2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 @ the N-Ring

[Elegy]

I'm sorry, bro. While I'll defend the honor of ANY American car, I'm only truely fanatical about one, and the Z06 isn't it. That said, what's so bad about it being potentially able to turn in an even more awesome lap time? If things can only get better...why worry? 👍

 

[neanderthal]

Finally, something we agree on. Though I'm pretty sure Chevrolet is making a fuss about the lap time.

in context its a huge deal.
GM has only started utilising the 'ring as a tuning tool in the last decade or so.
the vette has only become truly world class since its iteration the C5.
no production car has gone that fast on the ring that wasnt a near race car.
its probably the least expensive car to go faster than 7:50, by a long long way
while magnussen is certainly part of the elite, he isnt a ringmeister. give that car to someone who has over 10000 laps at the ring and lets see what they can do given a few weeks "acclimatisation."

its a huge deal for them. it shows how imminently capable the car is.

 

[FAOLIU05]

no dummy you're the one who came in here and posted about it, not chevrolet. you're the one who defended them, not chevrolet.

No. I never once defended the Z06 against the RS. I just defended the times set by the Z06 and the Z06 being a supercar and my definition of a supercar. Thats it. Never once did I say anything disrespectful or ignorant about the RS. I never mentioned the RS until now.

In my first post, I simply summed up the news article found in the VetteZ06.com link. The comparisons (if you want to call it that) made between the RS and Z06 were actually made by Chevrolet.

In fact, the very first statement you make ignorantly bashes the Z06, thus sparking your entire debate with Elegy. I never once bashed the RS.

And then you have the audacity to call me a dumbass...

 

[Elegy]

And look at it this way...given the stats of the cars, I'd say that the Corvette would be able to be pushed a hell of a lot farther than the GT3 at this point.

 

[FAOLIU05]

in context its a huge deal.
GM has only started utilising the 'ring as a tuning tool in the last decade or so.
the vette has only become truly world class since its iteration the C5.
no production car has gone that fast on the ring that wasnt a near race car.
its probably the least expensive car to go faster than 7:50, by a long long way
while magnussen is certainly part of the elite, he isnt a ringmeister. give that car to someone who has over 10000 laps at the ring and lets see what they can do given a few weeks "acclimatisation."

its a huge deal for them. it shows how imminently capable the car is.

Wow, if only you could've said this earlier instead of being a dick.

 

[neanderthal]

No. I never once defended the Z06 against the RS. I just defended the times set by the Z06 and the Z06 being a supercar and my definition of a supercar. Thats it. Never once did I say anything disrespectful or ignorant about the RS. I never mentioned the RS until now.

i never said you said anything bad about the GT3, and i think i proved that your definition of supercar was severely flawed.

In my first post, I simply summed up the news article found in the VetteZ06.com link. The comparisons (if you want to call it that) made between the RS and Z06 were actually made by Chevrolet.

In fact, the very first statement you make ignorantly bashes the Z06, thus sparking your entire debate with Elegy. I never once bashed the RS.

And then you have the audacity to call me a dumbass...

bull****. i have never bashed the vette in this thread apart from its interior. i have always given credence to it, but compared to the hard numbers against those of the GT3 its nothing special if the times at the ring are anythign to go by. there is a huge chasm of difference between bashing something and saying theres nothing special about it. unremarkable does not equate to horrible. now do you wonder why i called you dumbass?

 

[neanderthal]

Wow, if only you could've said this earlier instead of being a dick.

if id said that earlier you wouldnt know that the performance of the Z06 vs the GT3 at the ring wasnt remarkable in anyway would you. well, now you do. lesson learned.

i stand by what i said. all of it, including the aprt that you agree with. im just not a fanboy like you do i dont see the vette as the holy grail of sportscars.

additionally, its being a huge deal for them is simply from a benchmark point of view. they've eclipsed the porsche. its still a relatively unremarkable achievement in the annals of statistical performance.

 

[Elegy]

I do not believe anybody here ever said the Corvette was such.

 

[FAOLIU05]

What I'm seeing is you coming into a thread thats suppose to commemorate the Chevrolet's accomplishment and trying to de-bunk the Z06 by going on some highly irrelevant/pointless crusade to prove that the Z06 isn't special. I don't see how that isn't bashing a Corvette.

And my supercar definition isn't flawed. You're just too numbly cynical.

 

[FAOLIU05]

I do not believe anybody here ever said the Corvette was such.

I said that 7'42 was an awesome time because it is a history making time for Chevorlet, and because no other production Vette has ever done that.

 

[neanderthal]

What I'm seeing is you coming into a thread thats suppose to commemorate the Chevrolet's accomplishment and trying to de-bunk the Z06 by going on some highly irrelevant/pointless crusade to prove that the Z06 isn't special. I don't see how that isn't bashing a Corvette.

actually i was analysing the hard numbers of the car the corvette was being benchmarked against. from that point of view its definitely unremarkable to the point of asking why did they bother. even you cannot argue that the Z06, from a numbers point of view, should kill the GT3 where it just manages to squeeze past.

And my supercar definition isn't flawed. You're just too numbly cynical.

your definition of supercar is inherently flawed. you said its basically a car whose roadworthyness has been compromised, but never excluded trucks or even zambonis. the fact that you would included a common sportscar in the ranks of the supercars, shows you clearly dont know what makes one. and yes, the vette is a common sports car.

 

[Elegy]

And, indeed, it more than likely CAN completely demolish the GT3 with a driver that knows the Corvette well.

 

[JNasty4G63]

There is a simple reasoning behind all this from GM. They just want everyone to think they are getting some great deal with this car at $70k, so down the road in a few years they can start asking $90k for it. They'll just be like.....

"Hey, even at $90k, it will beat a $120k Porsche and $175k Ferrari"

.....And, they'll then spout off some lap times from some track, and show how on different days, with different drivers, the Vette beat much higher priced cars. If people think they are getting a bargain, they'll pay more for it.

Its just the hidden agenda they're cooking up. Its simple business tactics. Make people think they are getting a bargain, and you can easilly talk them into giving more of their money away.

Hilg

 

[Driftster]

He must have been pushing that car to it's absolute limit to get it that airborn, jesus man.

So under 100% "load" that's what the z06 can run? Not bad at all..Let's see a Porsche get pushed that hard and see what happens..

And I have to agree with neander, he's right.
At the end of the day no matter how fast the car is it's still a Corvette not a EB110

 

[McLaren]

I wish you could follow your own advice. You're comment about never labeling the Corvette a supercar kind of contradicts the statement I quoted. You seem like the type who would stereotype American cars and not give them a snowflake's chance in hell, just because they're American. You aren't going to give the Corvette just credit because it's produced by Chevrolet (who isn't Ferrari, Porsche, or Lamborghini) and because the Corvette is affordable for the wealthier middle class...

But as I was told by numerous members on the boards, a Corvette outside of the America's is very expensive and rare. So, according to your statement, the Vette would be considered a supercar. I win!

Buddy, you better get to know me before you start ****.

I love American cars. I've driven many from a Viper, to owning a Fiero and a Saturn.
Don't start **** saying that I wouldn't give an American car a chance in hell, b/c I do.

 

[Elegy]

Whoa, whoa, take it easy... Now, while I believe that you're not among this group, I can understand where Fao is coming from; many, if not most, of the people who take the stance of dismissing the Corvette as a supercar contender do, in fact, tend to be dismissive of American cars in general. Unfortunate, but true.

 

[neanderthal]

and rightly so. most american cars are crap. from design to engineering to real world capability/ performance (not track performance)

there are very very few that can compete and do well on any day in any given category. the vette is one of them.

 

[Elegy]

Are you including stuff like the sedans and hatchbacks in that equation? If so, then technically you could really say that every country mostly produces crappy cars with low performance (though I wouldn't count out all American sedans personally).

Usually, though, when those sorts of people make statements like that, they say it with only cars like the Corvette, Viper, Ford GT, Mustang, and other performance cars in mind.

 

[super cirrus]

The new zo6 is a beast. That it can run toe to toe with porsche's caged, striped, (almost) race car is pretty damn impressive.

 

[inferno]

The new zo6 is a beast. That it can run toe to toe with porsche's caged, striped, (almost) race car is pretty damn impressive.

Yeah, no one seems to be ackowleding that the 911 GT3 is a full blown race car with downforce and I dont know what tires but I'm sure there gripy-er than run-flats.

[EDIT]
The blue devil should be interesting.

 

[svtsnake]

yea man thats right when it gets to that high level of performance/low track times, tires and aerodynamics come to play.
even if the vette has a hp advantage, it doesnt have the wing to help push it down on the highspeed turns + run flats vs the tires on the gt3 rs, which have more grip than the standard sport tires equipped in the normal gt3.

 

[neanderthal]

Are you including stuff like the sedans and hatchbacks in that equation? If so, then technically you could really say that every country mostly produces crappy cars with low performance (though I wouldn't count out all American sedans personally).

Usually, though, when those sorts of people make statements like that, they say it with only cars like the Corvette, Viper, Ford GT, Mustang, and other performance cars in mind.

im including all categories, from ones american companies dont even compete in to supercars.
superminis
minis
compacts
meduim
large
entry luxury
luxury
sport sedans
wagons
touring (GT) cars
sportscars
ultraluxury etc


the full size trucks are the only segment where they are, but its the only place youll really find a market for them too.


most american products arent competitive. that so few sell well outside of north america is testament to that. of course other factors come into play. like fuel prices and so on but even barring that, i just dont think they are that good for the most part.


i am a bit of a techno snob, so thats probably a factor, but even i respect a vette and its pushrod engine.


its a sad day when an appliance as mundane and asinine as a camry is considered superior to (something with all the gloried history of) an impala. and i dont even think the camry is the top dog in that particular group.

when i talk of preformance im not talking striclty about it. im talking about being able to use the trunk coz you have a nice big opening, turning radius, noise at freeway speeds, fuel economy, ease of use/ adjustability, ergonomics and so on.

 

[FAOLIU05]

actually i was analysing the hard numbers of the car the corvette was being benchmarked against. from that point of view its definitely unremarkable to the point of asking why did they bother. even you cannot argue that the Z06, from a numbers point of view, should kill the GT3 where it just manages to squeeze past.

Thats perhaps the biggest load of crap I have ever read on these forums. Your bashing the Corvette, end of story dumbass...

your definition of supercar is inherently flawed. you said its basically a car whose roadworthyness has been compromised, but never excluded trucks or even zambonis. the fact that you would included a common sportscar in the ranks of the supercars, shows you clearly dont know what makes one. and yes, the vette is a common sports car.

No, my definition of a supercar is (and I've posted this numerous times):
A supercar is one which simply excells in track performance over defined road practicality.

If for one second you'd stop being so ignorantly cynical, you'd see that my definition isn't flawed. Why don't you read my definition slowly and think things through... I'm sure it'll hit you by some time tomorrow. Meanwhile, I suggest keeping your mouth shut to prevent you from looking more like a dumbass.

And yes, the Corvette is a sportscar. The Z06 is a supercar, regardless of what you say. It has earned that status.

 

[FAOLIU05]

The new zo6 is a beast. That it can run toe to toe with porsche's caged, striped, (almost) race car is pretty damn impressive.

Now if only neanderthal could comprehend that...

 

[Famine]

At the risk of being labelled "zOMfG! v3tt3-hat0rzzz", and once again abused by FAOLIU05 for having a neutral POV and not 100% Corvette, I think there's a point, which has been made several times, everyone seems to be missing.

The Corvette Z06 has 500hp (crank) and doesn't weigh much (1400kg?). The McLaren Mercedes SLR has 600hp (crank) and weighs quite a bit (1800kg). The Murcielago has 580hp (crank) and weighs 1650kg - in the middle.

That's:
Corvette - 428.5hp/tonne
McMerc - 333.3hp/tonne
Murcielago - 351.5hp/tonne

The McLaren was designed to cruise - it's a cross country GT car, in the truest traditions of GT cars. The 4WD Murcielago (which instantly eats up 15% more power than either the McMerc or Corvette lose) is designed to cruise to the racetrack, drive round it and cruise back again. The Z06 was designed, as people have pointed out, with the track in mind, borrowing parts from the C6-R (actually, can someone enlighten me as to what "non-performance parts" there would be on a race car? Isn't that called "ballast"?)

The C6 Corvette Z06 has returned a remarkable time on the Nurburgring, beating both the McMerc and the Bat.

But isn't that exactly what you'd expect?

It has a much better power-to-weight ratio (and more power too than its target car) and race-derived parts - so you'd expect it to be faster. In fact, as FAOLIU05 points out, it's only 1 second slower than HE expected. So why the surprise and astonishment? Why does this then turn into accusations of "hating" and being "anti-American"?

In fact, if I might opine, the only people being "anti-Corvette" are not those who are saying "So what?" - they expected the car to be fast, and fast it is - but the people who are trying to gain recognition for the Z06's "acheivements", as if they thought because it's a Corvette it couldn't go that fast...


Out of interest, does anyone know the split time for the Corvette down Dottinger Hohe?

 

[Dave A]

Damn, this threads gone down hill fast. I find it amusing thats it's gone down hill while most of Europe was asleep, at school or at work. Famine's right, it's not a bad time, not at all, but it's not like a car with the Z06's spec shouldn't be able to do that in the first place. I think a few people may have a hard time taking in the fact that a Vette can go fast round the ring. But even so, it's still just what it should be able to do. Like I keep saying, I'd so love to see TVR's turn in laps at the Ring, I'd put money on a Sagaris beating that, but I'm the most TVR biased person on these boards.

 

[McLaren]

Thats perhaps the biggest load of crap I have ever read on these forums. Your bashing the Corvette, end of story dumbass...


No, my definition of a supercar is (and I've posted this numerous times):
A supercar is one which simply excells in track performance over defined road practicality.

If for one second you'd stop being so ignorantly cynical, you'd see that my definition isn't flawed. Why don't you read my definition slowly and think things through... I'm sure it'll hit you by some time tomorrow. Meanwhile, I suggest keeping your mouth shut to prevent you from looking more like a dumbass.

And yes, the Corvette is a sportscar. The Z06 is a supercar, regardless of what you say. It has earned that status.

According to you, anything can be a supercar.

The Z06 is just a fast ass Vette. That's it. Its nothing new to the world.
Now, you may be asking, why would I consider the Ford GT a supercar and not the Vette even though the Vette could probably eat it up.

Why? Because the GT has prestige, it has a history of supercar, its exotic, and its new. The Vette...Has history, but history as the real American Sports Car.

Ask someone to name a lists of supercars. $50 says the '06 Z06 won't make that persons' list. Why? Because its a Vette.
America has never really been a country of producing 500 to 600 horsepowered monsters. The Viper, the Corvette, the Mustang are all extremely fast American Sports cars that just happen to keep up with supercars.

The age of Sports cars nearing supercars is here. But the sports cars will always be sports cars.
And it seems today, America is only making 2-3 supercars.
The Saleen S7
Ford GT
and probably one other.

The Vette is still a Vette. It will always be a Corvette. It will always be considered the real American Sports Car.

 

[Duke]

You know what? You're all acting like a bunch of jerk... faces. Hardly any of you are not guilty of fanboyism and most of you are guilty of accusing others of things you're doing yourselves. I haven't seen such a collection of self-righteous asswipes in quite some time. I've got a pretty good mind to close this worthless thread unless you all decide to behave better than snotty 6-year-olds.

 

[FAOLIU05]

Okay... I think we're all still missing something here... My definition of a supercar:
One which excells in track performance over defined road practicality.

So even though a Corvette Z06 has 500hp, a 7.0L V8, a 3.7 second 0-60 time, a 11.9 second 1/4 mile time, a 7'42 Nurburgring time, parts from the C6-R, and knowing that it did beat a Porsche racecar, the GT3 RS, you still aren't going to call it a supercar? Thats what I don't get. And the reasons I'm getting for why you won't consider it a supercar is because Chevrolet is selling the car at a more affordable price and because Corvettes in general have never been known to be a supercar. So even though the Z06 shows a great deal of supercar quality performance, and even though it did go toe to toe with a Porsche racecar, and even though it almost ranks top 10 at Nurburgring, it still isn't a supercar. This is my POV. And aside from 7'42 being a history making lap time, this is why it's a big deal for me. For a Corvette, a sportscar which increased 58 seconds between '98 and '05, that's a significant accomplishment, I don't care who says otherwise for whatever stupid reason.

And there are various 500hp-750hp cars that did run at N-ring, and none of which achieved a 7'42. Thats another reason why the Z06's time is a big thing for Vette fans like me.

You can't just look at the times overall, thats a completely ignorant/cynical thing to do. There is more behind the time than whether or not it beat a GT3 RS by just .1 seconds.

 

[Elegy]

But isn't that exactly what you'd expect? It has a much better power-to-weight ratio (and more power too than its target car) and race-derived parts - so you'd expect it to be faster. In fact, as FAOLIU05 points out, it's only 1 second slower than HE expected. So why the surprise and astonishment? Why does this then turn into accusations of "hating" and being "anti-American"? In fact, if I might opine, the only people being "anti-Corvette" are not those who are saying "So what?" - they expected the car to be fast, and fast it is - but the people who are trying to gain recognition for the Z06's "acheivements", as if they thought because it's a Corvette it couldn't go that fast...

I don't think it's that the people are impressed because they didn't expect it to be fast, but they weren't expecting it to be THAT fast. Putting the times of every other car aside, breaking 7 3/4 minutes on the Nurburgring is something to be proud of, no matter how you slice it.

And, let's face it...there's many a person out there who wouldn't have believed that a Corvette could have EVER turned in such a blistering lap time (the stereotypical rationale being for whatever speed it has in the straights, it would lose massive amounts of time in the curves). But I do not believe any of those people have posted here. Hell, Neanderthal's stated several times that he thinks the Corvette could turn in an even more impressive time, so I don't dare accuse him of that.

The bottom line is, the majority of Corvette owners and fans have been sick and tired of seeing their beloved cars hated on by owners and fans of the European marques (and I'm not just talking about here-in fact, things haven't been too bad here in that regard) for so long. Why are we celebrating now? Because there is now real, honest to goodness proof that the Corvette has become capable of matching or surpassing the track performance of the likes of Porsche, Ferrari, Mercedes, and Pagani. To say there is nothing to celebrate is, IMHO, wrong.

Love and peace, yo. 👍