A walk through of the Performance Data Recorder in the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray.

Program returns in March

Chevrolet has announced they are resuming their Engine Build Experience for Corvette Z06 customers.

Described as the "only program of its kind for supercar customers," the Engine Build Experience will allow buyers to help assemble the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine that will power their car.

The package costs $5,000 (€4,218 / £3,306) and includes a full day with a Performance Build Center engine assembly technician and a personalized engine plaque identifying the owner/builder and the date of the engine build. A professional photographer will also be on hand to document the event.

According to Corvette product manager Harlan Charles, “Chevrolet recognizes the passion customers have for Corvette and the Engine Build Experience offers them a truly unique opportunity for hands-on involvement in the creation of the heart of their new car." He added, “It’s a chance to bond with their new car.”

The first time I saw the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, I couldn’t wait for the day to come when I’d be able to finally drive one.

FAST FACTS

• Engine: 6.2 L supercharged V8, 650 HP, 650 lb-ft of torque.
• Transmission: Seven-speed manual, eight-speed automatic
• Fuel Economy (US): 13 MPG city, 23 MPG highway (automatic)
• Fuel Economy (CDN): 17.7 L/100 km city, 10.2 L/100 km highway (automatic)
• Pricing (US): Corvette Z06 Coupe starts at $79,990 after destination charges, the Convertible begins at $84,990.
• Pricing (CDN): Corvette Z06 coupe starts at $86,995 after destination charges, the convertible begins at $92,495.

As the months went by, specifications began to surface. The new Z06 would get a supercharged V8, a choice of transmissions, the most downforce ever applied to a street car by Chevrolet and some of the stickiest street-legal tires known to man. My anticipation grew and I began to wonder if there’s any way the new Z06 could live up to my expectations? The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray with the Z51 package is so good, how much better could the Z06 really be?

It was finally time to answer those burning questions. I was whisked away to Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch to sample the 2015 Z06 where it belongs. In a few short laps I had my answers: there is no disappointment in the Z06’s performance and it’s in an entirely different league than the Stingray.




Forget the massive horsepower or excessive downforce, it’s the Z06’s brakes that blow my mind the most. Or more accurately, it’s the brakes that are trying to squeeze my brain out of my nostrils with a g-force riddled violence I’ve never experienced before. The Corvette Z06’s official theme song should be Kurtis Blow’s 1980 hit “The Breaks”.

The two piece steel rotors that come standard on the Z06 do a tremendous job scrubbing off speed. But upgrade to the Z07 performance package and those brakes are replaced by carbon ceramic rotors that grow nearly an inch front and rear. Chevrolet officially claims these brakes will stop the Z06 in less than 100 feet from 60 MPH which is phenomenal.

LT4 = Horsepower Explosion

Having insane braking capability is a good thing for a car with maniacal amounts of horsepower. A 6.2-liter supercharged LT4 V8 sits under the Z06’s swoopy hood and generates 650 HP and 650 lb-ft of torque. Yes it’s a 16-valve pushrod engine, but it’s also crammed with leading edge technology like direction injection and cylinder deactivation.

And then there is the sound. A deep, frenzied bellow emits from the Chevrolet’s four trumpet exhaust tips that is unmistakably American. When the secondary exhaust bypass valves open, everyone within 20 miles will hear the Z06’s snarl. It’s that loud.



Seven or Eight Speeds?

Like the regular Corvette Stingray, the Z06 uses a seven-speed manual transmission with rev match technology. Unlike the past few Z06 models, the 2015 edition can now be had with an automatic transmission as well: Chevy’s new eight-speed.

With the automatic transmission, a 0-60 MPH run happens in less than three seconds while the quarter mile is a sub-11 second blur. These are some serious numbers and the Z06 feels fully capable of them. On the main straightaway of the Spring Mountain track, speed builds at alarming rates. it only takes a moment to reach and surpass 100 MPH while the Corvette continues to pull and pull.

Heroic Rubber

The Z06 comes standard with 285/30R19 front and 335/25R20 rear Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. If that’s not enough grip, opt for the Z07 performance package that upgrades the tires to Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s. I’m no engineer, but I’m pretty sure these tires are made from a combination of glue, tree sap and gum. What else could explain their ability to pull 1.2 g’s of lateral force?

Basically a street-legal racing slick, the Sport Cup 2 tires feature minimal tread and maximum levels of grip. On the track the Z07 package’s adhesion limits feel endless. Best of all, the tires behave predictably and never allow the Z06 to get upset. The limits of the standard Pilot Super Sport tires are lower, but the tire will last much longer and are better suited for daily driving duties, especially when it rains.

The rest of the Z06 mechanics have been revised as well to match all the other performance upgrades. Magnetic selective ride control, performance traction management and active handling are all standard. The electric power steering can be adjusted from 12.0:1 to 16.4:1 ratio depending on drive mode. The one item missing from the Z06 is a mechanical limited-slip rear differential as it retains an electronic rear differential like the Stingray.

Down with the Force

Available now as a coupe or convertible, at first glance the Z06 may look like a regular Stingray, but is actually wider all around. The front fenders are over two inches wider while the rear fenders grow by over three inches. The easiest way to spot the Z06 from a normal Stingray is by the taillights that are now roughly three inches further apart. Failing that, look for copious amounts of vents, wings, spats and spoilers applied to the Z06.

Yup, the Z06 is all about that downforce. Three packages are available for the new car including the most extreme Z07 package that adds a more aggressive front splitter and spats, larger side sills and an adjustable see-through center portion to the rear spoiler. Even the redesigned front grille works with the larger hood vent to create more downforce.



Livable, But Not Perfect

Unlike most of the supercars Chevrolet has its sights on, there is still a generous amount of cargo space in the Corvette. In coupe form, the rear hatch can swallow 15 cubic feet of gear. As well, the Z06 can be had with either the GT or more aggressive competition seats, depending on how much comfort vs. support is required.

As with any car, there are a few issues with the Corvette. Despite Chevrolet’s best efforts to keep weight in check, the Z06 tips the scales at 3,524 lbs. for the base coupe, which isn’t just a hefty increase over the previous generation Z06, but also heavier than the last Corvette ZR1. Some of the exterior body panels were slightly out of alignment on the few Z06s I sampled as well.

The Value

But some of that can be forgiven when the issue of price comes up. The Z06 coupe starts at an unbelievable $79,990 after destination charges. Let me put that in perspective for you. The Dodge Viper starts at over $85,000 and can’t match the Z06’s performance. Upgrade to the Z07 package and the price is still just $91,000.

That should put the Z06 at least as capable, if not more so, than the $150,000 Nissan GT-R Nismo, the $130,000 Porsche 911 GT3 or the $183,000 911 Turbo S. And then there are the super pricey exotics that may have more than their hands full with the 2015 Corvette Z06 at local track days.



The Verdict

Call it old-school, dated or traditional. If you own a Z06, you won’t care. Instead you’ll be too busy setting blistering lap times. It’s stupid fast and the capabilities of this machine are ridiculous. There is the new super ‘Vette and it’s out for blood.

LOVE IT
Brakes
Power
Grip
Price

LEAVE IT
Misaligned body panels
Tires will wear quickly

The first time I saw the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, I couldn’t wait for the day to come when I’d be able to finally drive one.

Brian Robinson goes all out to get a First Look at America's newest powerhouse, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06.

Germany’s Prior Design has left aside its Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz projects for a bit and built a widebody kit for the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray coupe.

Made from Fiberglass-Duraflex mix, the PDR700 widebody kit enhances the looks of the American sports car thanks to the flared wheel arches, side skirts, redesigned front bumper complete with a spoiler, as well as a modified rear bumper that houses a carbon fiber diffuser and four big exhaust pipes.

Add up all these components and the price for the exterior kit alone exceeds €7,000 (about $8,230) – not including installation or painting. Other upgrades offered by Prior Design include 20-inch wheels in various models and colors, a suspension kit and a sports exhaust system.

The tuner can also build a custom interior for the Corvette C7, with the one showcased in the photos mixing dark Alcantara with light brown leather that cover the seats, dashboard and even the floor.

No word on mechanical upgrades, but judging from the PDR700 name and the way the engine sounds in the video posted below we’re hoping Prior Design worked on the V8 too.

Acceleration testing the 2015 HPE700 Supercharged C7 Corvette with 8-speed automatic transmission down the 1/4 mile dragstrip.

2015 Corvette Z06 mods:
-Custom AFE Intake
-ARH Headers
-2.4 Upper Pulley
-Lashway Motorsports Tune
-661whp / 613rwtq
-Manual Trans

2014 Viper TA mods:
-Intake
-Full exhaust
-Tune by Unleashed Tuning
@SuperiorAutoDesign

Just when we thought the dust had settled on the “2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 races 2014 Viper TA” matter, here comes a new piece of footage that reignites the debate. This time though, the two slabs of America battle it out in custom form.

We are dealing with the usual, less-than-legal street racing, but, like we said, these drivers chose to add some extra spice to their rides. We’ll start with the naturally-aspirated 8.4-liter V10 of the Mopar machine, which has been gifted with a custom intake, a complete custom exhaust system and a new ECU remap to govern the changes. Alas, we are not told what the horsepower result of the work is.

As for the LT4 supercharged 6.2-liter vee eight motivating the ‘Vette, the lump has received new headers, a pulley tune, as well as a custom exhaust. As a result, the Z06 now delivers 661 horsepower at the rear wheels.

The pair of supercars fight two rounds, but we don’t want to talk about the result here. Instead we’ll let the footage work its charms on you.

After all, since these two cars have received what one may label as moderate engine work, the result of their racing activities is not exactly relevant for comparing the two.

We’ll remind you that, back in December last year, a 2014 Viper TA walked a 2015 Corvette Z06. Both cars were manuals, just like the ones we have in the clip below and while the conclusion of their fight was obvious, a video showing another C7 Z06 beating a Viper TA came to change all that.

In the end, it’s not all about which car wins the drag race here. That’s because the snake and the blown ‘Vette offer entirely different driving flavors. Captain Obvious report over.

This here might just be the most powerful C7 Corvette Z06 ever tested on a dyno to date. And that's saying a lot considering the stock Vette carries around 650 HP and 881 Nm (650 lb-ft) of torque at the crank.

The guys over at Late Model RaceCraft are the ones responsible for this beautiful mess you're seeing here. They managed to get 743 wheel horse power out of the Z06 Corvette, after already breaking the 700whp barrier a little over a year ago with the C7 Stingray.

We don't have a number for crank hp, but we're guessing somewhere close to or a bit under 900 hp.

LMR used their Twisted Slayer Package (seriously, that's what it's called) on the previous generation Z06 and got over 650 whp from it - which basically means we're looking at almost 100 extra whp in favor of the new-gen model.

The added benefit of the LMR Packages once you've secured one for your car, is that they claim to be designed for performance as well as reliability, which in theory, means you can treat your modified car as you would any other car and use it daily.