Motor Authority - blog Tag: Z06

The 638hp (476kW) ZR1 and brand new Grand Sport models may be getting all the limelight but the race-bred Corvette Z06 supercar is still tearing up pavements around the country and like the rest of the Corvette range has been updated for the 2010 model year. The 505hp (377kW) Z06 remains one of the biggest performance bargains on sale today, and with only a $360 price rise to 75,235 it remains incredible value.

Like the rest of the 2010 Corvette range, the latest Z06 comes with a new launch control system and side airbags as standard. Buyers opting for the top-end 3LZ package now get powered sports seats for both driver and passenger,... The 638hp (476kW) ZR1 and brand new Grand Sport models may be getting all the limelight but the race-bred Corvette Z06 supercar is still tearing up pavements around the country and like the rest of the Corvette range has been updated for the 2010 model year. The 505hp (377kW) Z06 remains one of the biggest performance bargains on sale today, and with only a $360 price rise to 75,235 it remains incredible value. Like the rest of the 2010 Corvette range, the latest Z06 comes with a new launch control system and side airbags as standard. Buyers opting for the top-end 3LZ package now get powered sports seats for both driver and passenger, while a new Cashmere interior with Corvette logo embroidery is also available. Also new for 2010 is the availability of the full Corvette color palette, with eight colors including Arctic White, Crystal Red Metallic and the new Torch Red now offered. For all of its race-inspired functionality, the Z06 is designed from the onset to be a high-performance daily driver. To that end, comfort and convenience are held to a very high standard, which means the car comes with niceties such as high-intensity discharge headlights, fog lamps, leather trim, dual-zone air conditioning and a heads-up-display with track modes and a g-meter as standard. Power comes from the now familiar LS7 7.0L V8. Delivering a peak output of 505hp (377kW) at 6,300rpm and 470lb-ft (640Nm) at 4,800rpm, the potent engine in the Z06’s 1,440kg body sees the car sprint from 0-60mph in just 3.7 seconds, pass the quarter mile in 11.7 seconds at 125mph and reach a top speed of 198mph. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via six-speed manual. The Z06 has a unique aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof body style. Perimeter rails are one-piece hydroformed aluminum members featuring cast suspension nodes, which replace many welded steel components on other Corvette models. Advanced structural composites featuring carbon-fiber are bonded to the aluminum structure. The wider front wheelhouses, for example, are carbon composites and the passenger compartment floors combine carbon-fiber skins with an ultra-lightweight balsa wood core. The car also has a magnesium cradle that serves as the attachment point for the engine and some front suspension components. Magnesium is lighter than aluminum, yet incredibly strong. The magnesium cradle helps improve the front-to-rear weight distribution, as do carbon-fiber front fenders and wheelhouses. Engineers also moved the battery from underhood to a position in the rear cargo area, behind one of the rear wheels. The 2010 Z06 retains the 2,686mm wheelbase of other Corvette models, as well as the short-long arm suspension and transverse spring design, but it rides on all-new wheels, tires and brakes, as well as its own rear spring and roll stabilizer. The cast-spun aluminum wheels measure 18in up front and house 14in disc brakes and red six-piston calipers, while in the rear the wheels are 19in in diameter and house 13.4in discs with four-piston calipers. A four-channel ABS system is standard, as is an active handling system complete with a ‘Competitive Driving’ mode. Read More

The overall capability of the modern Corvette platform is simply amazing. Available in stock trim from tame to insane, the car adapts easily to modification, generating impressive performance. The team at Geiger have proven exactly that with their latest creation, the Corvette Z06 biTURBO.

Starting with modifications to the cylinder block, heads and crank, the displacement of the 7.0L LS7 increases to 7.6L. Then the Geiger gang strap a pair of high-output turbochargers plus extra airflow at both the intake and exhaust ends to help get the most out of the new engine's capability.

The result? 890hp (664kW) at 6,100rpm and 694lb-ft (940Nm)... The overall capability of the modern Corvette platform is simply amazing. Available in stock trim from tame to insane, the car adapts easily to modification, generating impressive performance. The team at Geiger have proven exactly that with their latest creation, the Corvette Z06 biTURBO. Starting with modifications to the cylinder block, heads and crank, the displacement of the 7.0L LS7 increases to 7.6L. Then the Geiger gang strap a pair of high-output turbochargers plus extra airflow at both the intake and exhaust ends to help get the most out of the new engine's capability. The result? 890hp (664kW) at 6,100rpm and 694lb-ft (940Nm) of torque at 4,500rpm. That's enough to push the Corvette through the air at 220mph (354km/h) according to Geiger. But they didn't stop there. Like nature uses coloring to alert predators that certain prey isn't safe to eat, so Geiger has painted their biTURBO car an eye-splitting shade of green. No one will miss the point once this car blasts past. The rest of the upgrades are intended to help handle the extra power and performance Geiger has tuned into the car: a stronger transmission and dual-disc transmission plus a carbon fiber driveshaft and stronger rear differential, larger 285/30 and 345/25 tires on big black alloys, and 380x32 (front) and 355x32 (rear) StopTech brakes to slow things down. Special Geiger-tuned adjustable shocks, higher rate springs and anti-roll bars finish off the handling upgrades. Geiger's own GT body kit was used to give the car a lower, meaner look and to let the turbos breathe easier without destroying the Corvette's brawny lines.Geiger Corvette Z06 biTURBO Read More

Ugur Sahin, the Dutch-based designer of the previous Ferrari Dino study, has plans to put one of his latest creations, the stunning Z03 Corvette concept into production. The car looks similar to the Dino concept, as well as the Ferrari 599-based Vandenbrink GTO but is designed around a much cheaper donor car to make it more accessible.

Ugur Sahin, and his self-titled Ugur Sahin Design group, have now joined forces with Ohio-based Mallett Cars to start building the cars. You may remember Mallet as the same company that offered a widebody V8 conversion for the Pontiac Solstice, and now it will be working on fabrication and engine tuning of... Ugur Sahin, the Dutch-based designer of the previous Ferrari Dino study, has plans to put one of his latest creations, the stunning Z03 Corvette concept into production. The car looks similar to the Dino concept, as well as the Ferrari 599-based Vandenbrink GTO but is designed around a much cheaper donor car to make it more accessible. Ugur Sahin, and his self-titled Ugur Sahin Design group, have now joined forces with Ohio-based Mallett Cars to start building the cars. You may remember Mallet as the same company that offered a widebody V8 conversion for the Pontiac Solstice, and now it will be working on fabrication and engine tuning of the limited Corvette series. The custom Corvette Z03 is in fact based on a humble Corvette C6 (or optional Z06), a car that already features an excellent chassis to build upon. Co-founder of Ugur Sahin Design, Axel van Mourik, was impressed by the Corvette's proven track record in motorsports and this ended up making it an attractive choice for the design company. The range topping model is expected to weigh somewhere around 1375kg, making it some 20kg lighter than the Z06 although there have been other reports stating that it could be up to 40kg less than its donor car. Power will come from either a supercharged LS7 7.0L V8 with around 700hp (522kW) on tap or a 999hp (748kW) version of the engine fitted with a APS twin-turbo system. Other modifications include a new fuel system, ported heads, reinforced internals, a high-flow exhaust kit, a custom shifter and unique badging. The project has had help from various partners, including former Corvette chief engineer, Dave McLellan, which should ensure that the Z03 drives as well as it looks. Pricing of the conversion of your Corvette C6 or Z06 into the stunning Z03 starts at $69,000 for the full bodywork, and increases by $32,700 for the supercharger kit and $ 35,795 for the twin-turbo system.Corvette Z03 Concept Read More

The pressures of modern aerodynamic design and vehicle layout have led to something of a convergence of appearance among many high-end performance cars. Chevrolet's Corvette and Ferrari's front-engine GTs like the 550 Maranello and 599 GTB Fiorano, or even the new California, have been compared as visually similar designs. Now a new custom Corvette design, built by the Czech Republic firm Innotech, develops that resemblance further.

The Innotech Corvette C6 adds several visual elements that evokes what the company calls an "Italian lineage". Starting at the grille and front fascia, Innotech adds chrome bars in place of stainless steel mesh... The pressures of modern aerodynamic design and vehicle layout have led to something of a convergence of appearance among many high-end performance cars. Chevrolet's Corvette and Ferrari's front-engine GTs like the 550 Maranello and 599 GTB Fiorano, or even the new California, have been compared as visually similar designs. Now a new custom Corvette design, built by the Czech Republic firm Innotech, develops that resemblance further. The Innotech Corvette C6 adds several visual elements that evokes what the company calls an "Italian lineage". Starting at the grille and front fascia, Innotech adds chrome bars in place of stainless steel mesh and replaces the fog lights with new, broadened air intakes. Perhaps the most significant new feature is the rear window area treatment, which adds pseudo-structural louvre pieces that build a longer, rounder profile at the rear or the car. Not all of the styling cues are Ferrari-inspired, however. The doors, for example, have been modified to open vertically, a classic Lamborghini trait. A choice of using the stock hood or adding a louvred model will be made available in 2009, while at the rear a completely redesigned bumper and diffuser area meshes with the classic four round Corvette tail lights to continue the fusion of Italian and American. All of the modified body panels are available in either fiberglass or carbon fiber. Also coming later in 2009 will be a widebody kit for both the coupe and convertible C6. In addition to the visual changes, Innotech also offers some mild performance upgrades, including Upgraded LS2 or LS3 V8s offering 500-560hp (373-417kW) when naturally aspirated or 600-1,000hp (447-746kW) in supercharged or twin-turbocharged form. A choice of manual or automatic transmissions is also available. Upgraded exhausts give the cars a throatier, more aggressive sound and look while new wheels from HRE or Forgeline complete the image. For truly lightweight hardware, carbon-magnesium wheels from Dymag are also optionally available. Getting the Italo-American special slowed down again is a choice of 14in (355mm) or 15in (380mm) BAER or Brembo brakes on vented, drilled and slotted rotors with 4 or 6 piston calipers. Performance will therefore be suitably improved over the stock C6 Corvette, with the 560hp LS3-equipped version sporting a 3,080lb (1,400kg) curb weight, pushing its potential past that of even the Z06, while the forced induction models will rival or exceed the ZR-1's vaunted performance, though Innotech is already planning new customized versions of the Z06 and ZR-1 as well, due out in 2009. A speedster version of the C6 Corvette is also in the works, offering a total of five different body styles for the Innotech Corvette range.Innotech Corvette C6 Read More

The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is currently listed at a lofty $103,300 (not including taxes) but you can get similar performance in a standard Corvette, at least in a straight line, with the addition of Katech’s new 'Air Attack LS7 Supercharged' crate engine. The latest powerplant from the Detroit-based motorsports and tuning firm is based on the LS7 7.0L V8 found in the Z06 but features a new forced-induction system designed specifically for the drag strip.

While the standard LS7 used in the Z06 outputs around 505hp (375kW), Katech’s version produces up to 50% more horsepower and is rated at 750hp (560kW) and 700lb-ft (948Nm)... The 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is currently listed at a lofty $103,300 (not including taxes) but you can get similar performance in a standard Corvette, at least in a straight line, with the addition of Katech’s new 'Air Attack LS7 Supercharged' crate engine. The latest powerplant from the Detroit-based motorsports and tuning firm is based on the LS7 7.0L V8 found in the Z06 but features a new forced-induction system designed specifically for the drag strip. While the standard LS7 used in the Z06 outputs around 505hp (375kW), Katech’s version produces up to 50% more horsepower and is rated at 750hp (560kW) and 700lb-ft (948Nm) of torque. To put this into perspective, the Air Attack LS7 Supercharged produces almost 100hp more than the Ferrari Enzo and around 112hp more than the ZR1. The power gains have been achieved through the installation of some new aftermarket parts designed to withstand the pressures that the new engine is put under. These parts include a new forged steel crankshaft, forged steel rods, special Katech-designed aluminum pistons, a Katech-designed camshaft, and to top it all off a Magnuson M22 twin-screw high-helix supercharger running at a relatively mild 7-10psi of boost. The engine will set buyers back around $37,000, but Katech also offers a naturally aspirated version with the same uprated internals for just under $24,000. A more powerful engine featuring a twin-turbocharger system is currently in the works. Katech also offers complete cars such as its recently released Corvette Z06 ClubSport track special. The car has been constructed in the same vein as the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera and the Ferrari F430 Scuderia - both of which went on a weight loss program and had their power boosted to make them more formidable track weapons.Katech Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ClubSport Read More

Updated with new images.

Detroit motorsports and tuning firm Katech Performance has released a new track-focused package for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, injecting the already quick stock car with more grip, power and safety. The new package is called the ClubSport and is available exclusively through Katech and Les Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn, Michigan.

Using the same philosophy behind cars like the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Ferrari F430 Scuderia, and even the Dodge Viper ACR, Katech engineers have modified the Z06 with a number of aftermarket products that reduce curb weight to 2,825lb (1,281kg) while improving grip,... Updated with new images. Detroit motorsports and tuning firm Katech Performance has released a new track-focused package for the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, injecting the already quick stock car with more grip, power and safety. The new package is called the ClubSport and is available exclusively through Katech and Les Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn, Michigan. Using the same philosophy behind cars like the Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Ferrari F430 Scuderia, and even the Dodge Viper ACR, Katech engineers have modified the Z06 with a number of aftermarket products that reduce curb weight to 2,825lb (1,281kg) while improving grip, cornering, braking and downforce. Key modifications include a set of 14in two-piece cross-drilled rotors from Brembo, and six-piston calipers up front and four-piston units in the back. These reside within a set of single-piece forged aluminum wheels measuring up to 19in and wrapped with Michelin Pilot Sport rubber. To further improve handling, engineers added a double-adjustable coilover suspension kit with seven individually adjustable rebound and compression settings. The set-up was specially tuned by Moton engineers and SCCA World Challenge professional driver Andy Pilgrim Weight saving mods includes an array of carbon-fiber replacements for the hood, front bumper and spoiler. Power upgrades have been kept to a minimum and includes a new stainless steel exhaust system, although customers can request more serious upgrades. Complete with a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty, the Katech Performance Z06 ClubSport starts at $109,000 and is expected to maintain 50-state emissions compliance. Power plant improvements, including an array of modified LS7 engine packages, are also available. Based around the previous ‘Street Attack’ Z06, Katech can lift output to 585hp (436kW) and 560lb-ft (760Nm) of torque.Katech Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ClubSport Read More