Love it or hate it, the 2014 Corvette Stingray has achieved exactly what Chevrolet was aiming for: it’s gotten people talking about Corvette again. That hasn’t happened for quite a while, and we get the sense that the C7 launch is the biggest change to the Corvette product line since the C4 replaced the C3.

In the past, Corvettes always seemed to be about equal parts style and substance. Those wanting more speed were directed to the Z06 and ZR1, while those content to cruise to the local car show at legal speeds were happy with base model Corvettes. In fact, we’d bet that the vast majority of Corvette owners, like the vast majority of new Porsche buyers, would never even consider putting a wheel on the racetrack.

That’s why the C7 Corvette is such a welcome departure from the norm. Form follows function here, and everything on the car has a purpose. The hood vents are there to promote cooling, reduce front-end lift and cut down on drag. The rear fender ducts? Those allow cooling air to reach the transmission and differential coolers.

As Ed Welburn explained to Jay Leno, “there is no such thing as a base model with the new Corvette.” That’s going to play well to the hardcore enthusiasts among us, but we’re not sure how the new Corvette will be received by the casual buyer.

If the phrase “beautiful weapon” doesn’t quicken your pulse, perhaps you should be shopping for something more sensible than a Corvette in the first place.