This is the all-new 2023 Corvette Z06. It’s a monster, and it’s got a fascinating engine set behind the passenger compartment. There’s no electrification. You won’t find turbochargers. A screaming supercharger has no place here. Instead, Chevy is taking the Z06 back to place its most ardent fans had hoped. The new Z06 is a naturally aspirated screamer that revs to the moon.
Set out back, the 5.5-liter V8 is of the flat-plane crank variety. Redline lives at 8,600 rpm and horsepower lives up near there too. This engine is called the LT6 and makes its peak 670 horsepower at 8,400 rpm. The full brunt of 460 lb-ft of torque happens at 6,300 rpm. This means the new Z06 wants to be run up in the rev range, which shouldn’t be a problem because you’re going to want to hear it shout its song. The 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox will help you keep the revs exactly where you want them too.
The LT6 engine lives in the same space as the LT2 found in the standard version of the C8. But the aluminum block is all-new. As are the cylinder head design and the six-stage dry-sump oiling system. Also, rather unique for most vehicles is the finger follower valvetrain design. This replaces the more traditional tappet setup you’d expect to find here. With a finger follower, you save weight, can tune for aggressive cam profiles, and reduce the potential for valve float. Two examples of other road cars using this setup? The Porsche 911 GT3 with its 4.0-liter flat-six and the 6.5-liter V12 in the Ferrari 812 Competizione, per Road & Track.
Beyond the engine, the new Z06 boasts a massive footprint with respect to its stance. Up front you’ll find a set of 20×10-inch wheels wearing 275/30ZR20 tires. Out back are truly wild 21×13″ wheels wrapped in 345/25ZR21 series tires. The standard tires are Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP rollers while the Z07 package swaps on Sport Cup 2 R ZP rubber. Magnetic ride control is standard, as you might expect. And it adjusts based on the handful of drive modes available. And to haul you down from what will surely be ludicrous speeds, the Z06 wears 14.6″ front rotors and 15″ rear brake rotors. Want bigger brakes? That Z07 package swaps on larger carbon-ceramic units so your passenger’s body can swing forward against the seatbelt anytime you want, over and over.
Early performance numbers say the Z06 with the Z07 package will run from 0-60 miles per hour in just 2.6 seconds. In a naturally aspirated rear-wheel-drive car, that figure is truly bonkers. The Z06 will prove to be one wicked ride, and we can’t wait to see and experience it in person.
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