 'Mr Gran Turismo' is fairly handy behind the wheel. By which we mean a class-winner at the Nurburgring 24 hours.

So when the guys from Chevrolet drop him behind the wheel of a Corvette C7, you'd expect him to be rather good. And as it transpires, he certainly is. Filmed as part of Chevrolet's Reverse Test Drive Series, Kazunori is plastered in monitoring sensors to measure how his body reacts to thrashing a Stingray round the track.

There is some PR promo chintz to the video, but there's some science behind it too. Monitoring his heart rate and brain functions during the drive shows how calm he remains throughout the whole thing. In fact, his entirely stoic facial expression suggests he may not even be enjoying it. He must be, right?

Something Kazunori doesn't look particularly comfortable with is describing the Stingray as 'one of those beautiful cars you only see once every few decades'. He doesn't look up at the camera once!

And if you'd rather see someone look terrified driving a Corvette, see the video of 'FitFluential' founder Kelly Olexa.

Watch Kazunori here

 

 

 

[OutOfSync]

Is he any relation of Hiroshi Yamauchi, who was head of Nintendo from the 80s and now sadly departed?

[RumbleOfThunder]

Another paid for "article" by Sony/GT.

[HughG]

What a load of $hite. Nice looking car though.

[Ved]

Well I'll be staying up for 3 minutes longer tonight to get that back.

[menoy]

Well it's easy to not get over-excited if you're merely taking the car out for a stroll Personal opinion, but it seems like the words on "beauty" and "cover worthiness" weren't exactly honest...

[mybrainhurts]

What a load of tripe.

Looks like he's straining to curl one out in his overalls. WTjollyF?

[SergSC]

Erm... so they have biometrically proven that he didnt get excited driving it?
I dont belive the car is boring, but talk about shooting ones foot...

[Studio117]

Is pistonheads lacking that much content that we need video adverts and copy and paste blogs?

[Mound Dawg]

Not exactly pushing it was he?

[DodoRacing]

I agree with shooting themselves on the foot comment. Who wants to buy a sportscar that is not exciting to drive on the track?

[Midgster]

Gran Turismo or a Corvette? Hmmm, let me think. Well after that video, Gran Turismo looks a hell of a lot much more fun!

[LordPetroleum]

LOL, thank fook I read your collective comments before wasting my time watching this, man hugs for all you guys, you saved me 3 minutes of my life.

[k-ink]

I really want to love this. I respect the ethos of a fairly simple, light car with a large NA V8 and no doubt rock solid reliability. But the looks are not right from the rear. It has a very square and dull looking ass. Any car with four exhausts inevitably looks utter st as well. It should be a 10/10 car. But the rear end makes it a 5 at tops. Sad to say, no thanks.

[Carnnoisseur]

Took it in his stride because he was hardly moving.

I cant warm to that Corvette. I usually like them, but this model does nothing for me...

[MC Bodge]

A real Corvette:

[rottie102]

W..... T...... F....... ?????


Is that the new breed of sportscar promo materials????

Why Chevy why???

[deltashad]

WTF was that all about? Some chinese guy cruising in a 'vette with a smile on his face like he's getting lucky with some young teen chick on his lap.

[WokkaWokka]

deltashad said:

WTF was that all about? Some Japanese guy cruising in a 'vette with a smile on his face like he's getting lucky with some young teen chick on his lap.

Edited and yes it was terribly bad marketing.

[BogBeast]

Love the car, would have one if I could..

[Matt UK]

Well that was a bit crap. C'mon PH, have an advertising section somewhere so that if we want to see stuff like this and the awful dyson advert haymarket no doubt insist on, we can go see it.