A buddy of mine bought a new 2019 Grand Sport about a month ago. He brought it over today so we could use the lift and I could help him put on a new X-pipe (Corsa) and AFE Intake.
What a nice machine. Especially brand new so everything was clean and came apart easy. There’s actually surprisingly good access to all the bolts we needed to get at, and most things in the engine bay, although he asked if I wanted to help with the headers and I pointed out the fasteners and told him that he should go to a shop for those.
Took it out for a drive, he drove first and showed me what it could do. Very impressive. Super acceleration, very flat in corners, and the magnetic ride suspension was amazing. Smooth in touring, firm in track, in the middle in sport. The steering also had noticeable change in feel with the different modes.
Very nice interior with red leather seats, carbon package and Alcantra wheel and shifter. Also, ventilated seats. I’ve never had a fan just for my butt. I want to always have a fan just for my butt in the future.
Then I got to drive it. It’s pretty awesome. Very powerful acceleration, and the brakes. Dear god, the brakes. Those are incredible. It rev matches the down shifts as well, sounds absolutely amazing when it does. I didn’t drive it hard, just a few acceleration runs up to 60 or so, and tested those amazing brakes multiple times.
What didn’t I like? It felt big compared to the 996 and GTI, it just took up a lot more of the lane, which makes sense, the tires hung off the side of the ramps on my lift, where my cars both have room on either side. Also, felt pretty tight. The 911 feels roomy inside, I can put the seat back far enough that I can barely touch the pedals in the 911, where the Vette my knees were still bent with it all the way back. I was able to get it in a comfortable position, but the whole thing is just tighter than I prefer. Head room is also tight, we were driving with the roof off and my head was right at the top of the windshield, where on my car there’s about 2 inches between my head and the top (I’m 6'1").
Performance wise the Vette is obviously on another level, but I felt that the throttle response wasn’t as immediate as my car, although we are talking a fraction of a second difference here. It was noticeable though. The brakes were amazing. I would love to have brakes like that, and may look into upgrading mine if they aren’t significantly better after I put the pads and rotors I have in the garage on. Just general driving, I prefer my steering while the Vette’s ride is definitely better with that magic suspension. Exhaust wise, the Vette sounds great. Stealth mode it is very quiet, track it is crazy loud with pops on upshifts. I prefer the higher pitch smoother sound of the 911, but that’s just preference.
So what did I come away with? The 2019 Grand Sport is a hell of a car. I’m not sure it is a car for me, the 911 just fits me better. Which is good because I own the 911 outright and couldn’t afford a new Vette anyway.