2017 BMW 550I vs 2023 Chevrolet Corvette

What's the difference?

Not all superheroes wear capes, and we're proud to report the 530e does its bit for green motoring without feeling the need to shout about it. And with no price or specification penalty, it's easier being green than ever before, and the pricing of this BMW really puts the cat amongst the canaries.

Despite looking like rockets, Corvettes have traditionally been disappointing cars to drive. Early ones were crude and poorly built, later ones could be underpowered and underwhelming. So for the C8 version to be such a brilliant thing to drive is not just a surprise, but also an end to the tired old jokes about American cars. In fact, forget what you think you know on the subject, because this car rewrites the book.

Maybe the build quality and outright performance aren’t up to quite the same lofty standards as the Euro supercar brigade, but the Corvette is not far behind. If you can live with the slightly cramped cabin, sometimes stilted transmission and the haphazard switch placement in the cabin, you’ll be ready to enjoy the Corvette for what it is. Neither will you grow out of the C8 in a hurry, purely because it’s by no means a one-trick pony.

It's a striking looker, a proper performance car and, with the move to a mid-engine, it’s about as exotic as anything out of Kentucky will ever be. But it’s in a value-for-money sense that the Corvette C8 probably can’t be beaten. And there’s a sentence I thought I’d never write. In fact, there are several.

Crucially, there's nothing weird about the way the 530e looks. While some green cars look like they've been designed by one of the kids from 3rd Rock from the Sun, the 530e looks much the same as the rest of the range, save a few tiny but telltale giveaways - like the e-drive badging outside, and what looks like a bonus fuel flap tucked in behind a front wheel that houses the whole plug-in bit.

And we really, really like it. It's elegant and statesman-like from every angle, and looked especially important in the deep-blue colour of our test vehicle. It's not over-designed, with body creases used sparingly, and the occasional glint of polished silver that rings the windows and the grille adds a final sense of shininess to an understated design. 

Inside, there's more going on than you might normally find in a BMW. The hugely complicated digital display screen now includes everything from battery charge, power usage to the usual assortment of speedometers and petrol readouts. 

It doesn't feel overdone or crazily festooned, but there's more at play here than in your usual BMW.

The dash is busy, too, with a wide screen emerging from a centre stack that also houses a CD player and a digital aircon setup, which in turn sits above a complex centre console from which you can alter driving settings, control the multimedia or cycle through electric modes. It doesn't feel overdone or crazily festooned, but there's more at play here than in your usual BMW.

Elsewhere inside, the seats are beautifully designed, with a quilted leather highlight through the middle, while the gloss-black strip that lines the dash hides a dual strip of ambient interior lights that also runs across all four doors.

Corvettes have always been based on a composite bodyshell (originally fibreglass but now a much more exotic cocktail of aramid fibres) bolted to a separate frame. These days that frame is a collection of aluminium parts, but the big step away from tradition has been the location of the engine.

Traditionally a front-engined car, the new C8 is mid-engined, with the V8 residing just behind the seats. This hasn’t affected the normal Corvette two-seat layout, but has forced many other changes to the way the car behaves and is packaged. The new Corvette is also available as a convertible or a coupe, that latter having a removable targa-tyle roof panel that can be lifted free and stashed in the rear luggage compartment.

Other firsts for the C8 include the use of a dual-clutch transmission and the fact that the car is made at Chevrolet’s Bowling Green, Kentucky plant in RHD form.

The overall shape of the Corvette is now – thanks to that mid-engine layout – closer to the supercar it has always aspired to be than ever before. The low nose and sharp, angular looks are not just supercar-aping, they’re also distinctive in their own right. Nobody, but nobody, misses the Corvette in the street.

As the world's motoring tastes shrink faster than a lap-banded Clive Palmer, it's easy to forget the joys of the full-size sedan, but the space for passengers and luggage in the 5 Series will have you questioning your downsizing ways.

Upfront, there's plenty of room between front-seat riders, who will also share two smallish cup holders, along with room in each front door for bottles. There's also a dedicated wireless charge pad (which, because of its tight design, is crazy difficult to actually remove your phone from), but you'll also get two USB points and a power outlet that's hidden in the sizeable centre storage bin as standard fit.

Backseat riders get heaps of space, both in width and in leg room behind the front seats. And there's twin air-con temp controls and twin power outlets, too. But middle-seat passengers will be forced to sit with their legs on either side of the raised tunnel, which will definitely impact on comfort.

The boot's still sizeable, despite shrinking slightly to house the battery/fuel tank setup

Best to ditch the fifth passenger, then, and deploy the pull-down seat divider, which also houses two cup holders. Finally, there are three ISOFIX attachment points, one for each seat in the back.

The boot's still sizeable, despite shrinking slightly to house the battery/fuel tank setup (the tank has been moved further back to accomodate the batteries), and can be adjusted to be a flat load area if you'd like, offering up to 410 litres with the rear seats in place.

As supercars become more useable and less illogical, Chevrolet seems to have been channelling some of their forebears to make the point that the C8 is a genuine contender. Unfortunately, that means the interior layout is far from perfect.

For a start, the seat feels very small and the cabin quite tight, partly because the seat doesn’t drop down into the cabin far enough. How the average American relates to this is anybody’s guess. The steering column doesn’t adjust to a high-enough position and the wide sill needs some athleticism to negotiate. Even the interior door latches seem a bit contrived with their electric operation that requires a double-jointed thumb as well as a solid push on the door. And there’s more.

The shark-fin centre stack is populated with no less than 17 buttons (I counted them) all of which are the same size and colour (black, like their background) and none of which appear to hold more importance than the next one. The drive-mode rotary knob is slow to effect a mode-shift and has a sticky, low-tech feel and action.

And while the leather-clad cover over it looks as though it possesses some computer-mouse function, it does precisely nothing apart form forcing your wrist into a weird angle to operate the mode dial. Other switchgear seems a bit randomly positioned and the park-brake button is well hidden, almost out of reach low down on the dashboard.

The aluminium shift-paddles are cold to the touch (although we’ll blame Melbourne’s recent weather on that) and while the odd looking square steering wheel forces your hands into the correct position, the Alcantara covering was already wrinkling in the thumb-rests (possibly due to the Corvette’s requirement that you hold on tight).

The there’s the rear vision. Or lack of it. Okay, so a mid-engined layout will always compromise the view to the rear, but the Corvette solution of using a rear-view mirror that is actually a camera screen is flawed. Yes, the mirror can switch between that and a normal mirror, but in the latter mode, the bulkhead between the engine bay and the cabin can often be misted up from engine heat and, even when it’s not, the view is a slit with plenty of distortion.

So, use the camera then? Well, yes, but for a lot of people, the lack of depth of field inherent in the projected view requires a re-focussing of the eyes. And that takes precious milli-seconds.

That said, the camera offers a bright and very wide view to the rear, so it’s worth persisting with. The exterior mirrors, meanwhile, are most commonly full of the C8’s voluptuous rear flanks. If nothing else, it will force you to concentrate, especially when parallel parking.

Forward vision, though, is another matter. The nose-lifter has a memory so it knows when you’re driving into a front-splitter danger zone and the multi-view front-view camera allows you to park accurately despite the nose that drops away out of sight. The head-up display is equally good.

In luggage-space terms, Chevrolet has done its best to minimise the compromises imposed by having the engine taking up most of the space at the rear of the car. Under the huge rear hatch, there’s a decent space large enough for the obligatory golf clubs, while under the front lid is a smaller, deeper space, itself compromised by the front suspension, wheel clearance and the location of the radiators in each front corner.

Either way, the Corvette will carry enough for weekends away unless you want to remove the roof panel which will consume the space in the rear compartment. Both load areas feature luggage nets.

The version of the Corvette C8 we tested as the 3LT, rather than the 2LT. The extra LT gains you racier seats (dubbed GT2), some extra leather wrapping of various dashboard pieces and some suede microfibre coverings for areas such as the trims area around the glass and A-pillars.

All Australian-delivered C8s also get the Z51 performance package as standard, adding a dual-mode exhaust, 'Magnetic Ride' (adjustable dampers) larger Brembo brakes, an electronically-controlled differential, extra cooling capacity, shorter overall gearing for even more lurid acceleration, and front and rear spoilers.

We tested the coupe which features a lift-out roof panel that can be stored in the rear luggage area, and there’s also a convertible version with a motorised top. The convertible adds $15,000 to the 2LT’s $144,990, while the 3LT trim package adds a further $15,000, making our 3LT Coupe variant a $160,000 deal (although GMSV claimed the final price and spec had yet to be nailed down).

Aside from the exotic, mid-engined layout, vast performance and removable roof panel, the Corvette is pretty well specified in terms of convenience items (there’s that US influence). You get full connectivity via the touchscreen and there’s wireless phone charging (although the cradle won’t accept bigger phones). There’s also dual-zone climate-control, a 14-speaker Bose sound system, head-up display, selectable drive modes, satellite-navigation, remote engine starting from the key-fob (which has the added benefit of deterring the neighbour’s cat from sitting on the bonnet) keyless entry and start and a memory function for the seats and steering column.

Outside, there are 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting, folding mirrors and a soft-close rear hatch.

Perhaps the most novel addition is the data-logging system which allows you to record (to an SD card) the vision and sound of a particular drive experience. There’s also a valet mode that records what the car gets up to when it’s left at a workshop or anywhere else where it might be driven by somebody who isn’t you.

There are plenty of people who will screw their nose up at the thought of a Chevrolet with a $160,000 price-tag, but by any other standard, the Corvette is an absolute bargain. It has a fair chunk of the performance of the supercar establishment (McLaren, Lamborghini, Maserati and others) yet it costs a fraction of the $350,000-and-up windscreen stickers of those.

Judged in those terms, the Corvette is a genuine fries-with-that proposition.

Drift around in pure EV mode and you'll be relying on the 530e's 83kW and 250Nm electric motor, which will provide what BMW refers to as "between 28 and 32 real-world kilometres".

Run out of range, or simply use too much throttle, and the 2.0-litre petrol engine comes into play, adding 135kW and 320Nm to the mix. All up, that's 185kW and 420Nm - respectable numbers by any measure, and enough to match the petrol-powered 530i's zero to 100km/h sprint of 6.2 seconds.

That power is fed through an eight-speed automatic transmission before being sent exclusively to the rear wheels, where it belongs.

It’s easy to think that the Corvette has always been a V8 powered vehicle. But actually, the very first one in 1953 used an inline six-cylinder engine. The V8 didn’t hit the Corvette until the 1955 model year and even then, it was optional.

However, it’s true the Corvette hit its sales straps once the V8 engine had become standard and the V8 has been a Vette trademark ever since. Which is why the C8 uses a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 with all aluminium construction, but still with pushrod valve actuation.

Power is a mighty 369kW (about five horsepower shy of 500 in the old currency) and maximum torque is 637Nm. Again, although the pushrod layout suggests antiquation, the V8 also features variable valve timing and is dry-sumped to ensure there’s no lack of lubrication in high-G cornering. Interestingly, though, the oil tank is part of the engine assembly, not a remotely-located tank as is the dry-sumped norm, to keep the oil cooler for longer.

Transmission is an eight-speed dual-clutch auto with paddle shifters and has shift-point and shift-speed adjustability via the drive modes. Those modes also tailor the throttle response, suspension firmness, braking sensitivity, steering weight and exhaust volume.

Other hardware includes huge Brembo brakes, Magnetic Ride (electrically-adjustable dampers) an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential and, since all Australia-delivered cars get the Z51 performance package, a slightly shorter, 5.2:1 final gear-ratio (4.9:1 in the non-Z51 car sold elsewhere) although eighth gear is still a moonshot ratio with just 1300rpm showing on the tachometer at 100km/h.

Like a Facebook relationship status, it's complicated. The 530e will sip a claimed combined 2.3 litres per hundred kilometres on the claimed/combined cycle, which is amazing for a car this size. Better still, it seems genuinely achievable - at the vehicle's launch, our own Richard Berry recorded a stunning 2.0 litres per hundred kilometres on a short test route.

But that's with a full load of battery charge on board. For our week with the 530e we were unable to actually plug it in (living in Sydney, I can't afford a garage), so once the initial battery charge had been used we were back to mostly petrol power. Unlike some other plug-in hybrids we've driven, we found it very difficult to recharge the battery to any meaningful level using regenerative braking, so once we were flat we stayed flat. If we had plugged it in, it would have been a two-hour recharge using a specialised wall unit, or about four hours using a normal plug.

As a result, though, our fuel use was closer to 7.0 litres per hundred kilometres after some considerable real-world testing.

A 6.2-litre engine with relatively low tech (and making the thick end of 500 horsepower) and a full-sized, 1500kg-plus body to carry around doesn’t really sound like a recipe for stellar fuel economy. But that would be ignoring the other factors including this engine family’s reputation for giving each litre of fuel a good squeeze.

Throw in clean aerodynamics and that tall gearing, and the C8 is not the guzzler you might imagine. Official figure is 13.5 litres per 100km on the combined cycle. But in the real world, you’ll get something like that or a bit more around town and a pretty commendable eight or nine litres per 100km on the highway. The C8 promises to be one of those rare cars that can achieve somewhere near its official claim, we reckon.

With its 70-litre fuel tank, the Corvette has enough range to be a convincing inter-stater with a theoretical highway range of at least 500km or so, but more than that in highway running.

The C8 also features a capless fuel filler-neck which means the cap can’t be accidentally left at the bowser.

There's so much to like about the way the 530e sets about saving the world, and that's mostly because it doesn't shout about it, either to the driver or the outside world.

It's very much an underpants inside its pants superhero, which makes us like it even more. Set off in EV mode, and the 530e will drift silently away from the curb, burning battery power over fuel for as many as 30(ish) kilometres. But equally important, the shift from green to gas is largely imperceptible, with the petrol engine joining in willingly when you ask it to - usual via a prod of your right foot.

It is so effortlessly smooth that you need to really pay attention to notice the eight-speed 'box changing gears at city speeds, and it's commendably quiet, whichever drive mode you're in.

Downsides? Well, it doesn't feel quite as sharp as it's conventional-engined siblings. The batteries add around 230kg in weight, which never helps, and it all feels a little softer and a little less dynamic, even with Sport mode engaged. BMW assures us the adaptive suspension setup and tune is identical, but the 530e feels noticeably softer when you tackle a twisting back road. And that encourages you to use your right foot a little more, which in turn negates the whole electric thing in the first place.

One of the great joys of BMWs has always been their ability to transform from cosseting comfort to rear-drive rocket when you want them to, and you can't help but notice the 530e isn't quite up to that challenge. But if your intentions are mostly city- and freeway-based, then this plug-in BMW is almost indiscernible from its petrol-powered sibling.

Although it looks like the C8 possesses supercar levels of intimidation, it’s really not too tricky to come to terms with. Perhaps the biggest mental hurdle is reconciling the American Graffiti soundtrack with the Monte Carlo Casino optics. Yes, manoeuvring and parking can be a hassle because of the limited rear vision and the sheer width of the thing across the hips, but once you’re rolling, the C8 is no more confronting to pilot through traffic than a normal family sedan.

That’s mainly down to the great steering that is sharp and accurate but also gives the impression of being a natural steerer. That is, what you put in via the tiller is exactly what you get out at the front wheels. The cabin is also quiet at speed and the main controls are where they should be.

That engine is a highlight, of course, with loads of shunt at any speed and a fabulous noise into the bargain. It revs freely and although the redline is 'just' 6500rpm, it gets there with no problems and encourages you to do so.

The transmission is less happy, although the longer you spend with it, the more you’ll come around. Like most dual-clutch units, it has lightning quick shifts, perfect rev matching and responds to the paddles faithfully. But even on its least aggressive setting, I found it too keen to hold on to revs and stay in a lower gear, even after I’d finished whatever overtaking or Daewoo-dodging had resulted in the initial stab of the throttle.

The eight-speed is also capable of producing a stilted clunk when talking off from rest or when trickling along in heavy traffic. This isn’t a Corvette-specific thing, but rather a dual-clutch characteristic. Either way, it ruins the magic for a moment.

I’m also inclined to accuse the C8 of lacking a little rear end grip. This is most noticeable on a damp road at low speeds where the car’s 60/40 rear/front weight balance makes itself felt all too early. I was genuinely surprised a couple of times at how little throttle and lock was required to have the rear end stepping out of line a few centimetres.

However, at higher speeds (and gears) and drier conditions, the car refused to put a foot wrong. And I’ll also speculate that whoever tested 'my' C8 before me had been doing some rear-tyre torturing for the benefits of a camera. Not only was the tread on the 305/30 x 20 Michelin Pilot Sports not looking too clever (245/35 x 19 on the front) the rubber compound felt as though it might have been heat cycled once too often. Hardly the car’s fault, then.

Without doubt, though, the C8’s dynamic highlight is the suspension which manages to soak up everything thrown at it, despite looking like a race-car. All too often, the settings dialled in by the engineers (and previous Corvette engineers are among the most guilty) are way too stiff for comfy road use, but the C8 has no such problem.

In fact, it actually rides better than a lot of more conventional cars, and part of that will doubtless be the long wheelbase. Even so, it’s a remarkable result and would make the car a consummate inter-stater.

The drive modes? Leave them alone unless you’re tackling a track day. The 'Tour' mode winds back everything from the exhaust volume, the steering weight, suspension firmness, gearbox aggressiveness and even the brake pedal feedback.

Sport model gives all those setting a tweak, while 'Track' mode is just overkill and spoils that brilliant ride. It also gives the steering way too much weight to feel right for road conditions.

There’s also 'My' mode which enables you to set, say, everything to comfort yet still open up the active exhaust for a bit of a bi-modal yodel (since the neighbour’s cat now hates you, its owners might as well, too).

It’s not that North American cars can’t be safe, but the standard safety gear on the Corvette suggests buyer expectations might just differ from ours. The C8 does have front and side air-bags, a rear camera, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring a front kerb camera and a nose-lifter to protect that front splitter. It also has a button inside each luggage space to allow anybody trapped in them (kidnapped, presumably) to open the covers and escape. (Mind you, you’d have to be kidnapping very small people to get one in the frunk.)

But the shine soon disappears with cruise-control that lacks an active function and a lack of autonomous emergency braking. Given that these fittings are now common on $20,000 hatchbacks, that’s a bit surprising. The stability control also offers you a fair bit of leeway before it steps in.

The low volumes projected for the C8 mean it hasn’t been ANCAP tested, and probably won’t be.

Like the rest of the 5 Series range, the 530e falls under BMW's three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. There are no set service intervals, either, with BMW using what it calls 'condition-based' servicing. In other words, the car will tell you when it requires a trip to the service centre.

The batteries are covered by a separate warranty covering six years or 100,000km.

The notion of cars being more of a disposable commodity in the North American market is borne out by the factory warranty that applies to the Corvette. While Holden’s warranty for Australian cars was either a five or seven-year warranty (depending on model) the Corvette’s factory cover extends only for the first three years or 100,000km.

You do get three years of roadside assistance, but in terms of the actual warranty, three years is off the pace.