Daily Slideshow: How It Really Feels to Drive a Corvette

1. Is it possible to put into words?

There's something special about a Corvette. Anyone who has spent an hour behind the wheel of one already knows what we're talking about. When someone first buys a Corvette, there's a good chance they'll end up becoming a customer for life. That brand loyalty's gotta be coming from somewhere.

Corvette has had half a century to evolve. Indeed it has evolved, but there's a certain feeling that remains constant across all generations. Some will acquiesce that the feeling's impossible to do justice in words, though we've seen at least one case where "Corvetteness" seemed to do the trick. Maybe it's that feeling of knowing you're driving an icon of American culture. Whatever generation you're driving in did a lot to define the auto aesthetics of its era. Modern or classic, that kind of influence sticks around.

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2. Feeling like you're in the movies.

You can't call yourself a fan of American sports cars unless you're at least a bit nostalgic for the golden age of muscle cars. It's not just the raw energy of those classic models that made them so cool. At a certain point (peaking in the 1970s) you could find Corvettes plastered all throughout pop culture. Movies made the 'Vette the chosen vessel of energetic young heroes, and songs made them an icon to idolize. The modern Corvette tends to attract an older demographic these days, but there's no shaking the sort of "eternal cool" a car earns once it's lifted to symbolic status.

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3. The vintage Corvettes are defined by raw power.

If you compare it to the refined auto transmission and slick feel of modern Corvettes, the original C1 Corvette feels like you're practically wheeling about in a Tiger tank. There would be marked improvements in the handling of each generation from C2 onward. Even if Corvette has retained a common character over the course of decades, a driver accustomed to the later models might be alienated by the ballsy lack of handholding that characterized the vintage era.

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4. Newer models are characterized by their smooth handling.

In contrast, the newer Corvette eras are engineered for refined handling and driver friendliness. The automatic transmission was all but perfected by the C5 era, and the handling feels buttery smooth when you consider the V8 stopping power you're working with under the hood.

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5. Killer power in a domestic disguise.

Though you're bound to turn some heads driving around in a vintage C2, there's something Chevrolet managed to do with the design of the C5 generation onward that made it the perfect luxury car for everyday life. While the Corvette certainly doesn't blend in-- practically anyone can recognize one from the flag-taillights alone-- no other car of its kind feels so proper and appropriate as a daily driver. Regardless how it might feel to drive, owners of a 'Vette are more likely to drive to and from work than race it around a track. In any case, it's nice to have a car that packs a punch without coming off as an absurd power fantasy a la Ferrari.

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6. There's a pleasant social aspect too.

Let's face it; if you're driving around in a Corvette, you know you'll be drawing attention. Whether it's a vintage classic or modern variant, the reactions are very apparent. Even owners who daily drive a stock C6 take notice of the special recognition the car's receives around town; everyone from drive-thru attendants to other Corvette owners themselves.

Speaking of which, we couldn't go without mentioning the close-knit community. Arguably more than any other sports car, buying a Corvette really is like joining a new extended family. Even then, it's only rivaled by Harley-Davidson in its motor cult fandom. Corvette owners often tell stories of how fixing an old Corvette brought their family closer together, or how best friends first bonded over which 'Vette generation was most glorious. Indirect though it may be, the way a Corvette facilitates warmth and camaraderie does wonders for the positive emotional association.

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7. A Corvette is fun on wheels.

The Corvette is a really fun car to drive. Plain and simple. People wouldn't invest in a luxury car like this if it wasn't fun. One thing the pragmatist naysayers don't understand is the way a car can shape the mood of the person driving it. All things taken together, there's a great sense of uplift and freedom when you're behind the wheel of one. As it happens, Corvette owners may find themselves motivated to go off on open road adventures that might have seemed lame in an ordinary car.

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8. Things will eventually get personal.

You may have noticed that Corvettes seem to affect their owners differently than other cars. It's certainly common enough for a driver to develop some bond with their cars, but this is special. As you grow, your Corvette will grow with you. In its own way, it can feel like part of the family. A connection can last forever. Such as it is, you'll sometimes see owners by a new 'Vette without selling or letting go of the old one.

This trend is facilitated by the fact that Corvettes make glowing investments in the long run. Because an owner knows a Corvette will never truly become obsolete, the ends up connection feeling permanent.

In other words, just like family.

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