sl6toc6

I am new to the forum and was wondering if anybody could give me an idea of how much airflow you get in the cabin with the top off and with the top down on a vert. With the vert, is the wind block necessary or does the closeness of the deck keep the air from swirling back in? I currently have an SL and if you are doing more than 200kph without the windblock up, you are really getting whipped around and it can get annoying. I have driven a few targas before but don't remember having much airflow at all.

Also, does anybody know of any significant differences between the US and European versions other than instrumentation and some trim items?

Thanks in advance for any input.

Corvette Junkie

I have never seen a need for any kind of wind block on the C5 or C6. There is less buffeting in the vert with the top down than there is in a coupe with the top off.

sl6toc6

Thanks for the input. I currently live in Germany and have only been able to find one dealer who has any cars and he only has one that you can test drive, not a vert. I have to wait till the military sales people over here can order the '06 cars to order mine but wanted to get as much info as possible since as I said, test driving here is limited.

S2K

There is actually quite a bit of wind that comes through the cabin. My previous car, and S2000, had a windblock that I thought was marginally effective. However, I come to find that it was substantially more effective than the stock C6. That said, I am not getting a windblock because I don't like the looks. I can deal with a bit of wind. However, there is a lot of wind and your sensitivity to it shall dictate whether a blocker is worth it or not.

vrodder64

In regards to turbulance with the targa, if things are not secure in the rear of the car while going lid-less things can get a little scarey.

My girlfriend and I found out that at 114MPH things like hats and shirts will be launched forward towards the front windshield if not securred. This made us appreciate the cargo neat in the rear all the more.

I really like the targa. My previous two cars which were, non Corvette, convertibles have made me really appreciate the quite of the interior when the targa top is in place.

Good luck on your fact finding mission.

MAJESTICMAGNETIC

I don't have my C6 convertible yet, but my C5 does allow a bit of a breeze. I like my grey hair to blow in the wind.

nikovette

There is quite a lot of airflow IMO. I was quite surprised how much buffeting you get from the rear of the car. I'm looking forward to hearing how a windbreak performs, and how how easy it is to mount/dismount on the C6.

tom4416

Hard to judge at 200kph since we don't get to drive (legally) those kinds of speeds. With the targa top off and the windows down about an inch, wind buffeting is minimal at 75/80mph, picks up considerably with the windows either all the way up or down. I've ridden at the same speeds in my buddies LMB C6 Vert and wind buffeting is pretty serious even at 55mph so I'd say some type of windblocker is going to be necessary for sustained rides at speed (especially your speeds!).

sl6toc6

Thank you everybody for the input. I know that everything is subjective and that is why the forum is nice, you get to see a pretty broad cross section of opinions on different issues. I don't mind the wind much and have gotten used to always keeping all loose items in the trunk and not wearing clothes that will be flapping around too much. The SL has a fairly large open area behind the seats which is why I had thought the c6 might have less buffetting but it sounds to be pretty similar. With a girlfriend who lives in the Czech Republic, I spend a lot of time travelling the autobahns and look forward to having the c6 out there seeing what it'll do. Test drives never give a thorough picture. Thanks again and I'll be sure to wave when I get back to the States!

PJinNJ

For the coupe I wish someone made a mesh top like I have on my Jeep, would be a fanatstic opportunity for a vendor.

RAP

Remember hes talking 200kph the and that's in the neighborhood of 125 MPH.

BTW what part of Germany are you in....I just posted about a new dealership that open in Mannheim. and I know there is at least on dealer at a Corvette Center near Frankfurt that does all generations of Vettes. So far I'veonly seen the Coupes over here in Germany. but I have a Convertible on a boat to Germany right now.

One of the differences most people notice right away is that the Euro models have headlight sprayers that pop outwhich is required by law in Germany for vehicles with HID headlights. I believe that the Z51 package options are pretty standard as well, coolers and brakes at least......not sure though.

sl6toc6

@ RAP
I'm currently in Schweinfurt after returning from Iraq but will be moving to Hohenfels in a couple months as my unit is going away.

The only dealer around here is actually an Opel dealer in Wurzburg I haven't pushed out too far yet. Is your vert coming from a purchase you made with a stateside dealership or just one you are moving here with? I considered trying to find somebody to ship one to me rather than going through mil. sales with their limited allotment.

I noticed the pop up sprayers. That dealer only had 2 coupe but is getting a silver vert in May.

RAP

A large number of Corvette/Cadilac Dealer are at Opel dealerships.....usualy ones that don't also have Saab. I got mine through militery sales. Put down the $2,000 deposit almost a year ago, just to get in the lottery to see if I could have the honor of buying from their limited supply. They won't be having the lottery as early this year with the later date of production now for the 2006 models. but get your name in early if you really want one, that's how I did it. Had my allocation before most people over here knew the model was changing and before all the great magazine write -ups started coming out. I got lucky allocation #13 of about 50 for all overseas purchases. Only 2 allocations made it to Heidelberg. The other one was someone PCSing and did stateside delivery. A large part of the money for this purchase came from my deployment for OIF 1. Not much to spend your money on in Bahgdad.

A guy that races his Z06 out here at the Hokenheim ring is looking for the new Z06 as well and will probably ship from stateside. It looks like there is only going to be 2 allocated next year. I heard that someone got the 1 allocation for the Ford GT40. Got that for a chunk under MSRP, pretty good when ya can't find them hardly below $200,000.

sl6toc6

I had originally gone and asked about the Z06 and planned on getting in on that lottery but after driving around the last couple weeks in the SL with the top down, I knew that I wouldn't be able to go without a vert so am now looking at an '06 through mil. sales first.

I have been to Hokenheim ring on my motorcycle to see about riding but that day they had changed their schedule and we couldn't run. Went to Brno a couple weeks later instead for a club weekend.

ALFONSE

With the top down you get wind, sometime more , sometime less depending on speed and if the outside wind is already blowing hard. I'm a little curious of this question, it's kind of like asking if you get wind in your face if your driving a motorcycle? Any time you put a top down, take the roof off or even open a window you have to expect more air flowing in. At 70 M.P.H. you can still have a conversation or listen to the radio top down.
AL

sl6toc6

Al
I know that there will be wind with the top down but I have driven verts with an airflow such that it blows back nicely through the cabin and then there are those that are very turbulent and will really thrash the occupants without having a windblock behind the seats. I have had several verts through the years and as I said with my SL, it is one of the better ones that I have driven but still as you get up close to 100 mph it gets rough and up around 125-140 which is what I am usually cruising at when traffic allows, it gets quite bad without the wind block.

By the way, this is why I don't ride any of my bikes long distances on the autobahn. Tracks sprinting up to 150 or so and then slowing back for tight curves is fine but a couple hundred miles of that straight really gets tiring.

ALFONSE

Ah yes the Autobahn, that was fun, those people respect speed! Had the vert out just a couple of times (3 weeks old) one time not bad at 80 M.P.H. but the other time the wind was gusting at 30 M.P.H. and driving even 60 M.P.H. there was turbulence in the cabin. I think my SLK32 with the top down had a little better wind direction, at 130 M.P.H. on the Autobahn I'm not sure.
AL

RAP

I'll give ya more of an Autobahn update when mine arrives in a few weeks.....hoping (doubt it though) that it will be sitting in Heidelberg when I get back from 2 weeks down in Vilseck. BTW the ring is only about 7-8 down the road from me.