Chevy announces supercar performance for new Corvette Z06
Chevy’s forthcoming Corvette Z06 will blast to 60 mph in less than three seconds, the automaker announced Wednesday.
That puts America’s sports car, at a base price of $78,995, in the company of exotic cars such as the Porsche 911 Turbo S ($182,700) and the Lamborghini Aventador ($420,000). Although the Nissan GT-R, at $101,700, gives the Z06 a literal run for its money.
The official time is 2.95 seconds on cars with the eight-speed automatic transmission; the quarter mile passes in 10.95 seconds.
“The Corvette has long been known as America’s sports car,” said Mark Reuss, General Motors’ executive vice president for global product development. “With the capability of the new Z06 rivaling the best performance cars in the world, we will also be America’s Supercar.”
Based on the already overachieving seventh-generation Corvette Stingray, the Z06 coupe and convertible use a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine that makes 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. It’s the most powerful production car GM has ever built.
The car also features an aluminum frame that helps reduce the car’s weight, adaptive magnetic ride control suspension that irons out the road’s irregularities, and a removable roof on the coupe -- a first for the Z06.
Chevy said the 2.95-second zero-to-60 mph time was on the Z06 with the optional Z07 performance pack. This add-on includes Brembo carbon ceramic brake rotors, ultra-sticky Michelin tires, and a body kit that increases the downforce on the car.
A Corvette with these options also lapped a GM test track a full second faster than the previous generation Corvette ZR1, which was previously known as the fastest production Corvette ever built.
Z06 models with the seven-speed manual transmission hit 60 mph in 3.2 seconds and the quarter mile in 11.2 seconds.
While these figures are for the Z06 coupe, Chevy said that it expected the convertible version -- which starts at $83,995 -- to hit the same numbers since it weighs nearly the same.
The 2015 Corvette Stingray Z06 will hit dealerships in early 2015.
