Two of MotorTrend’s Ten Best-Handling Cars in 2023 Are Corvettes
In 2023 over 200 vehicles were tested and the E-Ray and Z06 were two of the best-handling out of all of them.
Many years ago, the Corvette detractors would say that the car was fast in a straight line but show it some curves and the fancy (read expensive) European cars would leave the Corvette in the dust. That argument has not been valid for a long time as the Corvette can handle as well or better than just about any car out there. And that is not just us saying that because we are fans of the model. Hard data backs up the claim that the Corvette is one of the best-handling cars in the world.
In 2023 Motor Trend tested over 200 vehicles. That number includes cars, trucks, and SUVs. And as part of their testing regimen, they put the vehicles through their figure-eight course. This course consists of two circles with 200-foot diameters, their centers placed 500 feet apart. This small course is a great way to determine how well a particular vehicle handles. Just like on a true road course, the vehicle with the quickest figure-eight time is considered the best-handling. The test takes into account accelerative force, braking and lateral g. The Corvette E-Ray and Z06 both finished in the top ten out of the 200 cars tested. In fact, they finished in the top five. Not too shabby.
Fourth Place – E-Ray
The 2024 Corvette E-Ray posted a figure-eight time of 22.5 seconds at a sustained 0.95 g. That placed it well ahead of the much more expensive, and impossible to get, Porsche 911 Sport Classic that was in the number 5 spot. If you were concerned about the all-wheel drive and hybrid system making the Corvette too heavy to handle properly, this should ease those fears. The E-Ray can accelerate as quick or quicker than the Z06 but can handle even better than the Z51-equipped Stingray. Amazing.
Third Place – Z06 with Z07 Package
Coming in third place as the best-handling car tested in 2023 is the Corvette Z06. It posted a time of 22.3 seconds at 0.96 g. So, the most track-focused Corvette you can buy today did manage to beat out the E-Ray, but not by much. Although in the year prior the Motor Trend folks did manage to get a Z06 around their figure-eight in just 21.9 seconds. At the end of the day what it obvious here is that the Corvette is an amazing car and can handle better than almost anything else out there.
First and Second Place
So, what cars were even quicker than the Corvettes? In second place was the Porsche 911 GT3 RS at 21.9 seconds. Keep in mind the GT3 RS is basically a race car, and these are changing hands for close to half a million dollars on the secondary market right now. And in first place is another half million-dollar car, the Ferrari 296 GTB Asseto Fiorano with a time of 21.7 seconds. The Corvette is one of the best-handling cars in the world. What more proof do you need?
Images: Chevrolet
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