Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2015 Chevrolet CORVETTE VS 2015 Ferrari 458 Near Scottsdale, AZ

The Corvette has standard tall side airbags, which act as a forgiving barrier between the driver and outboard passenger's upper bodies and the window and pillars. Combined with high-strength steel door beams and lower side airbags this system increases head protection in broadside collisions. The 458 Italia doesn't offer side airbag protection for the head.

The Corvette has standard OnStar ®, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Corvette and the 458 Italia have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control and electronic stability systems to prevent skidding.

Chevrolet’s powertrain warranty covers the Corvette 2 years longer than Ferrari covers the 458 Italia. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the 458 Italia ends after only 3 years or 100,000 miles.

The Corvette’s corrosion warranty is 3 years longer than the 458 Italia’s (6/100,000 vs. 3/100,000).

There are almost 169 times as many Chevrolet dealers as there are Ferrari dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Corvette’s warranty.

The 458 Italia’s redline is at 9000 to 9200 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The Corvette has a 6500 to 6600 RPM redline.

The Corvette has more powerful engines than the 458 Italia:

On the EPA test cycle the Corvette Auto with its standard engine gets better fuel mileage than the 458 Italia Auto with its standard engine (16 city/29 hwy vs. 13 city/17 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down half of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Corvette’s fuel efficiency. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Corvette uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The 458 Italia requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Corvette has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Corvette has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

The Corvette stops much shorter than the 458 Italia:

For better traction, the Corvette has larger front standard tires than the 458 Italia (245/40R18 vs. 235/35R20). The Corvette Z06’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the 458 Italia (F:285/30R19 & R:335/25R20 vs. F:245/35R20 & R:305/30R20).

The Corvette Z06’s 285/30R19 front and 335/25R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 30 series front and 25 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the 458 Italia Speciale Coupe’s 35 series front and 30 series rear tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the Corvette can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Corvette’s wheelbase is 2.4 inches longer than on the 458 Italia (106.7 inches vs. 104.3 inches).

The Corvette’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (50% to 50%) than the 458 Italia’s (42% to 58%). This gives the Corvette more stable handling and braking.

The Corvette Stingray Coupe handles at 1.08 G’s, while the 458 Italia Coupe pulls only .95 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The design of the Chevrolet Corvette amounts to more than styling. The Corvette has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the 458 Italia (.33 to .35). A more efficient exterior helps the Corvette go faster and keeps the interior quieter. It also helps the Corvette get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Corvette Stingray Coupe is quieter than the 458 Italia Coupe:

The Corvette Coupe has a much larger trunk than the 458 Italia Coupe (15 vs. 8.1 cubic feet).

The Corvette Auto offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Corvette offers an optional heads-up display which projects speed and other key instrumentation readouts onto the windshield, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Corvette’s standard power window controls are mounted on the armrest for easy access. The 458 Italia’s available power window controls are spread out on the center console where they can’t be seen without the driver completely removing his eyes from the road.

Keyless Access standard on the Corvette allows you to unlock the driver’s door, trunk and start the engine all without removing a key from pocket or purse. This eliminates searching for keys before loading groceries, getting in the vehicle in bad weather or making a hurried start to your trip. The Ferrari 458 Italia doesn’t offer an advanced key system.

When the Corvette with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The 458 Italia’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Corvette’s optional air conditioned front seats cool the driver and front passenger and help take the sting out of hot leather in Summer. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer air conditioned front seats.

The Corvette has a standard center folding armrest for the driver and front passenger. A center armrest helps combat driver fatigue. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a front seat center armrest.

The Corvette’s standard steering wheel mounted cruise control on/off switch is conveniently located with the rest of the cruise controls. The 458 Italia’s optional cruise control must be turned on with a hard to find switch on the dashboard.

Standard Chevrolet MyLink for the Corvette allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including reading text messages aloud, playing internet radio stations and other connected activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

With standard voice command, the Corvette offers the driver hands free control of the radio, cell phone and the navigation computer by simply speaking. The 458 Italia doesn’t offer a voice control system.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Corvette second among midsize premium sporty cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The 458 Italia isn’t in the top three.

The Corvette was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 11 of the last 17 years. The 458 Italia has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

The Corvette was chosen as one of Automobile Magazine’s “All Stars” for 5 of the last 10 years. The 458 Italia has never been an “All Star.”

The Corvette was selected by Automobile Magazine as their 2014 Car of the Year. The 458 Italia has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Corvette as the 2014 North American Car of the Year. The 458 Italia has never been chosen.