Discussion
Both the cars sounded great, I wish they'd shown more of the car and done less talking. They pretty much repeated exactly what they showed when the convoy was driving. Either way can't wait to see what they're like against the competition! I know they mentioned the 625hp and 635 lbs torque for the Z06 but what's the stats for the C7R or did they say and I missed it?
Edited by Z06George on Monday 13th January 15:27
After seeing a C7 in the summer, the only thing I really liked was the noise. Never been a fan of the looks but the pics above were getting my attention. Shame then that the one they just launched is a bit more toned down. Pretty much a C7 with a wing. Shame. They keep going on about the ring time but still haven't said what it was
A new era of Corvette performance was introduced this morning at the 2014 North American International Auto Show. The 2015 Corvette Z06 finally broke cover and made its public debut in front of eager automotive journalists while thousands of Corvette enthusiasts watched the unveiling live online.
This isn’t just another Corvette from Chevrolet. This is a world-class supercar with a race proven aerodynamic design and advanced technologies that makes it the most track-capable Corvette in history.
The 2015 Corvette Z06 builds not only on the strengths of the 2014 Corvette Stingray which debuted exactly one year earlier, but also through its racing experience and technology transfer with the C6.R race car along with Chevrolet’s experience in delivering mind-numbing performance throughout the later half of the C6 era with the Corvette ZR1.
In fact, the Corvette Z06 is better than the previous King of the Hill in a number of ways, not just measured by performance, but by the driving experience that it offers.
It’s the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine. It’s the first Corvette Z06 to offer an automatic transmission. And thanks to its stronger aluminum frame, its the first Corvette Z06 to have a removable roof panel.
The 6.2L LT4 delivers over 625 horsepower and an estimated 635+ lb-ft of torque. Slightly different numbers than those that were leaked last week. Customers can choose either a seven-speed manual transmission with active rev match technology or the all new high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for manual control.
“The new Z06 delivers levels of performance, technology and design that rival the most exotic supercars in the world,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “And the Z06 leverages the engineering expertise of GM, offering the choice of two world-class transmissions, supercar performance without supercar fuel consumption, and technologies that make it easier to fully enjoy the incredible experience of driving it.”
Carried over and enhanced from the C6 program is the optional track-focused Z07 Performance Package which adds Michelin’s Pilot Super Sport Cup Tires for enhanced grip, Brembo carbon ceramic brakes for stopping power and unique aerodynamic components that create massive downforce to keep those tires on the road.
In a private briefing on the car, Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter said that on its first shakedown run at the Milford Proving Grounds, the all new Corvette Z06 set the fastest lap ever and took the course record from the mighty C6 Corvette ZR1. ON A SHAKEDOWN RUN! Just wait until the car is fully dialed in!
“The Corvette Z06 is a great example of the technology transfer between racing and production Corvettes,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “First, we took what we learned on the Corvette Racing C6.R and applied that to the all-new Corvette Stingray. Then, using the Stingray as a foundation, the Z06 and C7.R were developed to push the envelope of performance on the street and the track.”
Like the powerful and fuel-efficient 6.2L LT1 V8 in the 2014 Corvette Stingray, the supercharged 6.2L LT4 offers the greatest balance of performance and fuel efficiency ever in a Corvette. Direct injection, active fuel management and continuously variable valve timing are all features that can be found on the new Corvette Z06′s engine. To reach its optimal performance targets, the supercharger designed for the LT4 is more efficient and compact than the one found on the Corvette ZR1′s LS9.
The new Eaton TVS Supercharger spins up to 20,000 RPMs – 5,000 RPMs more than the ZR1. The rotors are shorter too which enables them to get up to speed quicker and that gives the driver more torque earlier in the RPM band.
Long on the wish list of Corvette enthusiasts for the high performance cars is an optional automatic transmission and once again Chevrolet listens and delivers.
The new eight-speed transmission is built in-house by Chevrolet at its transmissions plant in Toledo, Ohio. Tuned for world-class shift response times, the new automatic has smaller steps between the gears to keep the LT4 within the sweet spot of the rpm band, optimizing the output of the supercharged engine for performance and efficiency.
And for those drivers that like the flexibility of going manual by utilizing the paddle shifts, the new transmission has unique algorithms to deliver shifts that rival the dual-clutch/semi-automatics that are found in many of the supercar competitors – but with the smoothness and refinement that comes from a conventional automatic fitted with a torque converter.
Chevrolet says that the 8L90 transmission’s controller analyzes and executes commands 160 times per second and wide-open throttle upshifts are executed up to eight-hundredths of a second quicker than the dual-clutch transmission offered in the Porsche 911.
“Unlike most ultra-performance cars, the Corvette Z06 offers customers the choice between two transmissions to suit their driving styles,” said Juechter. “The seven-speed gives the driver the control of a true three-pedal manual transmission with perfect shifts enabled by Active Rev Matching. The new eight-speed automatic offers drivers the comfort and drivability of a true automatic transmission, as well as lightning-fast shifts and manual control for track driving.”
Aerodynamics play a huge role in the Corvette Z06′s development and design and this new Corvette delivers more downforce that any car ever tested in GM’s wind tunnel.
“Virtually every exterior change served a functional purpose, as this beast needed more of everything,” said Tom Peters, Corvette design director, “The flared fenders accommodate larger, wider wheels and tires for more grip. The larger vents provide more cooling air to the engine, brakes, transmission and differential for increased track capability. The more aggressive aerodynamic package generates true downforce for more cornering grip and high-speed stability.”
Chevrolet says those design changes started with the tires first, instead of widening the car and then matching the size of tires to fit. To make sure they had the right tire combination, they worked with Michelin for two years to get the levels of tire grip needed to reach the Z06′s performance targets.
The 2015 Corvette Z06 leverages the technologies introduced last year on the 2014 Corvette Stingray, with unique features and calibrations tailored for its capabilities.
“Our mission with the seventh-generation Corvette was to make the performance levels more accessible, enabling drivers exploit every pound-foot of torque, every “g” of grip and every pound of downforce,” said Juechter. “It’s a philosophy we introduced with the 460-horsepower Corvette Stingray – and one that’s even more relevant with an estimated 625 horsepower at your beck and call.”
Like the Corvette Stingray, the aluminum frame for the Corvette Z06 is built in the body shop at the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green. The stiffer frame design allows the Corvette Z06 to be offered with a removable roof panel for the first time. In fact, with the lightweight, carbon fiber roof panel removed, the new Corvette Z06 offers 20 percent more structural rigidity than the previous model’s fixed-roof design – and a 60-percent increase in stiffness with the roof panel installed.
Like the Stingray, the Corvette Z06 features the Driver Mode Selector which allows the driver to select up to a dozen features to the driving environment including:
Launch control: Available in Track mode for manual and automatic transmissions, providing maximum off-the-line acceleration
Active handling (StabiliTrak stability control): A “competitive” setting is available in Track mode and is more suited for on-track conditions. It can also be disabled, giving the driver complete control
Traction control: Weather mode tailors traction control and engine torque for driving in inclement conditions
Performance Traction Management: Available in Track mode and offers five settings of torque reduction and brake intervention for track driving
Electronic Limited Slip Differential: Adjusts the rate at which the limited slip engages, to balance between steering response and stability in different driving conditions; more aggressive performance in Sport and Track modes.
The electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) is standard on the Corvette Z06 to make the most of the torque split between the rear wheels and is fully integrated with Electronic Stability Control and the Performance Traction Management Systems.
The new Corvette Z06 will be available in early 2015. Performance data and pricing will be announced prior to the start of production.
This isn’t just another Corvette from Chevrolet. This is a world-class supercar with a race proven aerodynamic design and advanced technologies that makes it the most track-capable Corvette in history.
The 2015 Corvette Z06 builds not only on the strengths of the 2014 Corvette Stingray which debuted exactly one year earlier, but also through its racing experience and technology transfer with the C6.R race car along with Chevrolet’s experience in delivering mind-numbing performance throughout the later half of the C6 era with the Corvette ZR1.
In fact, the Corvette Z06 is better than the previous King of the Hill in a number of ways, not just measured by performance, but by the driving experience that it offers.
It’s the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine. It’s the first Corvette Z06 to offer an automatic transmission. And thanks to its stronger aluminum frame, its the first Corvette Z06 to have a removable roof panel.
The 6.2L LT4 delivers over 625 horsepower and an estimated 635+ lb-ft of torque. Slightly different numbers than those that were leaked last week. Customers can choose either a seven-speed manual transmission with active rev match technology or the all new high-performance eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters for manual control.
“The new Z06 delivers levels of performance, technology and design that rival the most exotic supercars in the world,” said Mark Reuss, president, General Motors North America. “And the Z06 leverages the engineering expertise of GM, offering the choice of two world-class transmissions, supercar performance without supercar fuel consumption, and technologies that make it easier to fully enjoy the incredible experience of driving it.”
Carried over and enhanced from the C6 program is the optional track-focused Z07 Performance Package which adds Michelin’s Pilot Super Sport Cup Tires for enhanced grip, Brembo carbon ceramic brakes for stopping power and unique aerodynamic components that create massive downforce to keep those tires on the road.
In a private briefing on the car, Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter said that on its first shakedown run at the Milford Proving Grounds, the all new Corvette Z06 set the fastest lap ever and took the course record from the mighty C6 Corvette ZR1. ON A SHAKEDOWN RUN! Just wait until the car is fully dialed in!
“The Corvette Z06 is a great example of the technology transfer between racing and production Corvettes,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “First, we took what we learned on the Corvette Racing C6.R and applied that to the all-new Corvette Stingray. Then, using the Stingray as a foundation, the Z06 and C7.R were developed to push the envelope of performance on the street and the track.”
Like the powerful and fuel-efficient 6.2L LT1 V8 in the 2014 Corvette Stingray, the supercharged 6.2L LT4 offers the greatest balance of performance and fuel efficiency ever in a Corvette. Direct injection, active fuel management and continuously variable valve timing are all features that can be found on the new Corvette Z06′s engine. To reach its optimal performance targets, the supercharger designed for the LT4 is more efficient and compact than the one found on the Corvette ZR1′s LS9.
The new Eaton TVS Supercharger spins up to 20,000 RPMs – 5,000 RPMs more than the ZR1. The rotors are shorter too which enables them to get up to speed quicker and that gives the driver more torque earlier in the RPM band.
Long on the wish list of Corvette enthusiasts for the high performance cars is an optional automatic transmission and once again Chevrolet listens and delivers.
The new eight-speed transmission is built in-house by Chevrolet at its transmissions plant in Toledo, Ohio. Tuned for world-class shift response times, the new automatic has smaller steps between the gears to keep the LT4 within the sweet spot of the rpm band, optimizing the output of the supercharged engine for performance and efficiency.
And for those drivers that like the flexibility of going manual by utilizing the paddle shifts, the new transmission has unique algorithms to deliver shifts that rival the dual-clutch/semi-automatics that are found in many of the supercar competitors – but with the smoothness and refinement that comes from a conventional automatic fitted with a torque converter.
Chevrolet says that the 8L90 transmission’s controller analyzes and executes commands 160 times per second and wide-open throttle upshifts are executed up to eight-hundredths of a second quicker than the dual-clutch transmission offered in the Porsche 911.
“Unlike most ultra-performance cars, the Corvette Z06 offers customers the choice between two transmissions to suit their driving styles,” said Juechter. “The seven-speed gives the driver the control of a true three-pedal manual transmission with perfect shifts enabled by Active Rev Matching. The new eight-speed automatic offers drivers the comfort and drivability of a true automatic transmission, as well as lightning-fast shifts and manual control for track driving.”
Aerodynamics play a huge role in the Corvette Z06′s development and design and this new Corvette delivers more downforce that any car ever tested in GM’s wind tunnel.
“Virtually every exterior change served a functional purpose, as this beast needed more of everything,” said Tom Peters, Corvette design director, “The flared fenders accommodate larger, wider wheels and tires for more grip. The larger vents provide more cooling air to the engine, brakes, transmission and differential for increased track capability. The more aggressive aerodynamic package generates true downforce for more cornering grip and high-speed stability.”
Chevrolet says those design changes started with the tires first, instead of widening the car and then matching the size of tires to fit. To make sure they had the right tire combination, they worked with Michelin for two years to get the levels of tire grip needed to reach the Z06′s performance targets.
The 2015 Corvette Z06 leverages the technologies introduced last year on the 2014 Corvette Stingray, with unique features and calibrations tailored for its capabilities.
“Our mission with the seventh-generation Corvette was to make the performance levels more accessible, enabling drivers exploit every pound-foot of torque, every “g” of grip and every pound of downforce,” said Juechter. “It’s a philosophy we introduced with the 460-horsepower Corvette Stingray – and one that’s even more relevant with an estimated 625 horsepower at your beck and call.”
Like the Corvette Stingray, the aluminum frame for the Corvette Z06 is built in the body shop at the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green. The stiffer frame design allows the Corvette Z06 to be offered with a removable roof panel for the first time. In fact, with the lightweight, carbon fiber roof panel removed, the new Corvette Z06 offers 20 percent more structural rigidity than the previous model’s fixed-roof design – and a 60-percent increase in stiffness with the roof panel installed.
Like the Stingray, the Corvette Z06 features the Driver Mode Selector which allows the driver to select up to a dozen features to the driving environment including:
Launch control: Available in Track mode for manual and automatic transmissions, providing maximum off-the-line acceleration
Active handling (StabiliTrak stability control): A “competitive” setting is available in Track mode and is more suited for on-track conditions. It can also be disabled, giving the driver complete control
Traction control: Weather mode tailors traction control and engine torque for driving in inclement conditions
Performance Traction Management: Available in Track mode and offers five settings of torque reduction and brake intervention for track driving
Electronic Limited Slip Differential: Adjusts the rate at which the limited slip engages, to balance between steering response and stability in different driving conditions; more aggressive performance in Sport and Track modes.
The electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD) is standard on the Corvette Z06 to make the most of the torque split between the rear wheels and is fully integrated with Electronic Stability Control and the Performance Traction Management Systems.
The new Corvette Z06 will be available in early 2015. Performance data and pricing will be announced prior to the start of production.
2015 Corvette Z06 Supercar Walkaround
Corvette Chief Engineer, gives you a look at the newly-revealed 2015 Corvette Z06.
http://youtu.be/kfhBg5O9i2U
http://youtu.be/oGiKHLNNBCE C7R
And so to the Z06. Not only has the look been pumped up — the front fenders are 56 millimetres wider, while the back end is entirely different. At first blush it looks similar, but it is significantly wider (the rear lights were repositioned to trick the eye/brain into thinking it looks the same). The reason is all about function and the thermodynamics at play. The Z06’s hood vent is much larger to get the heat out of the engine bay, while the rear vents ensure that the larger transmission and differential coolers (the key reason for the increased width) get the air they need.
Then there’s the race car-inspired front splitter and a flatter underbody. All of this work has produced a car with superb downforce. This helps the race-tuned suspension to keep the P285/30R19 front and P335/25R20 rear tires on the tarmac. Naturally, this work means the Z06 promises to be the most dynamic version of the American icon ever built.
Corvette Chief Engineer, gives you a look at the newly-revealed 2015 Corvette Z06.
http://youtu.be/kfhBg5O9i2U
http://youtu.be/oGiKHLNNBCE C7R
And so to the Z06. Not only has the look been pumped up — the front fenders are 56 millimetres wider, while the back end is entirely different. At first blush it looks similar, but it is significantly wider (the rear lights were repositioned to trick the eye/brain into thinking it looks the same). The reason is all about function and the thermodynamics at play. The Z06’s hood vent is much larger to get the heat out of the engine bay, while the rear vents ensure that the larger transmission and differential coolers (the key reason for the increased width) get the air they need.
Then there’s the race car-inspired front splitter and a flatter underbody. All of this work has produced a car with superb downforce. This helps the race-tuned suspension to keep the P285/30R19 front and P335/25R20 rear tires on the tarmac. Naturally, this work means the Z06 promises to be the most dynamic version of the American icon ever built.
Edited by 7YEL on Monday 13th January 18:37
Edited by 7YEL on Monday 13th January 18:48
Edited by 7YEL on Monday 13th January 19:34
Edited by 7YEL on Monday 13th January 19:35
7YEL said:
Well my guess would be $100000+ with the Z07 package we might learn more about price tomorrow, the rear spoiler looks to have a adjustable centre section in perspex.
In one interview I can't find now the chief engineer said that it will be priced in the same range as a C6 Z06 and tha a fully optioned Z06 with the Z07 package will be under $100K in the US.Gixer said:
After seeing a C7 in the summer, the only thing I really liked was the noise. Never been a fan of the looks but the pics above were getting my attention. Shame then that the one they just launched is a bit more toned down. Pretty much a C7 with a wing. Shame. They keep going on about the ring time but still haven't said what it was
There a three levels of Aero the one pictured is the most aggressive the Z07 option.
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