If There Were People Who Doubted

“If there were people who doubted whether or not the large American companies knew how to build a real sports car or whether or not they were interested in building one, they all know differently now.”

                          --Paul Frere, Auto, Motor und Sport

Noted European automotive journalist Paul recently put a Corvette Sting Ray through its paces in a road test for the German magazine, Auto, Motor und Sport.  The above is a summary of his findings.  Below are a few detailed comments.

            Speaking of Corvette’s handling, Mr. Frere said, “The driving characteristics of the Sting Ray are by all means comparable with the best European sports cars.  The suspension is soft but well adjusted, which gives you a high degree of driving comfort and a feeling of safety at high speeds on streets which are not particularly smooth…The steering has to be called exemplary.”

            Mr. Frere found the Corvette transmission to his liking: “The shifting itself is an actual pleasure with the short, precise and smooth lever.  All gears are absolutely foolproof synchronized and the shifting process takes place as fast as you can move the lever from one position to the other.”

            Of the Corvette Sting Ray’s overall sports car capabilities, Mr. Frere concluded, “The Sting Ray in this respect is not second to any one of the best European sports cars…It can compete with them in price, even in Europe, and it tops them all in one area which is very important to those drivers who do not use their sports cars for fun only: There is a wide-spread, well organized customer service available.”