Central Wisconsin is filled with large, spring-fed freshwater lakes like this one in the city of Fontana. It's easy to find a great place to photograph your Corvette.
As we've noted before, the new-for-'13 427 Convertible is a home run. Drop the top, put on your favorite tunes, and enjoy one of life's great motoring experiences. Times like these will justify the $75,925 (base) price of admission, as the roar of the LS7 on the open road is pretty close to automotive heaven.
We recently spent several days in the 33rd 427 'vert to be built at the Bowling Green Assembly Plant. Our route took us over the back roads of southern Wisconsin to find out how well the 505hp engine performs in a convertible. But before we tell you about our trip, let's take a closer look at our ride.
The Magnetic Selective Ride...
The Magnetic Selective Ride Control, coupled with the excellent Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires, provides total confidence on tight country roads. Z06-spec brakes quickly scrub speed so you can sweep through the next blind corner.
When the Z06 was introduced for the 2006 model year, convertible enthusiasts bemoaned the absence of a topless version. The Corvette team responded that the new supercar's aluminum frame was not designed to handle an open-top application. People who converted their Z06s into drop-top and targa versions discovered that the engineers were right: A lot of frame strength was lost in the conversion process. The fixed roof in the Z06 (and ZR1) is an important part of the lightweight frame package, one that ties everything together.
When the Grand Sport was introduced in 2010, the convertible option put buyers closer to their open-top Z06 dream, but the car still lacked LS7 power. As a going-away present to the C6, Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter and company responded this year with the 427 Convertible. The car is based on the Grand Sport, with the addition of a carbon hood and fenders. It tips the scales at 3,355 pounds—compared with 3,289 pounds for the Grand Sport—but the 75 extra horses haul the additional weight around with ease. Zero to 60 comes in 3.8 seconds, compared with 4.3 on a similarly equipped Grand Sport convertible. The top speed is 190 mph (with the top up, naturally).
Our tester was an Arctic White convertible with a six-speed manual transmission (no automatic is available) and Diamond Blue interior. It was fitted with the RPO Z25 60th Anniversary Package ($1,075) as well as the RPO Z30 Silver Blue Pearl graphics with two-tone top ($850). Other exterior enhancements included Cyber Gray headlight buckets, special wheels, and the CFZ carbon package ($2,995). The interior was optioned with the top-line 1SC group ($9,500), which includes a power top, memory seats, 60th Anniversary badging, and leather-wrapped interior pieces. These options bumped the price to a heady $91,320.
This small slice of Walworth...
This small slice of Walworth County is filled with sinuous rural roads and excellent restaurants. The area also offers many unique places to stay. We visited Burlington, Delavan, Fontana, Williams Bay, and Lake Geneva during our tour. Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is about a one-hour drive from Lake Geneva.
We picked up our ride in Chicago and headed north into the lower lake country of Wisconsin. Driving in a steady rain, we noticed how tight the top was, and how well the Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires gripped the wet pavement. Our route took us to Walworth County, which has an abundance of variously sized lakes surrounded by rural highways. It's a perfect place to evaluate the 427's road manners.
Many areas in this county have long stretches of lightly traveled highway and twisty backcountry road. We used Lake Geneva as our base and traveled to other nearby population centers such as Delavan, Elkhorn, Burlington, Fontana, and Walworth (see map). We particularly enjoyed driving on the Sheridan Springs road (not shown) and State Road 36, which connect Lake Geneva to the nearby city of Burlington.
These roads are filled with roller-coaster hills and blind corners, necessitating solid underpinnings and excellent brakes. The 427 Convertible was never stressed in this environment—the binders never faded, and the suspension was completely unfazed by the undulating pavement. Power was never a problem, as the big LS7 has plenty of torque to pull you out of most situations. This car really is a blast to drive.
The End of The Line Hotel...
The End of The Line Hotel (800-747-7245) is located in Walworth County near Lake Geneva. It comprises 43 cabooses, three boxcars, and one Pullman coach. The cabooses sit on one mile of unused track, and each one is fully furnished. We thought it a fitting spot to photograph our
Besides the many fun roads that are available to explore, Walworth County offers plenty of restaurants to alleviate your hunger pangs. One of our favorite breakfast stops was Millie's (
www.millieswi.com) in Delavan, which is situated on a 7-acre site dotted with shops to keep you busy while you wait for a table. We also had an excellent upscale dinner at the Fontana Grill, located inside the Abby Resort (
www.theabbeyresort.com) in the city of Fontana. No matter what your tastes are, it's easy to find a great place to refuel your body after working out in your 505hp muscle machine.
The 427 Convertible is truly a fitting sendoff for the C6 generation—and, if the rumors are to be believed, for the LS7 engine. If the idea of a topless "big-block" appeals to you, we suggest you get in line right about…now.
Geneva Ridge Resort in Lake...
Geneva Ridge Resort in Lake Geneva furnishes the perfect country-club setting for our 427 Convertible. (And yes, a set of clubs will fit in the boot.)
Stretches of Wisconsin's State...
Stretches of Wisconsin's State Road 36 provide a great place to unwind the big LS7. The area is filled with a lot of farmland—just watch out for tractors!
St. Mary's Catholic church...
St. Mary's Catholic church in Burlington, Wisconsin, provides a striking backdrop for our 427 Convertible. The church was completed in December 1891 but destroyed by fire in 1977. It reopened in 1979 and currently serves 1,002 households in the Burlington area.
Jon and Barbara Davies graciously...
Jon and Barbara Davies graciously allowed us to photograph our 427 Convertible with their pristine 1963 409 drop-top. A 1930 Waco Taperwing biplane, owned by Gypsy Air Tours, serves as a backdrop.
After we parked our Corvette...
After we parked our Corvette at the Bloomington show, GM let us sample this Cadillac CTS-V for a spell. We took the opportunity to photograph the 556hp
The 22-plus-mile highway that...
The 22-plus-mile highway that encircles Geneva Lake is an excellent spot to drop the top and take a leisurely afternoon cruise.
Our 427 Convertible pauses...
Our 427 Convertible pauses for a breather just off Sheridan Springs Road. This twisting roadway provides the proper setting for evaluating the car's structural rigidity. We found it to be just as solid and rattle free as a standard, LS3-powered 'vert.
The 427 Convertible's interior...
The 427 Convertible's interior is a very comfortable place to be. While the car we drove had a base price of $75,925, options swelled the final tally to $91,320.
The 505hp LS7 engine is built...
The 505hp LS7 engine is built at GM's Performance Build Center near Wixom, Michigan. This specialty engine plant also builds the ZR1's LS9 and the dry-sump LS3 used in manual-trans Grand Sports.