2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 @ the N-Ring

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I'd lean towards agreeing with the first quote, the second one sounds quite biased compared to pretty much every other review I've read. I'd say the first one is accurate. It's not saying it has go kart handling like the second one is, it can be interpreted in a couple of different ways though. I'd class the first review as middle ground compared to the good and bad reviews on both sides of the pond. I've still seen one in action, completely stock and I know the driver who owned it, he had a GTS a few years ago.
 
I tend to agree with you, though like I said I've read a couple of driver reviews that corroborate the C&D review. Like Mulder always told us, the truth is out there. :lol:
 
It certainly is, now I remeber a disscussion about a Cheverolet around here somewhere :lol:.
 
Yeah, we should probably get back to that, shouldn't we? :)

Anyone have an idea how long it is until Top Gear reviews the Z06?
 
It depends on wheater it's released over here officially or if the decde to do a special on it. I'd like them to test it ofcourse, but no word yet. I'm still waiting on news from Mr G if the Cerbera Speed 12 wil make an appearence next season. Heres hoping for both of them I'd like to compare the Z06 with the Sagaris, they should be similar but the Sagaris is down 100Bhp.
 
I thought TVR canceled the Speed 12 engine because it was too powerful to be road practical.
 
Yeah but they can still make a feature and show it since it has been 'restored'.

It has aleady featured majorly in Evo magazine.
 
They didn't cancel the engine per say, they cancelled production of the road car. One of them had already been built though, later on in the 5 race cars life they cannibalised the road car for spares in the race cars. Last year they put an advert in the AutoTrader saying they were re-building the road car and it was up for sale. The current owner has had it featured in Evo magazine who drove it unaware it was limited to around 700Bhp until after the test drive, the car normaly is limited to 880Bhp but 960+ is possible with different cams. TVR are doing more work on the car, basically making it run as smooth with 960Bhp as it currently does with 880, but they're tweaking the engine so it will probably have more power. As a road car the Speed 12 is completely ridiculous, but I love the idea of a car too fast and too powerful to use. It runs the race cars diff though so 0-60 takes about 3.5 seconds, the race cars were set for rolling starts not 0-60 drags, once it gets in it's stride past 60 it's faster than ANYTHING else on the road. I'm waiting to hear from Mr G (the owner of the Speed 12) if he managed to come to an agreeable arrangment with TopGear, as you know a one off car isn't cheap to fix should something go wrong.

Oh and Evo are going to feature it again when the current work on it is done, they're doing a performance test. I can't wait.
 
Gotcha. Hope they decided to go with one of those wicked two-tone TVR paint jobs for the Cerbera. :D
 
It's red, it's not a reflex or chamelion colour. Check www.speed12.info, theres pics and little video clip of it on there as well as a forum where Mr G himself pops into every now and again. The vid can be found in the news section and it's the second feature down in the column on the left, the car sounds awesome.
 
Cool.

I bet he's not too confident after the Enzo and a bus incident....
 
Oh. Shucks.

Back to the Corvette: I can't help but wonder why Chevrolet won't do an RHD conversion for the 'Vette.
 
It won't be cost effective, they won't sell enough more of them in the UK if they did them with rhd to justify spending money on converting them.
 
They won't do that because it's the All American sportscar.
 
It would cost millions to convert the car for production, so it isn't worth doing since you wouldn't recoup the money.
 
Wow, I'm just absolutely amazed.

First, I don't know how I missed this whole thread for a whole week (I"ve been packing and moving and stuff, so I haven't been on much lately)

Second, 18 pages of furious fighting, and NO ONE on either side thinks to mention anything besides weight and horsepower. Have any of you guys actually played GT4? Talk about acting like 6th graders. Comparing displacement is about as useful as comparing windscreen size. People bash the vette for not putting out MORE power from it's huge displacement, or only putting out *** hp more than the porsche, and then FAIL to mention the Porsche's turbos? WTF? Lemans regs limit a NA motor to 8 litres, and forced induction to 4 litres. Man, that sounds about equal to me, or is my math off? Specific output is only vaguely interesting academically. It has exactly ZERO real world importance. Why don't you compare something that actually matters, like gas mileage or something? (Golly, can't porsche get better milage out of a little 3.6 litre forced induction motor than a huge 7.0 L NA AMERICAN motor? FYI, the Z06 got MUCH more power before they detuned it to meet GM's gas mileage requirements, and avoid gov't gas guzzler tax in the US. Which the porsche CAN'T DO--not even the lowly base Carrera). And doesn't anyone know the vette pulled it's time on runflats? Compared to the near race tires on the GT3? Check this thread before you make some stupid response.
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=1580612&postcount=172 I know GT4 is just a game, but there is SOME relavence there. 5 seconds around a 1:30 track? what would the difference be around the Ring?

The vette's time is AMAZING, especially considering the concessions GM made for everyday drivability's sake. Sure, it could have EASILY been better, but GM made a LOT of concessions to make the car easier to live with.
 
Mate, it's a bit late for a rant, you may re-ignite the flames that died AGES ago, it's hell trying o calm down a European vs US cars debate.
 
live4speed
Mate, it's a bit late for a rant, you may re-ignite the flames that died AGES ago, it's hell trying o calm down a European vs US cars debate.
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How would you know? :nervous:

Just kidding. :sly: I just read 18 pages, and am terribly disappointed.
 
The last few pages haven't been about the Z06 lacking in power for an engine of it's size. I don't think thats been mentioned much at all. Mileage doesn't really matter if you're prepared to spend 70k on a new sportscar, performance and image both do. My opinion on the Z06 is that they should have done what imo the Z06 stands for, and made it the road version of the race car, instead as you put it, they made concessions. Not a bad thing in general but I like my sportscars like that, plenty of people don't though so I might just be being selfish :lol:.

Oh and btw, I know because I've been guilty or re-igniting a verbal war many times in the past :lol:.
 
live4speed
The last few pages haven't been about the Z06 lacking in power for an engine of it's size. I don't think thats been mentioned much at all. Mileage doesn't really matter if you're prepared to spend 70k on a new sportscar, performance and image both do. My opinion on the Z06 is that they should have done what imo the Z06 stands for, and made it the road version of the race car, instead as you put it, they made concessions. Not a bad thing in general but I like my sportscars like that, plenty of people don't though so I might just be being selfish :lol:.

Oh and btw, I know because I've been guilty or re-igniting a verbal war many times in the past :lol:.
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Oh, I meant the part about calming down a US vs European car debate. We've certainly been through a couple of those!
 
Oh, in that case I have little to no experience :lol:.
 
skicrush
.....People bash the vette for not putting out MORE power from it's huge displacement, or only putting out *** hp more than the porsche, and then FAIL to mention the Porsche's turbos? WTF?
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Not trying to spark anything, but you're a little off. The GT3 that we were all comparing the Z06 to has no turbos. Its a natually aspirated 3.6L flat-six motor making 375hp. So, I would understand your questioning that if the Porsche was turbo. But, its not. Maybe you were thinking about the GT2, not the GT3. The GT2 is the pumped up, 480hp, lightened, RWD version of the standard 911 Turbo. Maybe thats what you were thinking of. Again, not trying to get anything started. Just wanted to clear that up.

Hilg
 
JNasty4G63
Not trying to spark anything, but you're a little off. The GT3 that we were all comparing the Z06 to has no turbos. Its a natually aspirated 3.6L flat-six motor making 375hp. So, I would understand your questioning that if the Porsche was turbo. But, its not. Maybe you were thinking about the GT2, not the GT3. The GT2 is the pumped up, 480hp, lightened, RWD version of the standard 911 Turbo. Maybe thats what you were thinking of. Again, not trying to get anything started. Just wanted to clear that up.

Hilg
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Yup, I was. Live4speed and I were chatting this very issue up pretty hotly just last week, and when I went to check the specs on the GT3 today (instead of the GT2), neither of them were on the Porsche USA website anymore (they were there as late as last week).

I've stated it several times, but everyone keeps saying that no one that buys a $70k car cars about gas mileage. The problem is, I think they really DO, and that's why Chevy worked so hard to keep the vette and Z06 from having a Gas guzzler tax. HP figures well above the 500 mark leaked out continually before the Z06's release, but came down to offer better fuel economy. Besides paying the tax extra over the already high sticker price, I don't think people want to be reminded every time they fill up that their car cost more, and STILL costs more to operate. The base vette is the first 400 hp car to avoid the guzzler tax in the US, and the Z06 is the first 500hp car to avoid it. Given that the Enzo and CGT have HIGHWAY mileage in the 12-13 mpg range (half that of the Z06, and even worse than a Hummer H1), I'd say that GM left quite a bit on the table on purpose. Tuners are talking of about 600 hp with just a cam swap. GM is talking forced induction for the Blue Devil so they can keep up the trend, and avoid the GG Tax for the 600 hp car as well.

Simply put, displacement is an easy substitue for A) Cost, 2) Technology and complication, and D) Overall engine size. Everyone on this thread seems to be chatting about this stuff in a vacuum. The vette's motor is actually SMALLER than most DOHC V-6s. MUCH less expensive, complicated, and Much more durable (ie capable of abuse). It is capable of an 8000 rpm redline, but Chevy restricts it to 7k (probably to avoid a servicing schedule more like other high-strung sports cars).

In fact, given the livability/abuse expectations Corvette customers demand, the Z06's perfomance is even more amazing. It kinda makes you wonder why some of the other cars it has been compared to cost so much more and are so high maintenance.
 
I can understand someone being more concerned about mpg in a executive saloon or so on, but not in a sportscar. Maybe the facts and figures say they are concerned but I can't see why they would be.
 
If you own a car, you care about gas. I don't care what kind of car it is. Although with a Z06 you more then likely can afford to drive it with the prices the way they are.
 
skicrush
.....The vette's motor is actually SMALLER than most DOHC V-6s. MUCH less expensive, complicated, and Much more durable (ie capable of abuse). It is capable of an 8000 rpm redline, but Chevy restricts it to 7k (probably to avoid a servicing schedule more like other high-strung sports cars).
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I'm not sure where you got your figures from, but I fail to see how a V8 can be smaller than a V6. Even large V6 engines. They only have 3 cylinders worth of engine depth from front to rear, as opposed to 4. And, they also, obviously, only have 6 cylinders instead of 8. Thats a lot of block, head, piston, rod, valve, and cam weight that they don't have. I'm sure its a fairly small and lightweight V8 engine. But, I highly doubt its smaller than most V6 engines.

And, with regards to cost. There is a very easy phrase to remember and refer to when talking about cars and speed.......

"You have 3 choices. Fast, Reliable, and Cheap. You can pick 2."

That phrase works very well to describe fast cars and high horsepower engines. Many car companys have fast stock cars, but they don't come cheap. The Z06 engine is hand assembled using very high end parts to get its great specs. Makes for a Fast and Reliable engie, but thats not cheap. It will last just like a normal engine with regards to maintenance. But, its not cheap to get that. They can't afford to have warranty repairs and other such problems, so the engine uses very strong and very high grade materials, that are hand assembled, to ensure its longevity. Works great, but not cheap to get that.

Hilg
 
skicrush

i call BS.

the CAFE standards (CORPORATE average fuel economy) are weighted to measure the fuel economy of a manufacturer as a whole, the gas guzzler tax is simply a stic (motivation) to make cars more fuel efficient. given the slew of trucks, SUVs and minivans that GM sells, they absolutely have to have the maximum milage out ot any of the vehicles they sell. which is why they were selling the S10 4 cylinder at ridiculous prices at times (28mpg freeway.) in fact, in 1999 (i think, don't quote me) GM produced only a few months supply of 2000 surburbans before churning out the 2001s, as a CAFE/ fuel economy measure.

i dont remember the specifics, but it had something to do with them using up the entire allotment of credits (its a complicated game, they can get credits for producing cars that are electric; rememeber the EV1, hybrids, and ultra low emissions) and can trade those credits with other manufacturers. something as simple as having a new energy efficient plant is enough to gain credits, or reducing the emission of your paint booths) and having to start the next years production of big trucks going in order to avoid hefty penalties and fees for that years production.
 
First off there are V8s that are smaller then V6s. Hell Lexus has a V8 engine that is the same size as my V6. I'm sure there are others but I don't feel like thinking about em.

Secondly neanderthal, the 4 cylinder S-10 was ungodly cheap to buy and GM sold a ton of them. However the 4 banger they put in those trucks were so underpowered it made me cry. I think at the wheels they dynoed around 80 hp.
 
BlazinXtreme
First off there are V8s that are smaller then V6s. Hell Lexus has a V8 engine that is the same size as my V6. I'm sure there are others but I don't feel like thinking about em.
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Well, I'd love to hear the others. Like I said, I don't doubt there are some small V8 engines out there. But, using a very small V8 and a very huge V6 as a common comparison is kind of silly.

And , the 4.3L V8 that Toyota/Lexus uses is a very small V8. It only has a 3.5" bore. Thats very small, its only a mere 5mm bigger than the 2.0L 4G63 in my Talon. The Vortec 4300 in your truck has 4.00" bore, so its a very big V6 engine. Once you add all the ancilliries to that, you have a large engine. And also, the Z06's 7.0L V8 has a 4.125" bore. Thats nearly 3/4" bigger per cylinder than that Lexus engine. So, just in that, you have nearly 3 inches more length from end to end.

Again, I don't doubt there are some big V6 engines, and some very small V8 engines. But, trying to convince me that the 427 in the Z06 is a "very small" V8....well, its gonna take some good hard convincing. Even with the dry sump and the somewhat shortish intake manifolds on the new LS motors, we're still talking about a lot of engine.

Hilg
 
theres nothing small about a 7 liter engine when it comes to passenger cars. no matter how you slice it.

it may physically be smaller than a lot of OHC engines which may have less capacity but from a cubic capacity point of view its huge. period. in the pantheon of internal combustion engines recently used in passenger cars, i would say it is well within the top 25% if not the top ten. in the last 50 years there havent been that many engines larger than 7 liters. most of the behemoth engines died out in the early thirties to forties.

as for the engines smaller than the lexus, BMW had a 3.5 liter v8 recently, mercedes had one till about the mid eighties, lotus has one in the recently deceased esprit turbo, ferrari had one that was about 2.8 liters back in the day. there are plenty of small capacity engines of less than 4 l displacement in the annals of automotive history. there are (were) V12s of two liters for crying out loud.
 
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