Latest news with #CorvetteZ06
Car and Driver
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
2026 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Review, Pricing, and Specs
Overview The Corvette Z06 is what you would get if you sent America's sweetheart sports car to study abroad for a semester or two. Of course, it is star-spangled at its core, but its European influence is impossible to deny. With an 8500-rpm, 670-hp flat-plane-crank V-8 mounted amidships, the Z06 clearly spent some time with the Ferrari textbook, and its brilliantly sorted chassis is straight out of a Porsche lesson plan. As a result of the foreign education, the Z06 is just as equipped for a stunningly quick Nürburgring lap time as it is for a 10.5-second quarter-mile run. The Z06 also is more practical than you would think, thanks to its two trunks and comfortable interior. At nearly half the price of its stiffest foreign competition, the Z06 is a value world-beater. What's New for 2026? The biggest changes to the 2026 Z06 can be found in the cockpit. A new three-panel screen arrangement replaces the two-panel setup in last year's model. The digital instrument display measures 14.0 inches and is sandwiched by a 12.7-inch infotainment screen to its right and a 6.6-inch auxiliary display to its left. A carbon fiber surround for the instrument display is optional. Now gone is the bank of buttons and driver controls that existed on the spine of the console between the driver and passenger. Instead, the climate-control buttons have been relocated to a space below the central infotainment display, and the newly redesigned drive-mode selector is in line with the gear selector. To accentuate its reworked cabin, the Z06 is available with four new interior color schemes, including a Sky Cool and Medium Ash Gray with Habanero accents, Santorini Blue, Very Dark Atmosphere, and Ultimate Suede. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2026 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is expected to start around $118,000 and go up to $135,000 depending on the trim and options. 1LZ Coupe $118,000 (est) 2LZ Convertible $122,000 (est) 2LZ Coupe $127,000 (est) 2LZ Convertible $130,000 (est) 3LZ Coupe $132,000 (est) 3LZ Convertible $135,000 (est) 0 $50k $100k $150k $200k $250k Even with a six-figure-plus price tag, the Corvette Z06 is a relative performance bargain when compared with the exotic company it keeps. For less than $120,000 the base Z06 1LZ is capable of keeping pace with European near-supercars asking twice that much—and more. Therefore, we'd go with the base 1LZ Coupe to start, and then, if track days are on the agenda, add the firmer-riding Z07 Performance package, which adds track-tuned suspension, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, and ultra-grippy Michelin Pilot Cup 2R ZP track tires. Selecting this package also requires the high-downforce Carbon Aero package, which adds various carbon-fiber exterior elements, including a front splitter and a rear spoiler. You can also add the Carbon Aero package to the standard Z06, which comes with more street-friendly Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires and steel brakes. That's how we'd probably order ours because it's still track-capable. Engine, Transmission, and Performance If you've been following the C8 Corvette story for any length of time you've no doubt heard the term 'flat-plane crank' bandied about. You can read the intimate details here, but suffice to say its high-revving, naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 is good for 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Did we mention it revs to 8500 rpm and shrieks like the supercars it's trying to dethrone? We've written that, at wide-open throttle, the engine "sounds like a Ferrari 458 Italia that hit puberty." The unconventional V-8 hooks up to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. A set of wider, stickier tires and more powerful brakes help it corner harder and stop shorter than the standard Vette. Chevy has also transformed the chassis to ensure the Z06's performance advantages are most obvious at the racetrack. To enhance the track experience even further, a new PTM Pro setting has been added to the Z06's available drive modes, which turns off electronic stability control and traction control, while leaving ABS on for maximum driver engagement. To unlock its full potential, an optional Z07 package adds aerodynamic elements and further upgrades the brakes and tires. The car comes standard with 20-inch front and 21-inch rear forged aluminum wheels, but a set of lighter and stronger carbon-fiber rollers are optional. Dynamically speaking, the mid-engine Z06 is direct, tenacious, and sharp enough that you can cut yourself if you get in over your head. 0–60-MPH Times Performance is explosive: at our test track, the Z06 coupe blasted to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds and sailed through the quarter-mile mark in 10.5 seconds at 131 mph. The convertible Z06 needed just 0.1 second longer to reach 60 mph in our testing. We also tested a 2023 Corvette Z06 as part of a 0-to-150-to-0 speed test where it returned to a stop in just 22.5 seconds, beating its nemesis, a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, by almost two seconds. View Photos Marc Urbano | Car and Driver Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG While the EPA hasn't released any fuel economy information for the 2026 Z06 yet, the 2025 model earned ratings of 12 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 14 mpg combined. For more information about the Corvette's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo The mid-engine C8 Corvette remains a pure two-seater, and the futuristic interior comes outfitted in materials such as leather, real metal trim, and imitation suede; it even has a fancy stitched headliner. Speaking of the roof, it's removable on the coupe—one person can wrestle it off—just like with previous Corvettes, and it fits inside the trunk just aft of the engine compartment. The driver sits behind a squared-off steering wheel and a 14.0-inch reconfigurable gauge display; a 12.7-inch infotainment touchscreen is angled toward the driver for ease of use, and another 6.6-inch auxiliary display sits to the left of the digital gauge cluster. The interior design takes the driver-focused concept to the max, bisecting the cockpit with a wall-like separator between the driver and passenger. Climate control and drive-mode selection buttons are no longer located on the spine of that separator; the climate control switches now sit under the central infotainment display, and the drive-mode selector now rests ahead of the gear selector. Opting for the top 3LT package gets you upgraded materials, such as sewn leather on most interior surfaces, plus carbon-fiber trim. The Corvette's two trunk areas, one in the nose and the other behind the engine, offer a total of 13 cubic feet of storage space. Chevrolet says the Corvette can fit two sets of golf clubs stacked on top of each other in the rear compartment. In our testing, we were able to fit our test set of clubs easily, so Chevy's claim seems valid. When it came time to see if there was room for our carry-on-size suitcases, we were able to fit one in the Corvette's front trunk and two in the rear compartment. Chevrolet Infotainment and Connectivity The new Corvette uses a custom Chevrolet infotainment system, which features a 12.7-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth audio streaming, a 4G LTE mobile hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability. It also features a wireless smartphone charger below the central infotainment screen. The system is easy to use and quick to respond to commands. Safety and Driver-Assistance Features The Corvette comes with several driver-assistance features as standard, but others, including blind-spot monitoring, cost extra. For more information about the Corvette's crash-test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include: Standard automated emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection Standard lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist Available blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert Warranty and Maintenance Coverage While its performance is amazing, the Corvette's warranty coverage is strictly average. At least the first maintenance service is covered at no cost. Limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles Powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Is the 2025 Corvette Z06 worth $112,100?
The Chevrolet Corvette has long been a bastion of reasonably affordable performance in America. Its recipe is simple: stuff a powerful, uncomplicated V8 just behind the forward axle, provide comfortable seating for two, and enough space in the boot for a set of golf clubs or two. For the contemporary C8 generation of the Corvette, Chevrolet decided to change things up big time by moving the engine behind the cabin and discontinuing the traditionally standard manual transmission. In its Stingray guise, the C8 stays true to the Corvette's ethos of offering far more performance capability than its price tag would suggest. With the Z06, Chevrolet took things a step C8 Corvette Z06 packs a special kind of punch thanks to its unique, naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8, which uses a flat-plane crankshaft allowing for a higher rev limit and a more balanced power band. Chevrolet benchmarked one of Ferrari's all-time greats during the development of the Z06–the Ferrari 458 Speciale–as it's considered one of Ferrari's most balanced and most intuitive driver's cars from the 21st century. Featuring an astonishing 670 naturally-aspirated horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque without help from hybrid systems or forced induction, the Corvette Z06 benefits from an interstellar 8,600 rpm rev limit. Pumped through an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, power is sent exclusively to the rear wheels, allowing the supercar to propel 0 to 60 mph in a near-instant 2.6 seconds. Considering the fact that the C8 Corvette Z06's main goal is to offer a sort of distilled Ferrari 458 Speciale experience, albeit with even more power and displacement, and its price tag almost seems ridiculously cheap for what it offers. However, if you look at previous generations of the Corvette Z06, you'll notice they've held their value extremely well, with some of them even beginning to appreciate as modern collector classics. The C8 Corvette is undoubtedly a special sort of vehicle, with its mere existence being a miracle. When you consider what other dedicated sports cars are available for the money, it's difficult to find an experience that is as unique and Porsche 911 has been an icon and benchmark for sports cars worldwide since its inception, making it a solid place to start. With highly-coveted special variants such as the GT3 Touring and the S/T, the current 992-generation 911 has quickly earned itself a reputation for greatness. That all comes at a cost, however, and even the most basic 911 Carrera starts at an eye-watering $120,100 before any of its very expensive option boxes are ticked, like the $7,720 20/21-inch Carrera Exclusive Design Wheels with Carbon Fiber Blades. Despite the 911 Carrera's famed greatness, its performance specs simply do not come remotely close to those of the Corvette Z06. With a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter flat-six, the base Carrera makes a mere 388 horsepower and 331 lb-ft of torque. Sure, power isn't everything, but the Corvette Z06 isn't much heavier than the 911, either. With a curb weight of 3,535 lbs, the Z06 weighs just 111 lbs more than the 911, despite its 282-horsepower advantage. If you're willing to give up the 911 badge, however, the Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 starts at $101,800. Pick a metallic paint color, upgraded wheels, and a leather interior, and it'll run you about the same money as the Corvette Z06. It may be down on muscle at 394 horsepower, but its naturally aspirated, high-strung flat-six will fill your ears with howls of the gods, and it can still be had with a manual transmission, unlike the Corvette. Other than Porsche's offerings, it's tough to find any brand-new vehicle that offers anything close to the Z06's performance in terms of value for the money. From Lexus, you could have the more grand touring-oriented, 471-horsepower Lexus LC500 Convertible for $108,300, but you'll be sacrificing the "fun factor." BMW will sell you the 717-horsepower M5 for $119,500, but its 5,390-lb curb weight will result in a very different cornering experience. Perhaps Nissan's 565-horsepower GT-R might win you over with its trick all-wheel drive system, but even that starts at $121,090–almost $10,000 more than the more powerful and more exciting Z06 offers almost incomprehensible performance value for the money compared to pretty much everything else out there, but does it hold up as well when we consider the many pre-owned options out there? Well, that depends. Consider the Lamborghini Huracan–a mid-engine Italian stallion supercar powered by a screaming, naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V10 in various configurations. In its most basic form, the Huracan benefits from around 571 horsepower and was available with all-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive configurations. Although the Corvette Z06's performance figures trump the Lamborghini's on paper, even 9-year-old Huracan examples with under 20,000 miles are typically listed at around $200,000, which is significantly more than a brand-new Corvette Z06 that hasn't been around the block. Here is an example of a 2016 Lamborghini Huracan listed for sale on DuPont Registry with an asking price of $204,990. Even the Ferrari 458, which the Z06 was benchmarked against during its development, commands asking prices around the $200,000 mark despite being even older than the Huracan. For example, here is a 13-year-old standard Ferrari 458 for sale in Austin, Texas, for $210,000, listed on DuPont Registry. Search for the 562-horsepower 458 Speciale, and things get even crazier. This example of a 2015 Ferrari 458 Speciale is for sale in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with an asking price just shy of $600,000. Just to be clear, that means you could purchase five Corvette Z06s for the price of one 458 the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 may not carry the heavy weight of an Italian badge, but its sheer performance figures, distinctly visceral driving experience, and its unique powertrain more than make up the difference–especially considering it's vastly less expensive than both new and pre-owned examples of less powerful alternatives. Does the Corvette Z06 tickle your fancy, or would you gladly pony up the extra cash for a more exotic Italian supercar? Do you think the Z06 justifies its six-figure price tag, or would you prefer the sophistication of a German-made flat-six? Let us know what you think in the comments–we love to hear from you! Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Topples the McLaren Senna's VIR Lap Time
It was good while it lasted, but our production-car lap record around Virginia International Raceway's challenging 4.1-mile Grand Course has finally fallen. We're actually a little surprised the 789-hp McLaren Senna's 2:34.9 lap stood this long, but nevertheless, records are set to be broken, and the 2025 Chevy Corvette ZR1's 2:32.3 has claimed the top step of the podium. Where does the ZR1 get ahead of the Senna? Some side-by-side video analysis reveals a little bit here and a little there. First off, horsepower is a hell of a thing, and the ZR1 isn't short of it. The 1064 horses from its twin-turbo 5.5-liter V-8—275 more than the Senna's twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 could muster—are on full display along the front straight where the ZR1 reaches a staggering 180 mph (in the video above) to the Senna's 173 mph (in the video below). Without a proper data reduction, there's no way to tell exactly how many g's the ZR1 pulls through Turn 1, but it certainly looks to be every bit of the Corvette Z06's 1.22 g's worth of lateral acceleration. In the uphill esses is where Corvette test pilot Aaron Link flexes on the Senna, entering the puckering corner complex north of 165 mph without touching the brakes until the final right-hander. For reference, the Senna enters the uphill esses at a still-impressive 154 mph. While our minimum speed through Turn 10—a blind corner with a massive drop-off—dropped to 92 mph, the ZR1 maintains triple-digit speeds with the help of its massive Michelin Pilot Cup 2R tires. The ZR1's horsepower blows the doors off the Senna on the back straight too, hitting 173 mph to the McLaren's 169 before getting into the binders and braking into Bitch. As with the Senna, Link battles the ZR1's mega power out of the slower corners to avoid wheelspin. The rear tires light up exiting Bitch, likely costing him a little time and keeping him from a 2:31. Interestingly, the Senna appears to outpace the ZR1 in the squiggles while exiting the infield. We're anxious to get behind the wheel of the $175K-plus American powerhouse—and even more excited to see what we can get out of the ZR1 ourselves when we take one to Lightning Lap. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
