FIAT 124 Spider vs Chevrolet Corvette

Zora Arkus-Duntov. That name is to Corvette enthusiasts, what John Bonham is to Led Zeppelin aficionados. As far back as the late 1950s, he suggested to General Motors that the Corvette should be a mid-engine sports car. But that decision would have been costly and GM was just fine keeping the ‘Vette profitable. There was a rumor that the C7 Corvette was supposed to have a mid-engine layout, but the recession of the 2000s shut the plan down. Almost 25 years after his death, Arkus-Duntov’s dream came to fruition in the form of the 2020 C8 Corvette.

In moving the engine to behind the driver, the Corvette got an instant boost in performance. It was faster and more dynamic, but there was more to it. The mid-engine placement made the new Corvette less like a step up from the Camaro and more like a world-class exotic car—think Porsche 911 or even a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

But elevating reputation also elevates expectations. Does the mid-engine 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray live up to its newfound supercar reputation? Read on to find out.

A subset of the automotive community insists the answer to every type of “what car should I get?” question is “Mazda Miata.” This passionate response stems from the fact that the Miata is reliable, inexpensive, efficient, and one of the best-handling cars on the market. And despite this, its small size and plucky, upbeat looks have unfairly earned the Miata a reputation as soft or “a hairdresser’s car.”

Truth be told, the Miata is a car I've enjoyed driving. Maybe those stigmas nipped at the back of mind. The Miata also feels underpowered at times. If only there was a car that had all the attributes of the Miata but in a package that had more muscular looks and a stronger engine. The answer is so perfect that it is exactly those things, and it is called the Fiat 124 Spider—recalling an iconic sports car model originally sold from 1966 to 1985 that's been brought back to life for the 2017 model year.