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Attention GM: Don't Let This Icon Die
Ten years ago there was another Chevrolet model with similar traits: iconic nameplate, powerful V8, plenty of performance for the dollar despite a clearly aging design. It was called the Camaro, and we hope Chevrolet isn't setting the Corvette up for a similar fate….

In the meantime, it remains a near ideal balance of poise and punk, sobriety and savageness. And it still makes a fabulously visceral alternative to the latest high-tech forms of entertainment.

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Yes, the steering system for the 2008 Corvette has already been upgraded to improve feedback and the ZR1 incorporates the appropriate hardware, but if you're expecting Porsche GT3 steering you will be disappointed. The ZR1's steering works fine, though. Did we mention 638 hp? The clutch (an agreeable new dual-plate design) and shift lever (connected to a Tremec TR6060 six-speed manual) work fine, too. That 638 hp, it's a lot, don't you think?

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VENICIAN VETTE PARTS INFO: Comparisons to last year's Chevy Corvette Z06 should come as no surprise given the C6's nearly identical horsepower (400) and torque (400) ratings. Its LS2 V8 is yet another standout in a long line of overachieving small-block Chevy V8s. Slightly larger cylinder bores result in 6.0 liters of displacement, while typical hot-rodder tricks like more cam lift and higher compression help the all-aluminum engine deliver its stampede of power. A 6,500-rpm redline gives you plenty of room to play, and no matter where you are in the power band, there's more than enough power to light up its fat set of run-flat tires.

A star performance at the racetrack was expected, but even on our extended test-drive the LS2 showed why sticking with its somewhat low-tech design isn't such a bad idea. All the right sounds make their way to the driver's ears whether you're up against the redline or mixing in with traffic. Unlike some European sports cars, the Corvette's engine doesn't sound like some piece of detached machinery playing over the stereo speakers, this is an engine that you can feel. A revised exhaust system not only gets rid of the ugly transversely mounted muffler at the rear, it filters out low-rpm droning that can make cruising at certain speeds tiresome.
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When, and How Much?
Cooksey tells us that one day late in June, his plant will make a rolling change from the 2007 to the 2008 model with no plant downtime. By August, the new 2008 Chevrolet Corvette coupes and convertibles should appear at a Dealer Near You.

There are, however, virtually no changes to the 2008 Corvette Z06, as we await the ultrahigh-performance 2009 Corvette model that no one here at the center of the Corvette universe denies is coming. They do, however, worry about the likelihood that most of these super Vettes will end up in the hands of collectors. "I'm not sure you'll be able to touch one for under $150,000," one executive lamented.

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VENICIAN VETTE: But even with the generous dollop of horsepower, the Traverse is almost torque steer-free. The new six-speed transmission is smooth and we didn't get. It can be shifted manually, however, by moving the gearlever into "L" and then clicking a rocker on shifter.

For more photos including interior details view the photo gallery below.

The Traverse was quiet on the highway and thoroughly sophisticated, but it is also thoroughly unexciting to drive. Try to drive it like a sports car and the Traverse will roll its eyes in bewilderment that anyone would even try.