What if you could drive every generation of Corvette and then rank them from worst to best?

Not many of us will ever have that opportunity. I’ve driven everything from the C3 through the C8, but before my last breath, I’m still hoping to get behind the wheel of a C1 and C2.

Fortunately, Brad Hansen of Retro Cars Forever has picked up the slack.

Hansen says he has driven more than 50 Corvettes, including at least one from every generation, and has owned three himself — a C4, C5 and C6. After years of thinking about it, he decided it was finally time to rank all eight generations.

And there are some surprises.

Hansen didn’t simply choose his favorite Corvette. He considered the entire run of each generation, including the various model years, engines, options and special editions available from Chevrolet. He also weighed what the cars are like to own and drive today against how they compared with their competition when new.

“I love every Corvette, and I don’t think there’s a truly bad one in the bunch,” Hansen says early in the video. That doesn’t mean he went easy on them.

Some generations get knocked for crude suspensions, cramped interiors or declining performance. Others lose points for questionable build quality, dated technology, difficult maintenance or an increasing disconnect between the driver and the road.

Hansen also gives plenty of credit where he believes it is deserved.

He praises the enormous performance gains Corvette has made through the decades, along with improvements in handling, comfort, structural rigidity, interior quality and everyday usability. He also considers how certain generations introduced innovations that influenced the Corvettes that followed.

Perhaps the biggest surprise comes near the bottom of the rankings.

One generation capable of staggering performance finishes far lower than many Corvette fans will probably expect. Hansen readily acknowledges its extraordinary speed, power and technology, but argues that those strengths don’t necessarily make it one of the most satisfying Corvettes to experience.

Another generation that spent years being overlooked gets considerable praise for the performance it offered in its day and the value it represents today. And two closely related generations wind up battling near the very top because of their combination of speed, practicality, reliability and affordability.

Then there’s the winner.

We won’t spoil that one — or any of Hansen’s eight positions.

Part of the fun is watching him make his case as he works his way from eighth to first. Corvette owners are almost guaranteed to disagree with at least part of the list, particularly when their own generation appears.

That’s also the point.

After more than seven decades and eight generations, choosing the “best” Corvette depends on far more than horsepower or acceleration. Styling, driving experience, historical significance, reliability, practicality and even nostalgia all enter the equation.

Hansen has driven enough Corvettes to form his opinion.

Now watch the video, see his complete ranking — and decide whether he got it right.

Source:
Retro Cars Forever

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