It was all captured by the car’s Performance Data Recorder.
Anyone who has ever owned a high-powered car knows the anxiety that comes with giving the keys to someone else. It doesn’t have to be very powerful to cause owners concern. However, the C8 Chevrolet Corvette in this story is incredibly nice and full of power. It was abused.
According to our friends at the MidEngineCorvetteForum (MECF), it all started with a simple noise from the engine. delicioussauce, a forum member, posted a video showing the ticking sound and stating that the car was taken to the dealership for inspection. The dealership was identified later as Fremont Chevrolet, Fremont, California. It was a loose spark plug wire that caused the noise. This was an easy fix. All was fine when the car was returned. delicioussauce then decided to view the Corvette’s Performance Data Recorder.
The dealership had the C8 in their care and someone took it for a joyride. joyride is a street race that saw the Corvette weave through traffic to chase a Dodge Charger at speeds of up to 148 MPH. This was captured on video thanks to Google Maps and it can be seen that the Corvette drove through traffic at speeds of up to 148 MPH. After two miles of madness, the Corvette dives off Interstate 880 North in Fremont at exit 15. While we don’t know if there were cameras on that stretch, there was a weigh station which usually has a police presence.
Motor1.com reached out to Fremont Chevrolet to get a statement about the situation, but they didn’t receive a reply immediately. Fremont representatives stated that they were “working with the very understandable owner of the vehicle and that the staff member has been dealt appropriately.”
It’s been said a million times. But videos like these keep popping up, so we’ll keep repeating it. There is a time and place to enjoy horsepower. Never The Place, but Never The Time to Drive a Stranger’s Car. Cameras are everywhere, sometimes even in your car. So stay safe behind the wheel, and keep that energy for the track.