SPD Writes Forza Horizon 5's Car Of The Week: Week 105 - Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
Please welcome Limey.
A loudly colored counterpart to Pinky, only that it's a different hue of color, akin to what this is to the regular C8. But how different?
It's another starter car.. for another Forza, notably the more divisive reboot of Forza Motorsports that came out in 2023, serving it as the cover car of the game that's not the Cadillac V-Series.R LMDh.
Kind of sad how that game can't be saved with that electric to uncaged V8 startup of the Heavens. Nor is the car being done justice unless you're playing Le Mans Ultimate.
Now back to the E-Ray. The C8 is hailed as a Corvette that broke standard Corvette normalcy with a sports car with its small block LT2 V8 placed amidships. What other way is there for it to further this trend?
How about.. turning the next step of the C8 legacy into an AWD hybrid?
Unveiled in early 2023, the E-Ray is essentially the C8 with an electric motor handling the front axle, turning the car into a hybrid with AWD. Said motor bumps up the LT2's power up by 160 horsepower, and in addition to a Stealth Mode that has the car run electricity purely, the car's touted to be the quickest Corvette yet thanks to this fusion dance.
But in terms of trim speeds, anyone knows this is easily not the quickest, with the Z06 up ahead, and let's not forget the twin turbocharged monstrosity that is the ZR1 coming up soon.
What's interesting is the E-Ray is the first sports car with two separate propulsion systems, with that 645 horsepower over a 1.75 ton body allowing the car to rocket on with times you'd be proud at on a drag strip, being a 2.5 second 0-60, and a 10.5 second quarter mile, topping the car out at 183 MPH.
With a PI of 834, the E-Ray sits quite nicely with a chunk of cars in its Modern Supercars class. However, that electric motor really bumps it up some.. some being 28 PI ahead of its vanilla variant. Some close rivals, while not in any ways hybrid, would come with the McLaren 12C, Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4, Audi R8 V10 Plus, and the Honda/Acura NSX NB.. coincidentially Signature Cars I will write when they get nominated in Gran Turismo 7's COTW.
Due to its role as ambassador to the 2023 Forza Motorsports, the car's fortunately attainable in the Autoshow for 181,000 credits. And if you take a peek into the Auction House, people are selling it for about half a million more than it's worth. So be sensible and don't think of feeding these trolls.
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With another two track bonanza headed our way, the first ocean the e-Ray has to wade through would be the (fake) snow surrounded
Winter Wonderland Circuit.
"The MINI is on the pace for a record time, just look at this exploitation of grand speed!"
"That's a nice argument, SPD. Why don't you back it up with a source?"
"My source is that I made it the [BLEEP] up!!"
"Warm up those tires as you take on this tight and technical circuit set within the Winter Wonderland."
Before anyone can come up with Vietnam war flashbacks of Forza Horizon 4 snow, the snow's fake, okay? Even I kinda knew it was as I wrote up that introductory sentence. There's a lot of muted feelings around here with the stadium's not quite so large space to work with.
For starters: the track's elevation is quite weak, only really showing threat when you cut the corners, or.. allow me to introduce the pair of half pipes that threaten those who race here. Racing here must be quite a mish mash of naughty and nice. But so as long as you've built for handling with that ugly Forza aero probably, there's nothing to fear.
Speaking of which, all this advice to build with aero does mean this track reeks of Tsukuba. It's tight. There's no elevation, and there are some speedy segments to keep the balance in check, despite being technical. I have a feeling my super Sierra SX3 is going to make quite an impression, because to me, that blue MINI has.
It's summer and winter together.. It's swinter!
With the Countryman putting a 56 second lap time and potentially earning a second Mark of Zen, it sounds like it's a good metric for the E-Ray to E-liminate.
So, it it's commonly said that the C8 is the discount Ferrari, then I can probably guess people are saying the E-Ray is a discount Lamborghini. Only that.. there's no other car it can really compare to due to its gimmick anyways. Though it is a good starting point on how you're going to treat the E-Ray: it's somehow a discount Lamborghini. Though, I don't think I'll be seeing this kind of Corvette take on a Huracan unless it's on the big GTE stage. Before we can sign this contract of rivalry, there's a Mustang to deal with there, however.
Aside that new digital display, what you have inside the E-Ray isn't that much different from the usual C8, being tight and sporty with minimal selection for the comfort amenities placed in its central console placed like an army lineup. So that does mean you're not scooching over to the driver's side should they.. make a quick exit to Ammu-nation or something like that. I'm a bit peeved it's not in red or even trimmed: it's black all the way. The kind of colors you're seeing in American politics in terms of the morality and path its taking right now. And still no holo speedometer.. it's one of the car's more defining traits, y'know. It's a part of who we are, why fight it?
It's no total loss, however. From the inside, you can hear that battery go. It really reminds me of that Cadillac I mentioned earlier.
So, what happens when you get a car that's really good in the RWD racer's traction department before you add that electric motor? You get a car with an incredibly solid base. It's not as wild as a Lamborghini.. it's more like a GT-R: it's weighted, turns smoothly, and has some understeer to boot. This made me think.. not just once, actually! If I had a nickel for every time I thought this is the exact kind of thought I'd have when I drivetrain swapped the regular C8, I'd have a piggy bank's full.
And now to the C8's most glaring flaw: the brakes. Oddly, the car comes with race brakes as is.. my proof of this is checking the tuning page, and finding them to be fully customizable. Sooo.. expect to brake like a fighter jet being held back on a carrier. This might be a good thing, but I'm sulking I get to not complain about the car on this.
If I need to complain, it's the understeer. There's a good chunk of it, but it's not strong or groan worthy.. nothing like adapting your driving style to make up for it. Moreover, the traction is as any AWD supercar in this game will be: pretty great. A peek at the car's greyed out differential settings has you see the front motor's efforts pale in compare to the rear: rather accurate depiction, actually. But if I had to guess.. it's around 5 percent at the front, and 50 for the rear on acceleration, with a 55% torque split to the rear. I'm more surprised it's not an unholy rear skidding terror, actually. It is also pretty mild on deceleration, so letting go of the accelerator is perhaps an unholy terror if not the fact this is the E-Ray, not the Stingray.
The least complaint I have with the car is what they're trying to sell with a hybrid Corvette: the acceleration. It is quick.. but I feel with its stock gearbox, it's not going to beat the likes of those cars it compares with. Something like that second track is going to help me answer proper.. I have to tackle gearing there too, since it looks to me it's not good in terms on how it's distributed.
Note that like a lot of the roster that's low slung and at this power level, you don't want to take it rallying unless you slap on the right parts.
Looks like Christmas is Tsukuba, says the governing forces of the Festival here in Mini Mexico. But what's not like Tsukuba comes in the form on how to tackle this place. Firstly, there's going to be quite a lot of cutting, particularly after the first half-pipe. Yes, I'm mentioning half pipes in a track analysis that's not in Hot Wheels. Speaking of which: they are designated tight turns on the track, and the rule for these turns is quite iffy: not too wide unless you're going to turn into Tony Hawk and suddenly Goldfinger - Superman plays. I don't feel it's going to justify running something with a lot of clearance at all.
And just like Tsukuba, with the E-Ray, you want a note of both the line and your acceleration points. It's imperative, especially when you're understeering a lot here. The right amount of power in the wrong place can make all the difference, after all.
When the regular C8 is a good starting point to racing RWD sports cars, the E-Ray is perhaps not for racing, but for tuning. It's not great to drive as is if you're with a mindset that's towards a modern Lamborghini. You have 66 PI to fill in.
If anything, Limey's painted eerily closely to a checkpoint. But if there's some other merit to bringing the car around and around for quite some time, I was going to say this is just Autumn Ring on a different universe. Too bad about the lack of elevation.. as well as how tight this place is.
Well, that's fine. I'll just
Mark of Zen it and go from there. This is an award I usually give when I find myself allured with a track and car combo that I forget I have to breathe. Anyways, this is.. I have to check back.. the 23rd of this occasion I've provided this to.
The E-Ray would come out of the festive fracas with a best of
53.908.
I lost myself in making this time, but I really really think it can go even more under that 54 second mark than I already did.
It's Tsukuba's fault. I blame Tsukuba. This track really catches that essence.. just without the grass traps. And the sporadic presence of The Stains of Time (Maniac Agenda Mix).
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We're not quite finished with testing the car, as now it's time to head out of the fake snow and into the real dusty plains with one of the newer events added. Said event's called
Rocosa Sprint.
Just like that Boris Grisyenko in GoldenEye, when I'm in my blue Countryman, I occassionally go do my racing magic, then proclaim: "YES! I am invincible!". And I don't feel there's any other car that'll mess up that stride, no siree!
Oh?
That's.. a Yaris? A GR Yaris?
Since when did it get here?
"With La Gran Caldera looming large in the distance, this route has you hurtling towards the Horizon Festival Mexico and dancing your way through some technical turns, with a big finale at the base of the volcano."
I like the Festival Circuit. I really do. Perfect place to measure how good your car's current road going tune is. But the way I'm seeing, it's being used as some out of nowhere obstacle in this speedy and short sprint run.
Least it means the track is more well rounded than it should be. But appearances can be deceiving.
The more I see it, the more I do feel Limey is a checkpoint in a past life.
Here's the place that'll finally get the car to be pushed. It's a bold call to be known as the quickest Corvette.. I always think a ZR1 of this time and age is the kind of car that'll get that designation.
First thing is that the car seems to be.. quite lacking in the acceleration department. And I of course mean the 'lack of acceleration of the late end' kind. It's the tall late gearing that's at major fault to this, but so is the fact the car's not aspirated..
You know what? The game even has the audacity to say this is a 200 MPH car, when real life statistics say it can't touch that. So I suppose speed is thrown out the window unless you build it for it.
Given the track's mostly uphill first segment that's also curvy, and with the two 90 degrees turns later on, you will really feel that sluggish build of speed, plus understeer come into play here. Lucky the car's very stable for you to fiddle around with the braking (not throttle), or you're going to have a bad time.
Upon arrival to the Festival, and I'm sure you can think it with me: who put that bus stop there? You can figure that's where all the trouble's going to come from. They actually put a high speed Chicane of Doom, and.. well color me impressed.. and a bit lime to the Restart Event button.
Because the Festival portion of the sprint flows very well with the track's rhythm. In fact, past that nasty bus stop, you've reached the most consistent part of your run. Especially with that first backwards turn allowing you to go REAL wide so you can get it done full throttle on car that understeers (like this one).
All in all, I think I'm going back to Winter Wonderland if I want to have a more pleasant lapping time with the car. Now, umm.. where is it..
Through Rocosa, I managed the best of
1:56.940.
Track's too cluttered, car's too unsuitable, but imagine coming back here with something that can fly rather than go straight. I'm looking at that blue Countryman once again.. a well tuned car will fly here.
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For today's SPC, now warranting its own segment, we have 3 things.
One: the C8 e-Ray goes for a best attempt at a couple of PR Stunts. First being Gran Puente Speed Trap, with a restriction: do it heading West (or as Patrick would say: Weast).
Soo.. the Bridge? One that I see just about half of people taking photos frequently at. It's a pretty place for night riding and general vista style pictures, so I've no complaints.
After a quick drive from the Horizon Wilds Outpost and quite a handful of 'who put that truck there' moments, here's my best.
Seriously, taking this picture is a pain in the butt. Imagine having one hand on throttle, and another on F12.. Lucky I got wise. I'm going to OBS record the next one.
Secondly, we got a Speed Zone, namely Switchbacks Speed Zone. This one's got another added restriction of going downhill.
A popular road that's probably a result of the lack of elevation offered in Forza Horizon 4, this fan favorite road is a test for the car's grip. So of course there's a speed zone here.
That's sublime (pun intend) on this car, but the understeery handling? That's going to put a damper on what potential show of joy emotion is supposed to be coming.
Okay, this one's a first try. Yes, it's three stars. Whoop de doo. With this, that's that with the E-Ray.
And there's a third. This would be a repeat of these, only this time we're bringing the regular C8. In addition, you'd have to choose which C8 you'd prefer. I already know my answer, but I really have to back it first..
Yes, that means Pinky gets to come back to Mexico after its stint on the other COTW thread. And one perk for being there..
Cue the theme song!
Nice, it's using the Pinky 2 color scheme. And no: don't think about me doing a Super Pinky here.
Umm, now, to the PR Stunts! In order..
And now which one do I like more, was it?
It's Limey or Pinky.
While Limey is the better car who has the numbers advantage..
Pinky was no slouch. Especially in Switchbacks, where the difference came down to a mile per hour.
And I noticed that.. the C8 handled better because the understeer was less, due to the fact it was RWD, and didn't have a hybrid system bringing it down by the front. Not to mention..
The E-Ray didn't seem to address any of the faults the regular C8 had. Loose differential on zero throttle still exists on both cars.
Tut tut tut. It could be purely a Mini Mexico problema, but one thing's for certain: since it didn't have a noticeable advantage for 28 PI..
I'm joining team Corvette C8 Stingray.
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Yeah, now we're done. Maybe I can get a Test coming in next week due to the fact Rocosa Sprint reminded me how enjoyable that place is.
So, what is the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray? It is..
The easy American choice for anyone needing to take on their first AWD hybrid supercar.
It's not a muscle car with a load of power anymore. And even though Corvettes have evolved past their origin story, the E-Ray still has that Corvette magic. And this means I can have a C8 with AWD and RWD without swapping their drivetrains. Score for the purist in me.
Developing this bad memory of the car exhibiting this hateful understeer means I gotta give it a
Neutral. Quite a high one.
Don't be discouraged, however: it's not a bad car! Especially at its price. From me: just don't go to the Auction House.
How about a trip to memory lane: back to where it all started?
Yes, it's the starting line to Dunas Blancas Sprint.
Our first outing together, before you somehow ended up meeting that Hong Kongese little racer in Blue Moon Bay. Remember this place?
It's just a car, you might think, so the answer is something I can't give.
.
.
