* Z06 Corvette...the reviews are out...not so hot?

[svandamme]

it looks like a pig and unless my name is Face from the A'team , i wouldn't wanna be seen in one if they payed me i don't care how fast it goes.

[Matt Holcomb]

Originally posted by SoCal911SC
Talk about cool technology!

Are those titanium pushrods! Wow!

Maybe someday Porsche will have titanium pushrods. That would be so cool.

The ZO6 is half the price of a well equipped 997 Carrera S! It's about being content with just having the cake ....

[RickM]

Originally posted by vanwyk4257
They are impressive, but they're still just a glorified GM product.

Now you know why they say your '72 911 is a glorified Volkswagen.

[RallyJon]

And yes, the ZO6 "second fastest" Nordschleife time is for production cars. I assume that the quasi-Lotus kit car with the Honda engine, which indeed did beat the CGT time, is not considered to be a true production car.

It's nothing new for GM to define a "segment" as "our car and all our competitors cars except the ones that are better"

But how exactly does a fast Nordschleife time translate into good road performance? Especially on bumpy backroads with crests that require good suspension travel and ground clearance. I'm sure it'll be a fun trackday toy, or road car for people who live in the sunbelt.

[donstevens]

Originally posted by Formerly Steve Wilkinson

And yes, the ZO6 "second fastest" Nordschleife time is for production cars. I assume that the quasi-Lotus kit car with the Honda engine, which indeed did beat the CGT time, is not considered to be a true production car.

I just happened to look at the article that documented that Cinderalla Lap" yesterday and I noted a couple of things. Fisrt it had the exact same time as a Porsche GT2. Somehow this gets dropped by those who want to build up the image of the Vette. Second, Jan Magnusson (a part time factory race C6R driver) was driving on this miraculous lap. Like the Lotus, somehow I don't think the recoerd setting Vette was a "showroom" car either.

Regardless, it is an amazing car that I would love to drive. I'd like to own one too but I can think of a couple of other things that I'd spend that amount of money on (if I had that amount of money).

Don

[Cory M]

I don't understand why people are dissing GM for producing a real sports car with a $68,000 msrp, just because there's another good car on the market doesn't make your 911 any less cool. The fact that magazines are comparing the Z06 performance to Ferrari F430, Ford GT, and 911 turbos is very significant and probably a first for GM.

[Craig 930 RS]

It is indeed significant. As I said, I'd LOVE to drive one.
Since it IS a good value, MSRP ++++ will be the rule for some time...

[Tyson Schmidt]

Originally posted by RallyJon

But how exactly does a fast Nordschleife time translate into good road performance? Especially on bumpy backroads with crests that require good suspension travel and ground clearance.

Clearly you've never driven the Nordschleiffe.


I guess the videos really don't do that track justice. You would not believe the elevation changes and pavement irregularites, etc. on that track. This track is like driving your favorite curvy mountain road at track speeds. That's why it's so terrifying. It's also why it's the benchmark track.

[RallyJon]

Clearly.

You're saying that if you hit a yump and get a bit of air in a Carrera GT, Ford GT, Enzo, etc, there's no danger of grounding the chassis? Or that when you come into an intersection a little fast, you won't be scraping those low, low noses on the transition with the suspension compressed?

I've dinged the airdam on the STI a couple of times already driving on back roads around here. I'd truly love to see one of those Nordschleiffe-optimized ground scrapers try to follow me.

[89911]

I'm not sure I'm seeing your point. Most test drives on cars are on track conditions. My 911 is one of the worst cars for ground clearance, I don't how many times I've had to knock the front tow hooks straight.

[Craig 930 RS]

What is it like on the N-ring?

A note from a friend who is taking my old 3.6 on it:

> Went to the 'ring for
> the first time on Monday- wicked track, far more dangerous than any
> I've seen. Three accidents in an hour and a half, 7 on Sunday.
> Crazy.

Takes balls.

[Zeke]

Originally posted by tchanson
But wait a minute...I learned just this week from Steve Wilkinson that GM is now making "world class" products, rapidly eroding market share notwithstanding.

So it surely must be true.

That being said, the C6 Z06 is the first Corvette built since 1967 that I've ever been remotely interested in. Bonehead Cobalt dealers will suck the holy life out of this thing with markups, though, and without a real world market price advantage, its a far less attractive proposition...

Tim

Now that IS FUNNY!!

I bet any over sticker hold out (or hold up ) won't last long.

Autoweek sorta liked it and they too were commenting on the price.

The Autoweek staff has been very fair with Porsche saying the the 997 they had/have for long term use is the best car they've ever had from a driver to driver (editors and writers) POV.

[Argeo]

I never like the look of them until probably 10 years ago. I really think they look great now. Until the 997 came out, I was thinking that as far as styling goes, Porsche was going backwards compared to Chevy. Can't go wrong with either in my book.

I'll leave the engineering stuff up to you guys to debate.

David

[vanwyk4257]

Originally posted by 911Velocity
I think credit should be given for what GM is trying to accomplish. If you double the price it puts it approx = to a TT. Imagine what could have been done at that level. Give it a year to teeth and then make judgements. More cool fast cars are always better, it improves the breed and spurs competition which helps everybody. I am ecstatic that we are in a BIG HP age that has not been seen since the late 60s early 70s. In spite of +$3.00 gas.
Enjoy it while it lasts.

Best regards,

My comments were rather tongue-in-cheek" as it were. I had an '86 C4 corvette for a little while and I have had several 70 chevelles, and driven several of my dad's chevelles in his collection, all original SS big block cars, but they don't do much for me because they're only good at one thing. That being said, I am seriously impressed with the effort that GM made on this car. Give me a '67 L88 corvette and I wouldn't complain at all!

[Dan Mc Intyre]

I haven't read the article, but I got my new Motor Trend yesterday and on the cover it said something to the effect of...First drive of the new Z-06, sell the Ferrari.

[Tyson Schmidt]

Originally posted by RallyJon
Clearly.

You're saying that if you hit a yump and get a bit of air in a Carrera GT, Ford GT, Enzo, etc, there's no danger of grounding the chassis? Or that when you come into an intersection a little fast, you won't be scraping those low, low noses on the transition with the suspension compressed?

I've dinged the airdam on the STI a couple of times already driving on back roads around here. I'd truly love to see one of those Nordschleiffe-optimized ground scrapers try to follow me.

Who the heck goes curb-jumping in a sports car?

The Nordschleiffe is a track that comes the closest to real-world conditions that I've ever driven. So to say that it doesn't matter how a sports car does at that track just doesn't make sense.

The street isn't the place for ultra-high-performance driving anyway. Public roads are not a rally course.

[RallyJon]

No curb-jumping. You should come east sometime and enjoy the excellent twisty country roads we have in rural Pennsylvania. Bring your suspension travel, and don't worry too much about loose gravel and your paint job.

I'm not talking about running forest roads, just brisk weekend drives on wonderful paved and tar-and-cinder back roads. It requires a car that actually handles and by that I mean handles whatever the road throws up at it. My RS replica does fine, as long as I'm careful of the front spoiler, and not to drag the rear sway bar on highly crowned roads.

There are cars that turn decent times at the Nurburgring, but that don't require you to tippy-toe whenever the road gets a little choppy.

A serious west coast/sunbelt bias comes through loud and clear. Nice that you spend every weekend on a racetrack or a well-maintained road that never sees frost. I guess a ground scraping carbon fiber car would work well for you then.

[randywebb]

"Public roads are not a rally course."

- what if they are on BLM land?

[Craig 930 RS]

"I haven't read the article, but I got my new Motor Trend yesterday and on the cover it said something to the effect of...First drive of the new Z-06, sell the Ferrari."

Yep, Motor Trend......the most respected car mag out there

[Dan Mc Intyre]

Originally posted by Craig911
"I haven't read the article, but I got my new Motor Trend yesterday and on the cover it said something to the effect of...First drive of the new Z-06, sell the Ferrari."

Yep, Motor Trend......the most respected car mag out there

Up yours!