Porsche vs. Corvette: Rematch

 

To me there’s nothing better than taking two epic sports cars and pitting them against each other in a dual to see which one comes out on top. Last month Motor Trend did just that when they put the Chevy Corvette Grand Sport in the ring with the Porsche 911 Carrera S. It sounded like a decent matchup until I realized the 40k price difference between the two. Was Motor Trend kidding? I’m a diehard vette lover but I’d hope at almost twice the price the 911 would come out on top. So to move past Motor Trend’s almost comical comparison I decided to do a more price equal one of my own. Yes the contenders are still a Corvette and a Porsche, but this time the ZR1 vs. the 911 Carrera 4 GTS. With the ZR1 coming in at about $111k and the GTS at just over $110k these two wild animals should match up much better than the previous two. Check out the jump for the comparison. 

Let’s start with the 911. The Carrera 4 GTS is unsurprisingly equipped with a 3.8 liter straight 6 that puts out 408 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. That might not sound like a whole lot from a $100k car but Porsche is extremely good at utilizing all of the power that their engines produce. The GTS reaches 60 mph in a respectable 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 187 mph (6-speed manual). Porsche’s all wheel drive system (PTM) helps put all those ponies too use around corners and the automatic brake differential (ABD) helps maintain traction on all different surfaces. The Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS is undeniably an outstanding sports car, but how does it stack up against the ZR1?

In my opinion, it doesn’t. The ZR1 is in a class above the Carrera 4 GTS. And people may argue whether or not the ZR1 is a Supercar, but with stats that rival some of the fastest Ferrari’s and Lambo’s out there, how can you argue that it isn’t?. Fitted with the most powerful engine GM has ever produced (a handcrafted supercharged 6.2 liter V8) the ZR1 boasts 638 hp and 604 lb-ft of torque. That’s 230 more hp than the Porsche and almost double the torque. The stats get more ridiculous too. With a blistering 0-60 time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 205 mph this monster Corvette screams past the Carrera 4 GTS. In fact it fly’s by almost everything in its price range. With GM’s magneto-Rheological based suspension the ZR1 isn’t just fast in a straight line either. The suspension is constantly adjusting itself depending on the driving conditions, which means tight cornering around the track and smooth cruising on the open road.

Now you may think I’m bias toward the Corvette, and you’d be right. But opinion aside the numbers speak for themselves. And if you’re saying to yourself “ya but the Porsche is built better, and you can actually use it as a daily driver”, you’d be right again. But if you’re going for pure performance and exhilaration the ZR1 is by far the better car. So If you’re in the market for a sports car, have a budget of around 100k, and are deciding between a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS and a Corvette ZR1, go with the ZR1 and you definitely won’t be disappointed.