Ken
Gone but not forgotten
From MySA.com:
G. Chambers Williams III: The fastest 'Vette ever
Web Posted: 06/25/2005 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
The ultimate Corvette is on its way to market. Better look hard, though. This car will blast by you so fast it'll be just a blur.
I'm talking about the 2006 Z06, the 505-horsepower high-performance derivative of the sixth-generation Corvette that Chevrolet says will go from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.
Until now, the only consumer vehicles that could achieve 60 mph that quickly have been some of the high-power motorcycles that are occasionally referred to as "suicycles."
Not only will the new Z06 achieve 60 mph in such a short time, it also will still be in first gear when it gets there. And it's street-legal, of course.
There is always a price premium to be paid for such performance, and the new Z06 is no exception. The base price of the car, which goes on sale this fall, will be $65,800, including freight. That's a surprise to me, however, as I had predicted that the price would be somewhere between $75,000 and $80,000.
Still, it's a bunch more than the base 2005 Corvette coupe, which starts at $44,245, including freight. The convertible model begins at $52,245.
As in the past, though, the Z06 performance model will come in coupe form only.
For the extra money, you'll get more than just a souped-up engine. Chevy said in a news release that the new Z06 shares some of the components of the Corvette C6R race car, including "advanced lightweight materials typically found only in the most exotic supercars."
"Use of weight-saving materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum, titanium and magnesium give the 3,132-pound car a highly competitive weight-to-power ratio of 6.2 pounds per horsepower," the company said.
At the price, the Z06 is a bargain, Chevrolet contends.
"Corvette is a global icon for world-class sports car performance at an incredible value, and offering the fastest production Corvette ever at this price is another testament to that reputation," Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper said. "When you compare the Corvette Z06 performance stats to other supercars, you see numerous examples where you're getting better performance with Corvette for one-third the sticker price of the competition."
The car adds 105 horsepower to the sixth-generation Corvette that debuted last fall for 2005. That one, at 400 horsepower, is the most-powerful base 'Vette ever, but is the same horsepower as the previous-generation's Z06 version.
Rather than the 6.0-liter V-8 in the base Corvette coupe and convertible, the new Z06 gets a 7.0-liter V-8 — 427 cubic inches — with the aforementioned 505 horsepower and a whopping 470 foot-pounds of torque. That engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, and has a redline of 7,000 rpm.
Chevy says this newest Z06 is "more differentiated from the standard Corvette than any other Z06 in history, with every design element serving a performance function."
"The new Corvette Z06 is the dividend from competing so successfully in endurance racing," said Dave Hill, Corvette's chief engineer. "It combines the strong attributes of the new, sixth-generation Corvette with the spirit, technology and know-how from the race program to form an American supercar with outstanding credentials."
Chevy introduced the first Z06 model in 1963, and others have followed over the years.
Among the features of this latest version are an aluminum body with a one-piece hydroformed frame and a magnesium engine cradle. Also included are carbon-fiber composite front fenders, front wheelhouses and floorboard.
The car, with its dry-sump engine-lubrication system, will be hand-built at GM's new Performance Build Center near Detroit, where I got to see the sixth-generation Corvettes for the first time last summer.
Among other unique features of the Z06 are a larger grille, a cold-air scoop and lower air splitter, wide-body front and rear fenders, and a taller rear spoiler
Although this is a supercar in the vein, even, of the Ford GT, the new Z06 is designed to be a daily driver, not just a weekend show-and-go car. It has the same roomy and comfortable interior as its regular Corvette cousins.
Exterior colors to be offered include machine silver metallic, victory red, Daytona sunset orange, Le Mans blue metallic, velocity yellow tintcoat, and black.
Those of you wanting one of these should get your orders in as soon as possible. Production will be limited, and waiting lists are inevitable.
GM cutting prices for most '06 models
Getting serious about protecting its market share from further slides, General Motors has announced that it will cut the list prices on up to 90 percent of its Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn and Buick vehicles for model year 2006, while just slightly increasing prices for the hot Cadillac brand.
The price cuts probably will end up allowing GM to reduce some of the almost silly rebates that have been available on 2005 models. Pricing the cars more realistically from the start means that customers will be getting more value for their money without having to wait for rebate programs to take effect.
One example shown in a recent article in the industry weekly Automotive News is the Chevrolet Impala LS, whose new price will be $20,670, down $1,680 from the 2005 base price.
Hot-selling models — cars such as the Corvette and its Cadillac cousin, the XLR coupe — will be exempt from the lower prices, though, GM said. Also not affected will be Hummer vehicles, whose 2006 prices have not yet been announced.
Chevy also has announced value pricing for some of its newest models, including the retro-styled HHR small crossover utility vehicle, whose base price is $15,990, including freight.
G. Chambers Williams III: The fastest 'Vette ever
Web Posted: 06/25/2005 12:00 AM CDT
San Antonio Express-News
The ultimate Corvette is on its way to market. Better look hard, though. This car will blast by you so fast it'll be just a blur.
I'm talking about the 2006 Z06, the 505-horsepower high-performance derivative of the sixth-generation Corvette that Chevrolet says will go from zero to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.
Until now, the only consumer vehicles that could achieve 60 mph that quickly have been some of the high-power motorcycles that are occasionally referred to as "suicycles."
Not only will the new Z06 achieve 60 mph in such a short time, it also will still be in first gear when it gets there. And it's street-legal, of course.
There is always a price premium to be paid for such performance, and the new Z06 is no exception. The base price of the car, which goes on sale this fall, will be $65,800, including freight. That's a surprise to me, however, as I had predicted that the price would be somewhere between $75,000 and $80,000.
Still, it's a bunch more than the base 2005 Corvette coupe, which starts at $44,245, including freight. The convertible model begins at $52,245.
As in the past, though, the Z06 performance model will come in coupe form only.
For the extra money, you'll get more than just a souped-up engine. Chevy said in a news release that the new Z06 shares some of the components of the Corvette C6R race car, including "advanced lightweight materials typically found only in the most exotic supercars."
"Use of weight-saving materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum, titanium and magnesium give the 3,132-pound car a highly competitive weight-to-power ratio of 6.2 pounds per horsepower," the company said.
At the price, the Z06 is a bargain, Chevrolet contends.
"Corvette is a global icon for world-class sports car performance at an incredible value, and offering the fastest production Corvette ever at this price is another testament to that reputation," Chevrolet General Manager Ed Peper said. "When you compare the Corvette Z06 performance stats to other supercars, you see numerous examples where you're getting better performance with Corvette for one-third the sticker price of the competition."
The car adds 105 horsepower to the sixth-generation Corvette that debuted last fall for 2005. That one, at 400 horsepower, is the most-powerful base 'Vette ever, but is the same horsepower as the previous-generation's Z06 version.
Rather than the 6.0-liter V-8 in the base Corvette coupe and convertible, the new Z06 gets a 7.0-liter V-8 — 427 cubic inches — with the aforementioned 505 horsepower and a whopping 470 foot-pounds of torque. That engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission, and has a redline of 7,000 rpm.
Chevy says this newest Z06 is "more differentiated from the standard Corvette than any other Z06 in history, with every design element serving a performance function."
"The new Corvette Z06 is the dividend from competing so successfully in endurance racing," said Dave Hill, Corvette's chief engineer. "It combines the strong attributes of the new, sixth-generation Corvette with the spirit, technology and know-how from the race program to form an American supercar with outstanding credentials."
Chevy introduced the first Z06 model in 1963, and others have followed over the years.
Among the features of this latest version are an aluminum body with a one-piece hydroformed frame and a magnesium engine cradle. Also included are carbon-fiber composite front fenders, front wheelhouses and floorboard.
The car, with its dry-sump engine-lubrication system, will be hand-built at GM's new Performance Build Center near Detroit, where I got to see the sixth-generation Corvettes for the first time last summer.
Among other unique features of the Z06 are a larger grille, a cold-air scoop and lower air splitter, wide-body front and rear fenders, and a taller rear spoiler
Although this is a supercar in the vein, even, of the Ford GT, the new Z06 is designed to be a daily driver, not just a weekend show-and-go car. It has the same roomy and comfortable interior as its regular Corvette cousins.
Exterior colors to be offered include machine silver metallic, victory red, Daytona sunset orange, Le Mans blue metallic, velocity yellow tintcoat, and black.
Those of you wanting one of these should get your orders in as soon as possible. Production will be limited, and waiting lists are inevitable.
GM cutting prices for most '06 models
Getting serious about protecting its market share from further slides, General Motors has announced that it will cut the list prices on up to 90 percent of its Chevrolet, Pontiac, Saturn and Buick vehicles for model year 2006, while just slightly increasing prices for the hot Cadillac brand.
The price cuts probably will end up allowing GM to reduce some of the almost silly rebates that have been available on 2005 models. Pricing the cars more realistically from the start means that customers will be getting more value for their money without having to wait for rebate programs to take effect.
One example shown in a recent article in the industry weekly Automotive News is the Chevrolet Impala LS, whose new price will be $20,670, down $1,680 from the 2005 base price.
Hot-selling models — cars such as the Corvette and its Cadillac cousin, the XLR coupe — will be exempt from the lower prices, though, GM said. Also not affected will be Hummer vehicles, whose 2006 prices have not yet been announced.
Chevy also has announced value pricing for some of its newest models, including the retro-styled HHR small crossover utility vehicle, whose base price is $15,990, including freight.
