Welcome to a special C8 Z06 edition of Quick Shifts! Quick Shifts is a content feature here at CorvetteBlogger featuring links to Corvette and automotive-related stories of interest. You probably missed it, but a once-in-a-decade Corvette reveal happened this week. For the first time since 2014, we have fresh information for a new Corvette Z06! Since picking our jaws off the floor on Tuesday, we’ve been on an absolute content tear around here; we’ve compared the new Z to its competitors, spent more time than we care to admit on the visualizer, and so much more! If you haven’t visited all week, do some exploring, you’re bound to find some great stuff! While we were busy fawning on the Z06, other car crazy sites were doing the same. Below is our roundup of the best things we saw all week, including a couple of notable non-C8 Z stories. Enjoy!
FIRST GEAR
We are going to engage launch control and start with this excellent column from Car and Driver’s Ezra Dyer. It details how the C8Z, while a radical departure from previous models, is actually a return to form for the purest, most track-capable member of the Corvette family. The respect that the Z is getting from the “big book” Porsche fans is an excellent sign; Dyer concludes with the line: “Corvette or 911 GT3?” is about to become a topic worthy of serious debate.
When C&D mentions something in the same breath as the GT3, it is like basketball fans comparing someone to Michael Jordan, it’s a big deal, and unlike LeBron, we think the Z06 is more than worthy of a comparison to the GOAT.
SECOND GEAR
After a screaming trip to the 8,600th floor, we shift to second for a look at Gemini itself. The 5.5L heart of the C8Z is the most exciting motor to come along… maybe ever. We’ve covered the LT6, but, just like those sweet FPC revs, more is always better! First up is a fun list of 13 LT6 details from Hagerty; how many of them did you already know? Road & Track’s Track Club also put out a fantastic in-depth look at everything that makes the LT6 tick. Be careful; you only get three “Track Club” articles free each month before a paywall slams down. This one is certainly worth one of your clicks, though, trust us!
THIRD GEAR
GM is dead set on avoiding another “overheating Z06” fiasco with their latest baby. The/Drive details Everything Corvette Z06 Engineers Did to Beat Overheating Issues in a piece that comes with some unique photos that you might not have seen yet. Dang, that thing looks good in Amplify Orange!
FOURTH GEAR
For Hagerty, your narrator was tasked with putting together some “what to buy” suggestions for the hordes of well-to-do collectors/investors who suddenly find themselves with a case of Corvette fever and a hankering to supplement their snooty Euro-centric collections with some working-class American bruisers. The collections I came up with are; 1. An example of each Z06, 2. DOHC ‘Vettes, and 3. The best Corvette of each generation. Follow this link to see my choices and how much money someone would have to set aside to join Jay Leno and “Mr. H” in the Great Corvette Collectors Club.
FIFTH GEAR
While the C8Z is all the rage in its homeland right now, the Brits were thrilled to drive a Torch Red Stingray coupe on their turf for the first time. EVO awarded the C8 four and a half out of five stars in their review from earlier this month. See the full thing for yourself, right here! Then head back to Hagerty.com, where Jack Baruth offered some advice for people struggling with the choice between keeping their Stingray orders or hopping on a Z06 list. Which camp are you in?
Sixth GEAR
In other automotive news, Mercedes debuted a new SL roadster in the Z06’s shadow this week. After the once-proud nameplate lost a lot of its luster in the previous generation (or two), Mercedes handed the reins over to their fabled AMG division with hopes of recapturing the magic. The highlights read like this: a base SL55 makes 469 HP and shares its twin-turbo 4.0 V8 with the top-shelf SL63 that wears a 577-horse state of tune, 4-Matic all-wheel-drive comes standard (a first for the SL), a pair of jump seats have sprouted behind the front buckets, and the old hard-top convertible has been replaced by a lighter, easier to store cloth version (interesting how the SL and Corvette have swapped ‘vert styles!). Check out the rest of the deets from R&T, and don’t worry, there’s no subscription required to read this article!
SEVENTH GEAR
The R&T crew also rang in the most wonderful time of the year with their tease of the Performance Car of the Year contenders for 2021 (technically, model year 2022). Out of the nine competitors, we will be throwing our support behind the LT4-powered CT5-V Blackwing, big time! If the four-door, manual transmission C7 Z06 can bring a third R&T PCOTY championship back to GM (the 2014 Stingray and 2019 ZR1 both earned gold in the event), then it will break a tie with Ford for most titles, and the C8Z will also have a chance to go back-to-back for the first time in event history!
The competition is much stiffer this year than it was last year when the Shelby GT500 only had to outshine a Mini, three plus-sized luxury GTs, a truck, a Cayman with a four-banger, and a Jag to earn its ($10,000, painted, over the top) stripes (easily the least compelling lineup PCOTY has ever had). The Blackwing, on the other hand, will have to tussle with the ‘Ring slaying, 720-horse AMG GT Black Series, the sublime new 911 GT3 (probably the favorite in the clubhouse), and the track-special Lamborghini Huracán STO, amongst a few duds that could end up with a miraculous victory like the Hyundai Veloster N did two years back, with the C8 Corvette in attendance. However it shakes out, we will be watching intently with our Cadillac foam fingers raised high!
EIGHTH GEAR
Man, this is a lot of forward gears! Luckily, the C8 got a new, 8-speed DCT instead of GM’s corporate 10-speed; I’m not sure this column could handle that much shifting! Anyway, few impending head-to-head matchups are as exciting to think about as the featherweight bout between our C8Z and the aforementioned 911 GT3 (coming to a screen near you, summer ’22!!!), but one that the 4×4 community has been waiting on with bated breath for over a year finally transpired this week on MotorTrend.com. The school bell rang, and the new Bronco got to meet the Jeep Wrangler in the parking lot (and off-road), at long last! See if Ford’s reincarnated rock-crawler has what it takes to unseat the long-reigning Master of Moab right here!
PREVIOUS QUICK SHIFTS:
Mid-Years, C8 Reviews, 2023 Camaro ZL1, 2022 Silverado, and Classics Restored as EVs
2019 Corvette ZR1 Mania, Data Dive with Hagerty, Best Fast and Furious Cars, Porsche Breaks ‘Ring Record, and More!
Long-Term C8 Corvette, C6/C7 Values, Escalade V Testing with C8 Mules, Comparison Tests, and More!
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The GT3 because it is lighter and comes with a manual which the Z06 doesn’t. And if you don’t get the manual in the GT3 the PDK is smoother and shifts faster than the Tremec unit in the C8. The GT3 is still one of the best track cars money can buy!
That series of information in this post was just great!
A much deserved “ATTABOY” to Alex Sommers for finding all of the Corvette Z06 technical info from the magazines and Hagerty that was just pure science to read all of the intense but required engineering to develop the best LT6 engine possible.
I am completely satisfied that The Corvette Team did the best engineering and design they could on the LT6 engine – but still worry how is the Chevrolet Dealer Service Technician going to service or repair or warranty any part of that engine, without being in Bowling Green standing behind the assembly team, watching and listening to every phase of assembly or teardown. That’s the Corvette Curse as our beautiful vehicles get more technically superior to all of the Tahoes, Silverados, Mailbus, etc. with no Dealer being able to touch a new Corvette for recalls or service without bad consequences.
But I’m ordering my Z06 in convertible with just ceramic brakes.
Rock on Chevrolet Corvette Team and the great engineering for the Z06 hot rod.
Bronco is really an ugly POS. Kinda like the EV Stang.
I’ve heard nothing but praise for the C8 trans, so how is the GT3 tranny better??
Kevin Williams, Porsche’s PDK is the best DCT in the business and is considered to be the industry standard. Just ask anyone who has driven both cars and they will tell you just how good it is. Incredibly fast and seamless gear to gear. They make an 8 speed DCT for the standard 911 and a 7 speed DCT for the GT3 that is lighter to keep the weight down. And as I mentioned above they offer a manual as well which no one else offers today and at no extra cost. The Tremec unit is very good but lacks the speed and refinement of Porsche’s PDK.
It really great that the zo6 C8 corvette is here. (At least in theory) just ordered? A 2022 c8z51 one week before the big Reveal. Had to pay an extra $10,000 just to get an a line to get one. I would really like to have the new track ready Z06 2023. So what is the dealer Extra going to be $25,000?
The visualizer doesn’t even have pricing yet. What gives with that.? I would very much like to buy a new 2023 Z06 or 7 or what ever.
Now the factory is shut down once again and down to one shift again.electronic parts.
My Polish friends say that this is like Poland during the Cold War right down to empty grocery store shelves!
I’m tired of the hype. Tired of the the ‘dealer’ Gouging. When I bought my new C7 C7.R 2016 vin# #376 of 500 I bought an extra set of wheel ( with yellow highlighting for winter tires). The only place that could mount the winter tires was the Ferrari dealership!
GM/CORVETTE you have created a monster, problem.
Why don’t you go to a lottery system. $25,000 to $50,000 check to Corvette/GM for ticket. All museum delivery balance due three days before delivery. vehicle is titled to the buyer in the state of residence of the individual buyer no corporations. With a big hook. If the vehicle is to be sold within two years that is sold back to GM for 25% less than the list price of the vehicle. In any case it is now a USED CAR!
I’m tired of being yanked around by the dealer network. Example:Left front tire the threads were showing (6000 mile on the tires. And I don’t race or track the car) when I was changing summer only wheels to winter wheels and tires. I asked the service ‘manager’ what gives with this? His reply was “All corvettes do this.” My unspoken thoughts were, “WTF and your a service manager”?
I’m tired of the game. Ford GT500, Porche 911 GTR 3,Nissan Z, Tesla if they have the product I have the money!
Warren
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