Corvette C7 Magnetic Ride Gets a Tune Up
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, yet Chevrolet just did. The C7 got a magnetic ride software update. So, should you upgrade your C7?
Magnetic ride is one of the most amazing features on the C7 Corvette. The ability to adjust and tune the suspension with just the push of a button is like magic. Originally developed for the Cadillac STS and launched in 2002, magnetic ride suspension has become the standard for luxury cars. High-end performance brands like Ferrari, Bentley, and Lamborghini use a version of magnetic ride in their cars. The system is relatively simple, using magnetic iron particles in the shock fluid and then applying an electro-magnetic to them. The force of the magnet changes how the fluid reacts in the shocks.
This computer controlled system allows the engineers to tune the ride of the car with software. They test the car on different road conditions and make changes to improve the ride. On a racetrack, the tuning becomes even more important for improving performance. Chevrolet spent a lot of time and money engineering the C7 to have the best performance out of the showroom. Since the launch in 2014, their engineers have been hard at work refining the suspension tuning. In particular, they have been improving the C7 Z06 on the track. So, how much can a bit of tuning do?
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On 2015-2016 C7 Z06s with the FE6 and FE7 suspension, the engineers have seen a one second improvement in lap times on their test track. This is without any other modification, just the magnetic ride recalibration. This tuning is not just for the mighty Z06, any C7 Stingray can receive an improvement in Tour, Sport, and Track settings. Best of all, this tuning is available at you local Chevrolet dealer and it only cost $350. Aside from track time with an instructor, how else can you improve your C7 for so little? Let us know what you think in the comments.
