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Class VS. Crass: Chevy's Corvette ZR1 Challenges Porsche's 911 Turbo - But Which Would YOU Choose?

Agent00J submitted on 07/26/2008 Official AutoSpies Timestamp: 8:46 AM
from: www.autospies.com

[46] user comments | category: New Cars

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Class VS. Crass: Chevy's Corvette ZR1 Challenges Porsche's 911 Turbo - But Which Would YOU Choose?

Crass vs. Class

For fans of the Corvette, news this week of the start of production of the new ZR1 Corvette brought smiles to their faces. This brute produces 620 HP and is rumored to hit 200 MPH while keeping its two passengers comfortable in a leather-lined cabin. There is nothing subtle about this car; it oozes attitude. You buy this car to be seen in, and Chevrolet has done a great job making the ZR1 truly special.

Whether staring at the blue calipers behind the new rims or the clear Plexiglas window to show off the engine beneath, it is obvious the ZR1 development team did not want this super Corvette to be mistaken for just an ordinary Corvette.

Chevrolet will have no problems selling everyone single one it produces, and since production will be limited markups at the dealer level are almost a guarantee.

The ZR1 truly is a super car, it is bold, brazen and has that “in your face” crass attitude. I like this car and the attitude it puts forth.

But what if you want a little class?

Perhaps the Porsche 911 Turbo would better suit your style. If the ZR1 is crass, the 911 Turbo certainly exudes class. Granted costing almost $30k more, it is a big jump from the $100k price tag of the ZR1, but face it, people who can afford a $100k car most likely can afford a $130k car.

The 911 Turbo is the most technological 911 Turbo to date. Showcasing the latest and greatest Porsche technology, the 3.6-liter flat six utilizes two small turbo chargers to help it achieve a top speed of nearly 200 MPH. Both cars make the sprint to sixty miles per hour in less than 4-seconds and both can be driven daily with little compromise in comfort.

But which car would you buy if you had the money. While the Porsche really does give the image of class, the Corvette is quite the opposite in its demeanor. Not that that is a bad thing. For $100k I would expect the car I am driving to get second and third glances. The Porsche has been with us in the same general shape and form for over 40 years, and as such doesn’t turn heads like it used to.

If the Porsche is the kind of car you would bring home to meet your Mom, the Corvette is the car you brag to all your buddies about, but your Mom never gets to meet.

You won’t lose by choosing one over the other. Given the scarcity of the ZR1, I would guess that it will increase in value over time, but a true enthusiast doesn’t buy a car to sit in a vault, but to enjoy out on the road.

So which would you choose, the classy Porsche 911 Turbo, or the in your face Corvette ZR1?

Yeah, I can hear you all already, why didn’t you compare the Corvette to _____? Let not your heart be troubled, I am already ahead of you on this question. Both the Corvette and the 911 have a long heritage spanning multiple decades. This heritage is something that cannot be claimed by to many cars, and while others have come and gone to challenge both the Corvette and the 911, only these two have stood the test of time to survive.

So go ahead and let us know which you would choose – 911 Turbo or Corvette ZR1.

With all this talk of crass and class, I can assure you a big dose of class when you check out the Mercedes Fashion Show Gallery.

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85bmw745i - 7/27/2008 7:52:20 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

The porsche by far If money weren't an object. The vette has impressive numbers but still suffers from horrifically cheap interior and flimsy body panels, especially the rear. The porsche has so much more to offer, especialy the interior, but you do get what you pay for, and if Chevy put the same quality interior as the porsche it wouldn't be as much as a bargain.

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85bmw745i - 7/27/2008 7:57:30 PMView My AgentSpace

+4 Boost

MY bad I was thinking Z06. the vette is a great machine no doubt, but I'd have to go with the porsche, it has more of what I want in a car. I wan't more than just shear performance numbers. I want comfortable seats, quality hadcrafting and finely made materials, and an excellent fit and finish, without cheap switchgear and coprporate parts that are found in a cobalt and other GM products. I think if the vette were more exclusive as far as switchgear and electronics like climate control and audio it would be better. Remember the vettes from the 80's had their own electronics and switchgear.

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85bmw745i - 7/27/2008 8:03:33 PMView My AgentSpace

+1 Boost

Wasn't trying to bash the Vette though, it is one hell of a car, and for the track It wins hands down.

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pcar4evr - 7/26/2008 9:51:49 AM

+3 Boost

For the street, turbo - for the track, ZR1 (need one of each). I'm a 997 turbo owner and don't see the ZR1 as crass at all. Crass is reserved for the GTR.

If I was buying right now, I wouldn't buy either. I'd buy the 997.5 Carrera S and leave a deposit on the next gen turbo

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sector - 7/26/2008 3:55:52 PM

-4 Boost

Your over priced beetle turbo comes off the assembly line and is nothing special either. GT-R is a precision instrument with hand build engines and technology Porsches can't even shake a stick at. I bet your ego got some bruising when you first heard a Datsun wasted no time in trashing your little precious :)

F1_Driver - 7/26/2008 6:20:21 PM

+3 Boost

^^^^^A prime example of a badge whore. For me, the Chevy wins hands down. The Porsche 911 Turbo is overpriced for what you get and don't tell me that prestige is worth the extra $30,000 because that's purely BS. Certainly, prestige won't get you around the Nurburgring in 7:26.

pcar4evr - 7/27/2008 4:57:09 AM

+3 Boost

if you idiots think driving a Porsche is about prestige, read this month's issue of Winding Road and try to grow up

Agent63 - 7/27/2008 7:26:43 AMView My AgentSpace

-1 Boost

You guys just hate him because he drives a nice car. You guys calling it a beetle ok fine but it's one beetle that is anything but ugly nor slow. Just because you own a Porsche doesn't mean you're a badge whore. What happened to someone liking the car for what it is. All you Nissan fanboys like the GT-R because of all the hype built around it. You guys would never understand how it is not to be a fanboy but just love all the options god has given us in terms of cars to choose from. We're all entitled to pick our poison so whatever gets us high we'll buy it (metaphorically speaking).

My R8 and pcar's 997 Turbo has much more curb appeal than the ZR1 and the GT-R will ever have. I rather drive a slightly slower car that's got one of the industry's best fit and finish than a car with cheap plastic generic interior parts that run through the entire lineup. Fact of the matter is I would still choose a Gallardo or F430 over a GT-R not because i'm a badge whore but it brings chills down my spine when I drive it. I drove the GT-R last week and took it for a highway run and it felt too safe and had no sense of occasion. I'm sorry just that alone ruins it for me. It's not always about numbers fanboys. The GT-R is a great car though and it does its job very very well.

Tour18 - 7/27/2008 12:26:12 PM

+1 Boost

Your ricer guys are too funny.

85bmw745i - 7/27/2008 8:04:39 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

good point F1 driver

CommonSense01 - 7/29/2008 6:43:26 PM

+1 Boost

Agent63

ooooooh Audi R8, very nice!! Can you please post some pics on your agent space, i love the car, would love to see some fresh pics.

KZ258 - 7/26/2008 10:47:28 AM

+3 Boost

this is a stupid article

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SteadFast - 7/26/2008 1:55:28 PM

+8 Boost

Well it was posted by OOJ. That's what he does. He even goes as far as to say that the Corvette is classless. That's what happens gentlemen when a so called car enthusiast values vanity and image more than substance. I better stop now before he hits me with his handbag... a Louis Vuitton one mind you!

Agent00J - 7/26/2008 4:29:21 PMView My AgentSpace

0 Boost

You should know by now that I don't carry a Louis Vuitton bag, I carry a Gucci. I just think it looks better getting in and out of a ZR1.

-00J

t_bone - 7/26/2008 10:52:35 AM

+2 Boost

Given that you can't exploit much of either on the street, Porsche always makes a car that is both more entertaining at lower speeds and comfortable for daily use.

The Corvette would be a much better track though, and would be more comparible (and at a similar cost) to the GT3. Come to think of it, then I'd prefer the GT3 as well.

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efua - 7/26/2008 11:29:25 AM

+2 Boost

nice article. Very tough choice though. I think i will end up going with the Porsche. Its more exclusive, classy, and can be driven everyday anywhere.

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theman - 7/26/2008 11:31:06 AM

+2 Boost

Both are increadible cars, and I will always love the 911 more, however, the Corvette is more rare and will demand more attention...

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rom64 - 7/26/2008 11:34:01 AM

-3 Boost

911 Turbo - Understated & Better resale value

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bmwdrvr - 7/26/2008 11:45:45 AM

+1 Boost

well for the record, i guess your saying that because its american, but Corvettes as is tradition have a very high resale value, higher than many cars priced in a similar range...in fact the base corvette actually has a higher estimated resale value(retains a higher percentage of its original cost) than the 911 turbo, or the base 911....do some research you will find the American depreciation stereotype doesnt fit the Corvette in the slightest........but out of these 2 I would say the vette(which I dont see how it is crass its not a viper, and the 911 turbo is none to subtle either) it looks good is very powerful, and im sure will be an amazing drive. I honestly dont like the clear engine conver but otherwise Im loving the car.

Agent00J - 7/26/2008 12:55:19 PMView My AgentSpace

+3 Boost

I would suspect that the ZR1 is going to do quite well over the long haul in terms of value and most likely increase in value.

As for the 911, let's face it, it is a subtle car in comparison to the ZR1. That is not bad thing, just a different market appeal.

-00J

bfghemicuda - 7/26/2008 6:17:49 PM

+1 Boost

A Viper Crass ? Another emotional response without knowledge if a vehicle. ACR Thats for me. As far as the two in question, two different cars. They both have there place

bmwdrvr - 7/26/2008 7:40:59 PM

+4 Boost

I assumed I would be deboosted for stating the truth that the Vettes hold more of their value than the 911, but oh well some people can take the truth some cant

FerrarisR4me - 7/26/2008 11:48:50 AM

+3 Boost

The super Vette for me please

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cyco - 7/26/2008 12:25:22 PM

+3 Boost

The ZR1.

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TauronB2G - 7/26/2008 12:55:36 PM

-3 Boost

Porsche...definitely Vettes don't do it for me anymore at all. I think the 911 is a great daily driver but would also kick butt at the track.
T

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Jordanski - 7/26/2008 1:05:44 PM

-4 Boost

hmmm
american engineering vs. german engineering
CLEAR WINNER
german engineering

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91z4me - 7/26/2008 2:38:25 PM

+2 Boost

I see nothing clear about either car being superior. Each has its aspect. The ZR1 is designed to be the ultimate track car, the Porche is compromising the track performance for comfort. There is a trade off on both. But to say that 1 has inferior engineering is just stupid.

SixxFive - 7/26/2008 4:41:15 PM

0 Boost

Embarassing for Agent 00J to write for an auto enthusiast site and state that "no one notices a 911 because it's been around for 40+ years".....if that's your impression, then you are correct in choosing the ZR1 to feed your ego and compensate for your small mentality.

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MitsuTurbosOn335i - 7/26/2008 4:57:24 PM

+1 Boost

Why do people say the Porsche is low quality, pos, etc..? Are they still really that bad? For the record, i know the Zr1's thrust, especially at higher speeds, will almost totally dominate, but I cannot deny that German road feel that is so prominent.

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investor27 - 7/26/2008 6:43:07 PM

+1 Boost

Porsche 911 Turbo for me. It's a car of high pedigree and class. It still turns my head after 40+ odd years.

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sailnfl - 7/27/2008 12:10:42 AM

-4 Boost

had a z06 with 7000 miles. when they copied the vipers headlamp look I put mine up for sale and got less than 40K. a year old with alittle over 7k miles. hold value? a vette is a vette I see more women (and retired gas station attendants)driving them everyday. I don't even move my eyes at them, same with the karmin gia!the same will hold true for the new prelude, I mean gt-r. the 8.4 viper is so easy to get 700hp out of and you can put the top down. I'll take one of those or a 427 cobra and not pass one all day. lame article.
SLAMMER

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Htay7500 - 7/27/2008 9:40:02 AM

+1 Boost

"the 8.4 viper is so easy to get 700hp out of and you can put the top down. I'll take one of those or a 427 cobra and not pass one all day. lame article."

of course they're better

...in a straight line.

If you're so rich, why don't you get some lessons on grammar?

91z4me - 7/27/2008 1:48:41 PM

+1 Boost

You sold a car because the new version (not yours) has headlamps similar to another car? Wow, how stupid are you?

miracle113 - 7/27/2008 5:48:59 AM

-1 Boost

ring time this, ring time that
like you can get that time if you are in either of the cars.

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miracle113 - 7/27/2008 5:50:14 AM

+1 Boost

but i probably would choose the ZR1

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PrancingHorse - 7/27/2008 6:29:21 AM

+1 Boost

For that kind of $$$ i would get a used Gallardo,a true masterpiece.

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bmwdrvr - 7/29/2008 10:47:12 PM

+1 Boost

ive never really been impressed with the gallardo other than styling its nice but for the 2 extra cylinders, 80 more horses, and thousands of more dollars it wont out run the Audi R8 which was desighned to be more of a grand tourer(everyday supercar) than the more radical R8, not to mention its 500hp makes it as fast to 60 as the 400hp base vette....odd

430man - 7/27/2008 7:23:22 PMView My AgentSpace

+2 Boost

Hey all. I have found the Turbo to be rather sterile and plain among the realm of cars in its class. I haven't driven the ZR1 but would love to see how it drives. I'm sure it's fast, but that's clearly not everything in a car.

BTW- Just joined this site and love it so far. I am an owner of an F430 and am a car fanatic.

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vonbeeler - 7/28/2008 4:43:07 PM

0 Boost

I drove a new turbo and Z06 back to back. Quite different drive but comparable performance. The ZR1 would be tremendous to drive I'm sure. I own a base Vette now with Z-51. However If I was going to spend $120k right now I would get used 07 Z06 for $60k and an SL55 AMG for $60k. They are both readilly availble with less than 10k miles for these prices and have all the power we would ever need.

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