Did some of you actually read the article, or did you just scan the participating cars and where they were ranked? If you took the time to read the article, the author said up front that this particular comparison was not a traditional “best overall performance” or “best handling” documentation. They said, and I quote:
Quote:
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… this year we're going to [consider] such nuances as a car's ability to induce driver confidence and its prowess at enveloping our judges in ergonomic delight. We even deemed it important to examine not only steering feel but also steering-wheel feel: That's right, how well does the shape of the helm satisfy the fingers? These and other criteria are all scrutinized in the following pages.
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I don’t think there is anyone out there who will argue that the Corvette ZR1 would win any
performance test, hands down over the rest of the cars in the field, nor would anyone ever think that a GT500 would even compare favorably, let alone place ahead of that car on any track. But then again, this was not a “best performance car” article; it was a best
driver’s car article.
Using the quote above, the ZR1 scored a 6th place finish in this compare because apparently, despite its awesomeness, it failed to inspire driver confidence or ergonomic delight. While we all recognize the performance that comes with a ZR1, I doubt there are very many of us that would feel comfortable getting behind the wheel of that car for the first time and trying to reach its potential. IMO, I think that’s what they were trying to say when they referenced driver confidence.
Then there is the issue of ergonomic comfort, which is probably 90% subjective, at least. I can see where they are coming from here, as well. While many here don’t mind or even like the design and layout of the Gen5 interior, I would hazard to guess that a majority of people who are not Camaro enthusiasts would have issues with it. Let’s face it, when the GT500’s first hit the showrooms, the interior design and materials were its biggest shortcoming, yet die-hard Mustang/Shelby guys reacted much like Gen5 owners do now and said things like “it’s not that bad” or “I didn’t but the car for its interior”, etc. However, the average person who did not have a special affection for the car tended to point out the interior as a shortcoming.
If you will just view the article for what it is, you will see that getting all bent out of shape for where a particular car is placed should not be an issue. If you feel anything less than a straight up performance comparison is stupid, then this particular article will only serve to make you angry.
Life’s too short to get riled up over
any vehicle, let alone a magazine article that might have placed whatever beloved nameplate you prefer in a less-than-flattering light.