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Z06 helps lead performance era
May 9, 2008
BY JEFF TAYLOR SearchChicago - Autos Contributor
If you’re a rear-wheel drive performance car enthusiast, you are about to enter a period of performance nirvana. Never before have buyers been able to choose from V-8, V-10 and even V-12 powered cars that start at 400 horsepower and continue past the 600 horse number … stock. These are not temperamental “hot rods” or fawned-over show cars but are actual production vehicles that you can order up at your neighborhood dealership.
So it’s a bit ironic that at the dawn of this new performance age we are faced with the highest recorded gas prices, a crumbling of consumer credit and confidence and a shrinking pool of buyers. Is history repeating itself? In the early 1970s performance cars were at their zenith only to drop off the cliff several years later.
So my point is that NOW is the time to enjoy performance cars like the Corvette and the new age “pony cars” like the Challenger, Mustang and the late-to-the-party Camaro. Cadillac and Chrysler LLC are well represented with the CTS, 300/Charger sedans and Viper, and don’t forget strong offerings from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz to name a few.
After driving countless cars over the years I still derive a special thrill from piloting cars like the Corvette. This was confirmed once again when I was behind the wheel of a 2008 Z06.
While the 2009 638-horse ZR1 is getting all the good “pub” the Z06 is by no means a slouch. The Z06 provides race-bred technology that you can use on the street via a big 427-cubic-inch engine sporting blood-red valve covers. The beefy 505 horsepower LS7 shares the same Gen IV V-8 architecture as the Corvette’s 6.0-liter LS2, but it uses a different cylinder block casting with pressed-in steel cylinder liners to accommodate the engine’s larger diameter, 4.125-inch (104.8 millimeter) cylinder bores. Internally, the LS7’s reciprocating components make use of racing-derived lightweight technology, including titanium connecting rods and intake valves, to help boost horsepower and rpm capability.
The LS7 is a 7.0-liter engine that only has to cut through the air carrying 3,132-pounds. Performance numbers fly by like a 0-to-60 time of 3.7 seconds -- not long enough? How about a blast through the quarter-mile at 125 mph in just under 12 seconds? If you can get your Z06 on a closed course, you’ll fall just shy of a top speed of 200 mph. This is pretty serious territory for a factory car that comes with a warranty and air-conditioning.
Pushing the car to great performance heights is a six-speed manual transmission that was beefed up to handle the LS7’s robust torque load. The six-speed also helps the Z06 reach EPA fuel economy numbers of 15 city and 24 highway, which really is saying something considering the performance punch this car has. Another punch is the one you’ll receive when you pay the premium fuel bill.
What really impressed me more than the dizzying performance numbers is the fact that this is an everyday performance car. The Corvette’s combination ride stems from its short-long arm suspension and transverse leaf spring design shared with other Corvette models. The Z06 one-ups standard Corvettes with all-new wheels, tires, brakes, as well as its own rear spring and roll stabilizer.
I enjoyed the firmer suspension, and it works well with the 19-inch wheels and tires -- the largest wheel-and-tire combination ever offered on a Corvette. The everyday ride is a bit stiff, but you can handle it.
A little discomfort to achieve lateral acceleration of more than 1 g as Chevy indicates is worth it to this writer.
Complementing the suspension system and large rolling stock is an equally stout four-wheel disc brake system, consisting of 14-inch (355 millimeter) vented and cross-drilled front rotors and 13.4-inch (340 millimeter) vented and cross-drilled rear rotors. A Delphi four-channel ABS system is standard, as is a very competent active handling system -- complete with a Competitive Driving mode.
Corvettes have always had great “street presence” and the Z06 is all there with its unmistakable and aggressive appearance. The Z06 betters the appearance of a standard Corvette with a wider front fascia with a splitter along the bottom and aero wheel opening extensions along the sides. The aggressive cold air scoop at the leading edge of the hood is functional as it integrates an air inlet system for the engine. A large air extractor is located behind the front wheels and out back are wider rear fenders with flares to cover the steamroller p325/30ZR19 rear tires. A cool rear spoiler stands up just enough along with the Z06 identification and the blood red brake calipers peeking out from behind the alloy rims are a nice touch.
The Z06 is really unique in that it can run with the world’s super- exotic sports cars, yet I wouldn’t even think twice about going grocery shopping or picking up items at the hardware store. I piloted this car on wide open highways, in residential neighborhoods and on the traffic-choked Edens.
Comfort, convenience and even some luxury can be found on the Z06. The power heated seats featured two-tone leather surfaces, bolsters and a great view of the road. High-Intensity Discharge lighting, fog lamps, leather seating, dual-zone air conditioning, cabin air filtration and head-up display (HUD) with track mode and g-meter are all standard.
While the long doors make getting in/out in a crowded parking lot a chore, the doors are lightweight and the step in/out height is very low.
The build quality and the materials used have gone up and this car even has some cargo space. The price of Z06 is also “up” to the tune of $76,545 with options and destination charges, but this is still a bargain for the performance this car delivers and the near exotic car status this car enjoys.
The Corvette has enjoyed unsurpassed longevity for more than five decades because it offers standout looks with performance to match, but it is also one of those cars that you just feel you have to drive.
And with the new ZR1 “halo” Corvette the line has a great performance future ahead if buyers can afford to pay for … and feed the beast.
May 9, 2008
BY JEFF TAYLOR SearchChicago - Autos Contributor
If you’re a rear-wheel drive performance car enthusiast, you are about to enter a period of performance nirvana. Never before have buyers been able to choose from V-8, V-10 and even V-12 powered cars that start at 400 horsepower and continue past the 600 horse number … stock. These are not temperamental “hot rods” or fawned-over show cars but are actual production vehicles that you can order up at your neighborhood dealership.
So it’s a bit ironic that at the dawn of this new performance age we are faced with the highest recorded gas prices, a crumbling of consumer credit and confidence and a shrinking pool of buyers. Is history repeating itself? In the early 1970s performance cars were at their zenith only to drop off the cliff several years later.
So my point is that NOW is the time to enjoy performance cars like the Corvette and the new age “pony cars” like the Challenger, Mustang and the late-to-the-party Camaro. Cadillac and Chrysler LLC are well represented with the CTS, 300/Charger sedans and Viper, and don’t forget strong offerings from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz to name a few.
After driving countless cars over the years I still derive a special thrill from piloting cars like the Corvette. This was confirmed once again when I was behind the wheel of a 2008 Z06.
While the 2009 638-horse ZR1 is getting all the good “pub” the Z06 is by no means a slouch. The Z06 provides race-bred technology that you can use on the street via a big 427-cubic-inch engine sporting blood-red valve covers. The beefy 505 horsepower LS7 shares the same Gen IV V-8 architecture as the Corvette’s 6.0-liter LS2, but it uses a different cylinder block casting with pressed-in steel cylinder liners to accommodate the engine’s larger diameter, 4.125-inch (104.8 millimeter) cylinder bores. Internally, the LS7’s reciprocating components make use of racing-derived lightweight technology, including titanium connecting rods and intake valves, to help boost horsepower and rpm capability.
The LS7 is a 7.0-liter engine that only has to cut through the air carrying 3,132-pounds. Performance numbers fly by like a 0-to-60 time of 3.7 seconds -- not long enough? How about a blast through the quarter-mile at 125 mph in just under 12 seconds? If you can get your Z06 on a closed course, you’ll fall just shy of a top speed of 200 mph. This is pretty serious territory for a factory car that comes with a warranty and air-conditioning.
Pushing the car to great performance heights is a six-speed manual transmission that was beefed up to handle the LS7’s robust torque load. The six-speed also helps the Z06 reach EPA fuel economy numbers of 15 city and 24 highway, which really is saying something considering the performance punch this car has. Another punch is the one you’ll receive when you pay the premium fuel bill.
What really impressed me more than the dizzying performance numbers is the fact that this is an everyday performance car. The Corvette’s combination ride stems from its short-long arm suspension and transverse leaf spring design shared with other Corvette models. The Z06 one-ups standard Corvettes with all-new wheels, tires, brakes, as well as its own rear spring and roll stabilizer.
I enjoyed the firmer suspension, and it works well with the 19-inch wheels and tires -- the largest wheel-and-tire combination ever offered on a Corvette. The everyday ride is a bit stiff, but you can handle it.
A little discomfort to achieve lateral acceleration of more than 1 g as Chevy indicates is worth it to this writer.
Complementing the suspension system and large rolling stock is an equally stout four-wheel disc brake system, consisting of 14-inch (355 millimeter) vented and cross-drilled front rotors and 13.4-inch (340 millimeter) vented and cross-drilled rear rotors. A Delphi four-channel ABS system is standard, as is a very competent active handling system -- complete with a Competitive Driving mode.
Corvettes have always had great “street presence” and the Z06 is all there with its unmistakable and aggressive appearance. The Z06 betters the appearance of a standard Corvette with a wider front fascia with a splitter along the bottom and aero wheel opening extensions along the sides. The aggressive cold air scoop at the leading edge of the hood is functional as it integrates an air inlet system for the engine. A large air extractor is located behind the front wheels and out back are wider rear fenders with flares to cover the steamroller p325/30ZR19 rear tires. A cool rear spoiler stands up just enough along with the Z06 identification and the blood red brake calipers peeking out from behind the alloy rims are a nice touch.
The Z06 is really unique in that it can run with the world’s super- exotic sports cars, yet I wouldn’t even think twice about going grocery shopping or picking up items at the hardware store. I piloted this car on wide open highways, in residential neighborhoods and on the traffic-choked Edens.
Comfort, convenience and even some luxury can be found on the Z06. The power heated seats featured two-tone leather surfaces, bolsters and a great view of the road. High-Intensity Discharge lighting, fog lamps, leather seating, dual-zone air conditioning, cabin air filtration and head-up display (HUD) with track mode and g-meter are all standard.
While the long doors make getting in/out in a crowded parking lot a chore, the doors are lightweight and the step in/out height is very low.
The build quality and the materials used have gone up and this car even has some cargo space. The price of Z06 is also “up” to the tune of $76,545 with options and destination charges, but this is still a bargain for the performance this car delivers and the near exotic car status this car enjoys.
The Corvette has enjoyed unsurpassed longevity for more than five decades because it offers standout looks with performance to match, but it is also one of those cars that you just feel you have to drive.
And with the new ZR1 “halo” Corvette the line has a great performance future ahead if buyers can afford to pay for … and feed the beast.
