Explanation = $$$
Does every vette weigh less and have fatter treads>?
Seems to me about 40 years of past corvettes (wich you see a LOT more of than the new ones) wouldnt stand a chance against the Solstice. And just because the tires are wider doesnt mean a lot really. The skinnier tires actually put more pressure on the ground, per pound of the actual car. Wider doesnt always mean better. Sometimes it means worse economy and more resistance. Wider tires also have a tendancy to find more flaws on a roads surface.
Science project: Hit your hand with a tennis shoe, using exactly 5 pounds of pressure. Seems like nothing but a slap on the hand. Now hit your hand with exactly 5 pounds of pressure using the claw end of a hammer.
Solution: Even though you used 5 pounds of pressure on each, the hammer will send you to a hospital, because the same energy was exerted on a narrower path.
Reflection: Now imagine your hand is the size of an intersection, and your hitting it with somthing the size of a tire.