Test Drive Acceleration is stupid sick. First gear takes the car past 60 mph, and triple digit speeds are at hand before you’ve completed the next sentence. Better still, despite regular acceleration “testing,” we returned an average of 17.1 mpg during our week with the car.

Take a Magnetic Red 2005 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible, add an obscene number of terrific California two-lane roads, blend in sunshine and warm temperatures, and mix well with one driving enthusiast to create a perfect day. We criss-crossed southern and central California for hours, making sure to give the car a thorough evaluation to serve you, our dedicated reader. Don’t ever accuse us of failing to go the extra mile.

Acceleration is stupid sick. First gear takes the car past 60 mph, and triple digit speeds are at hand before you’ve completed the next sentence in this paragraph. Rev the ‘Vette in an empty mountain tunnel, and the exhaust reverberates with a luscious “basso profundo” nothing like an Italian exotic but unique to an American V8 and equally thrilling. Better still, despite regular acceleration “testing,” we returned an average of 17.1 mpg during our week with the car. Not bad for a 400-hp beast of an automobile.

Getting the Corvette to speed is more fun because Chevrolet has refined its somewhat clunky six-speed manual transmission, but the throws are still longer than desired. Plus, the fuel-conserving skip-shift feature remains intact, frustrating drivers by automatically shifting from first gear into fourth gear within a small, hard-to-predict window of ripe driving conditions. Typically, we avoid skip-shift by starting off in second gear when driving in traffic and by revving the engine higher in first gear to deactivate the feature. Thankfully, there’s plenty of torque down low, so second-gear starts are not a problem.

In addition to the transmission, the magnetic steering could use improvement. Steering is crisp and responsive off center, but road feel is lacking. The wheel isn’t alive in the driver’s hands, thrumming to the undulations of the road. Larger shocks get transmitted, but texture is filtered out, ultimately resulting in a less satisfying drive for the enthusiast.

Given the speeds of which the Corvette is capable, it’s a good thing the brakes work perfectly. Pedal feel is excellent, making it easy to squeeze just the right amount of pressure to the binders. We punished the Corvette’s braking system on our favorite downhill section of hairpin curves, and the car suffered zero brake fade or pedal pulsation.

Turning as well as it stops and goes, the 2005 Chevrolet Corvette produces symphonic handling. For example, the Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension is truly a revelation. So equipped, the Corvette sticks to any kind of pavement, each wheel adhering to the surface as though containing its own individual gravitational force. Yet, the Corvette rides smoothly, whether the adjustable suspension is set to “Tour” or “Sport.” Tour mode filters almost all road feel, providing a controlled yet sublime ride quality. Sport conveys the landscape, but doesn’t punish occupants by threatening to fuse their lower spines. Considering that the Corvette rides on run-flat tires with stiff sidewalls, this suspension performance is even more impressive.

You almost dismiss the Corvette as too civilized until the road turns twisty. Generally, the Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension is competent and capable, delivering handling prowess that exceeds the skill sets of most people. But hardcore enthusiasts will take issue with body roll that’s more significant than expected, causing the driver to lean when taking turns at speed, and the Corvette’s disconnected feel when traveling at extra-legal speeds, which doesn’t inspire confidence. Magnetic Selective Ride Control is definitely best reserved for the daily-driver and weekend road warrior, not the hard-core street and track enthusiast who will enjoy and appreciate the harder-riding Z51 suspension setup.

Enthusiasts will also enjoy and appreciate the cool g-meter in the heads-up display, but who’s got time to review results when the next curve is coming, possibly holding the surprise of water, rocks, or dirt from recent rain storms? The 2005 Chevrolet Corvette demands the driver’s attention, so the g-meter is essentially useless in the real world – unless the real world includes a memorized racetrack driven under predictable conditions. But its entertainment value is high in terms of surprise and delight.

Fortunately, surprise is limited after the sun goes down. The xenon headlights cast a perfectly even, bright white pattern in front of the Corvette, but the boundaries are not as tightly defined as European cars. Still, illumination like this is a revelation for a domestic vehicle.