The new Corvette Z06 arrived as a 2006
model in the third quarter of 2005. It has a 7.0 L (7,008 cc/427.6 in³)
version of the small block engine codenamed LS7. Officially certified
output is 505 hp (376 kW). Dave Hill, the chief engineer for the C6
Corvette, says that it is a much further departure from the standard
Corvettes & more like the C6-R that GM is building for the American Le
Mans Series. Its performance is similar to the Ford GT & the Dodge Viper
SRT-10. Official performance figures indicate that the Corvette Z06 can
reach 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds from a standing start in first gear. In
the summer of 2005, GM & Corvette Racing driver Jan Magnussen brought
the new Corvette Z06 to the Nürburgring in Germany. Magnussen drove the
Corvette Z06 to a time of 7:42.99; few production cars have posted
faster times. Car & Driver tested the Corvette Z06 in their December
2005 issue, recording a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.4 seconds, a 0-100 mph
time of 7.8 seconds & a standing quarter mile of 11.7 seconds. In
addition to the larger engine, the C6 Corvette Z06 has a dry sump oiling
system, ensuring proper engine lubrication during periods of high
(lateral) acceleration & allowing the engine to be mounted low inside
the chassis. Connecting rods made out of titanium further lighten the
reciprocating mass of the engine while being stronger than the steel
rods they replace. Altogether, the Corvette Z06 model not only produces
more power, it revs higher than any other Chevrolet LS-motor. In a
radical departure from anything Chevrolet has ever done before, the
primary structural element of the C6 Corvette Z06 is aluminum instead of
steel as on the non-Corvette Z06 cars. The hydroformed aluminum frame
remains dimensionally identical to its steel brethren but is
significantly lighter. The front fenders are made of carbon fiber to
reduce weight, while wider rear fenders allow for the wider tires
necessary to deal with the engine's increased power. The Corvette Z06
officially weighs 3132 lb (1421 kg), giving it a power to weight ratio
of 6.2 lb/hp (3.8 kg/kW). The C6 Corvette Corvette Z06 is the first 500+
hp production car to avoid the US government Gas Guzzler tax. On October
31, 2005, the application of magnesium AE44 alloy in the engine cradle
(the world's first magnesium chassis component) was bestowed an
Honorable Mention in the Automotive News PACE™ (Premier Automotive
Suppliers' Contributions to Excellence) Awards competition. This is the
first award granted to the C6 Corvette Z06 Corvette. The suppliers
receiving the award were Norsk Hydro Magnesium & Meridian Technologies,
Inc.
Taken as a whole, the C6 Corvette Z06 is more similar to its race-going
variant, the C6-R, than the C5 Corvette Z06 was to the C5-R. The number
of production automobiles from all marques across the globe featuring
more than 500 hp (370 kW) is small indeed. With an official list price
of US$70,000 per unit, it will likely be the only such vehicle in
existence with a price tag under US$85,000. Despite this low pricing,
dealers in the United States have marked the Corvette Z06 up to anywhere
from $80,000 to $100,000, due to strong sales & low inventories.The
Corvette Z06 was the official pace car for both the 2006 Daytona 500 &
the Indianapolis 500 race. The special Pace Car edition Corvette Z06 was
unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January. |
