So, this guy Mike shows up with a brand new C7.

Our Chief Driving Instructor had another instructor assigned to Mike and me list as a "flosting instructor" as usual.

Of course I told him WTF - put me in the C7.

Sitting on the grid doing the initial interview on what his goals for the day are, Mike says "Why don't you drive it for the first 15 minutes?".

What!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Little ol me drive it?

So, I drove it, has the suspension in competition mode, turned the silly rev match off and ran it at about 80% in the corners and shifted at 4,500 (wasn't my car after all).

Mike got in and ran the rest of the session (19 years as an autocrosser and can't drive a car ).

Pulled in and it's puking oil. Jacked it up, pulled the front belly pan and it looks like the dry sump pump is lesking. Couldn't even get my hands up in there and didn't want to screw with a warranty repair.

We all felt bad for him but things happen.

The car is impressive, in comp mode it's REALLY stiff.
The shifter blows away the one in the C6, just beautiful.
Steering is impressive.
Power is decent.

The rear end still sucks.

I'd take one though.

I have heard the rear is much improved, or are you referring to looks?

Shame on you :-P

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Looks

Though this car was black and that looked better than the color mixed with black & carbon fiber.

The taillights still stink but that was never my main complaint.

As it was a new car, I didn't hammer it on corner exit but rolled the throttle on.

It corners very well.

I'd like to go full bore in one but I don't hammer other peoples cars on the track when I drive them.

I'm glad you got to drive one and liked it.....what makes the shifter so much better? Hell, I have not even seen one on the street yet.....but I did hear our Chebby dealer here in town sent a wrench to Corvette school and got to sell an new C7 so when it comes in I will go look at it...there are a ton of C6's in town and C5's so it might work out that we don't have to take them to a dealer out of town....that would be nice.

I got to sit in one

They seemed to have done a nice job

Keep in touch with the owner, I'm sure people will want to know the outcome.

Keep us posted. I am glad he will be able to get it repaired under warranty. Hopefully something small.

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Has to be a warranty.

I was running the car easy, 4,500 shifts, the owner, not much higher.

I won't see him until our next event, mid-May.

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Driving a C5/6 on the track where you shift fairly fast, I've had to hunt for 3rd, sometimes went into 5th.

This shifter is very precise, feels very natural. The 5-6 detent spring is just right for when you're going for 3rd.
The throw is shorter (I believe).

IMO, it just feels totally different. Shifting a C6, I have to think about it a little bit, shifting the C7 was done without noticing I was working the lever. probably the best shifter I've used in a street car.