RE: Race-bred Corvette debuts
Monday 20th June 2005
Corvette Z06: a race-bred 500bhpThe new, high-performance Corvette Z06 will make its European debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed over the weekend of 24 - 26 June. The 2006 Corvette Z06 was introduced in January 2005 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit and is, according to maker GM, the fastest, most powerful car it's ever made.
Race-bred Corvette debuts
Goodwood to see 500bhp Corvette strut its stuff
Corvette Z06: a race-bred 500bhp
GM plays on the race-winning history of the marque. In its five years, the C5-R racing programme took 35 victories in 55 races, four American Le Mans Series championships, and three double victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans -- plus its Le Mans class win yesterday. By winning every race in the 2004 season, the Corvette C5-R racing team wrapped up the most successful era in Corvette’s 50-year racing history.
Corvette chief engineer linked the Corvette race programme with the road-going car's DNA. He said, “The new Z06 is the dividend from competing so successfully in endurance racing. It combines the strong attributes of the new, sixth-generation Corvette with the spirit, technology and know-how from the race programme to form an American supercar with outstanding credentials.”
The new Z06 produces 500bhp and is expected to deliver 0-60 mph performance of less than four seconds, cover the quarter-mile in less than 12 seconds and reach a top speed of more than 190mph.
The links between racing and the production Z06 are both direct and indirect, according to GM, as the vehicle was developed in conjunction with the C6.R racecar. They boil down to the application of lessons that could only have been learned after countless laps of endurance racing – everything from suspension geometry to aerodynamics. The end product is a unique vehicle with its own powertrain, body structure and chassis system, distinct from other Corvette models.
Previous Z06 models, from the original 1963 model to the 2001-04 editions, incorporated suspension and/or engine upgrades that complemented existing Corvette systems. Specifications for the ’06 model include:
- LS7 7.0-litre Gen IV V-8 hand-built engine using lightweight reciprocating components such as titanium connecting rods and intake valves and dry-sump lubrication
- 500bhp at 6,200rpm, 475lb-ft of torque at 4,800rpm, 7,000rpm redline
- Aluminium body structure with one-piece hydro-formed perimeter rails frame and magnesium front cradle, fixed roof design with carbon-fibre composite front wings and front wheel arches, front fascia incorporating a larger grille, cold-air scoop and lower air splitter, wide-body rear wings and a unique rear spoiler incorporated with the CHMSL
- Fourteen-inch (355 mm) cross-drilled front disc brakes with six-piston callipers and 13.4-inch (340 mm) cross-drilled rear rotors with four-piston callipers
- 18 x 9.5-inch front wheels with 275/35ZR18 tyres and 19 x 12-inch rear wheels with 325/30ZR19 tyres
- 3-inch diameter exhaust with bi-mode mufflers and larger polished stainless steel tips
- Rear-mounted battery to improve weight distribution
- Unique interior features including revised gauge cluster, lightweight two-tone seats with more aggressive bolsters
- Kerb weight of 1,419.7Kg (estimated)
- Three inches (76.2 mm) wider than other Corvette models
- Vehicle developed simultaneously with C6.R racecar
Discussion
Nice car, good solid build quality (best yet) and good solid performance, and an exhaust note to die for. Better still, it'll go around the race track a little better now, with all the backroom tinkering they've been doing.
Only downside is the interior, would of looked nice a couple of years back, looks slightly dated by today's standards.
Well done Chevrolet, nice to see race and motor sport technology filtering down into consumer cars and seemingly taking an interesting in developing cars with enough track day potential, without sacrificing day-to-day drivability.
A bargain at the price, just a shame petrol prices continue to climb.
Only downside is the interior, would of looked nice a couple of years back, looks slightly dated by today's standards.
Well done Chevrolet, nice to see race and motor sport technology filtering down into consumer cars and seemingly taking an interesting in developing cars with enough track day potential, without sacrificing day-to-day drivability.
A bargain at the price, just a shame petrol prices continue to climb.
Crodge said:
A bargain at the price, just a shame petrol prices continue to climb.
I would be willing to bet that it gets better fuel economy than my Chim 450 did. That is ... until you decide to stick your right foot all the way to the floor ......
These should be selling in the 75 - 80K dollars in the USA. It's out of my price range, but for those that can afford it, you can not match the price/performance ratio.
Crodge said:
More information here:
www.chevrolet.com/corvettez06/
No leaf springs here!
Correct there is no plural. One leaf spring.
From that site: Z06 features a four-wheel double wishbone independent suspension. It features aluminum control arms, gas shocks, antiroll bars, and transverse-mounted composite springs.
Here's the underside of a 'vette showing the transverse leaf spring.
It always amazes me how the old leaf spring is always referred to as being out dated etc. when push comes to shove this component is only doing the pushing and shoving. There are lots of other components to the corvette suspension, including electromagnetic real time adjustable dampers on some models. All suspension system have to provide the spring and when you start talking about composite leaf springs you can do many more things to the spring properties than the alternative bit of curly wire. Now maybe curly springs are more complex now days than I’m giving them credit but to trash a leaf spring based on the assumption its old tech is daft. It provides a very compact solution to springing the vehicle with the only real downside being the availability of alternatives for the aftermarket boys who want to tinker with the spring rates etc. Designing one to fit on thousands of vettes is one thing, designing lots of alternatives to fit the small market of tinkerers is another.
Thankfully this thread seems to be heading in a positive direction and the speck of the C6 Z06 is very impressive. I fear the Dodge boys will have to pick up the pace with the Viper motor. Unfortunately I’m still not convinced with the look of the C6 front and hopefully the changes for the Z06 will improve it.
Bit OT but here’s hoping that Dodge/Chrysler take the fight and go to lemans with a new viper now we have the SRT coupe coming and we can get the Vipers, Vettes and Astons thrashing it out. That’ll beat 6 F1 cars for interest any day.
>> Edited by viperdave on Monday 20th June 20:58
Thankfully this thread seems to be heading in a positive direction and the speck of the C6 Z06 is very impressive. I fear the Dodge boys will have to pick up the pace with the Viper motor. Unfortunately I’m still not convinced with the look of the C6 front and hopefully the changes for the Z06 will improve it.
Bit OT but here’s hoping that Dodge/Chrysler take the fight and go to lemans with a new viper now we have the SRT coupe coming and we can get the Vipers, Vettes and Astons thrashing it out. That’ll beat 6 F1 cars for interest any day.
>> Edited by viperdave on Monday 20th June 20:58
With this one Chevy sets a landmark: the US sportscar is a true hitech thingy with all the bits and performance to match. For those who didn't know this should do the trick.
In fact is exact that for over 10 years now. Amazing most people look down on it.
The 7 litre lump in a Marcos . . . tweaked etc
In fact is exact that for over 10 years now. Amazing most people look down on it.
The 7 litre lump in a Marcos . . . tweaked etc
dinkel said:
With this one Chevy sets a landmark: the US sportscar is a true hitech thingy with all the bits and performance to match. For those who didn't know this should do the trick.
In fact is exact that for over 10 years now. Amazing most people look down on it.
The 7 litre lump in a Marcos . . . tweaked etc
Just the sorta thing I suggested before, but i suggested a 7 litre LS1 C5R crate motor. But why are Chevy, Dodge, et al returning to massive capacities to make their grunt? You CAN get useable torque from a smallish capacity atmo engine (see TVR, Gallardo, etc.). Just a thought...
dinkel said:
This 7 litre may be tweaked to 600 horsies and even more I guess . . . and why not? It's still more affordable then a Lambo lump.
So, who'll put their finger up?
There's a Lingenfelter C6 that gets 725BHP from the standard 6 litre LS2 so if they got their hands on the LS7 we should see something quite amazing!
Awesome car, amuses me when folks comment on the leaf spring, like they know why a coil spring is better!
If the suspension on the Vette was poor it wouldn't have the performance and success.
Matthew
lap_time said:
With this one Chevy sets a landmark: the US sportscar is a true hitech thingy with all the bits and performance to match. For those who didn't know this should do the trick.
In fact is exact that for over 10 years now. Amazing most people look down on it.
The 7 litre lump in a Marcos . . . tweaked etc
Just the sorta thing I suggested before, but i suggested a 7 litre LS1 C5R crate motor. But why are Chevy, Dodge, et al returning to massive capacities to make their grunt? You CAN get useable torque from a smallish capacity atmo engine (see TVR, Gallardo, etc.). Just a thought...
Yes, but when you compare emmissions, fuel consumption, reliability, service intervals, cost etc. the modern Corvette motors come out looking pretty good.
Taking all the above into consideration, IMO the current Z06 5.7 engine is one of the best motors ever.
thirsty said:
A bargain at the price, just a shame petrol prices continue to climb.
I would be willing to bet that it gets better fuel economy than my Chim 450 did. That is ... until you decide to stick your right foot all the way to the floor ......
These should be selling in the 75 - 80K dollars in the USA. It's out of my price range, but for those that can afford it, you can not match the price/performance ratio.
Full Spec base model (non Z06) Coupe is $54,000
Full Spec Z06 expected to come in right under $70,000
The new Corvette is a lot easier on the eyes and the technology is certainly there. The only problem that I have with the Corvette is the shear quantity of them that they make here in the States. I probably pass six or seven to and from work every day (the new ones too, this doesn't include the multitude of C4 and C5 models that I see).
ErnestM
GM announced the prices for the Z06 last week......
www.corvettesbyrickdaniel.com/C6Z06INFO.html
$65,000 is the base price
www.corvettesbyrickdaniel.com/C6Z06INFO.html
$65,000 is the base price
Gassing Station | Motoring News | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff