GTP Cool Wall: 2014+ Chevrolet Corvette Z06
- Thread starter GranTurismo916
- 111 comments
- 6,105 views
- 7,313
- Land of the smelly onion
Yeah, I know. I wasn't antagonizing anyone.
- 7,313
- Land of the smelly onion
That's not what I was saying at all. Again, wasn't antagonizing anyone.
- 23,800
- Philippines
True. Mostly.
It's great for hooking up with other balding, overweight fifty-something... errh... sixty-something males at gas stations, where you have a beer and talk about the good old days and how Viper owners are complete bungholes.
Otherwise... seriously uncool.
And pointless.
And tacky.
I think I could live with it if it looked like the C6... wavy fiberglass, self-destructing roof and all... because that looked like a car designed to go fast.
This looks like a car designed to look fast. All those needlessly fussy vents and holes and whatnot. I don't care if this is the fastest Z06 ever... it lacks the elegance of the C5 or C6... sorry, not a fan of the looks, at all.
- 3,957
- Cleveland
Just watched a test of C7 Z06 vs R35 NISMO, and despite the Z06 looking much better on paper, and even pulling a faster figure-8 time and better G's on the skidpad, the NISMO beat it on the track by a whopping 1.5 seconds per lap. Because, as the reviewer concluded, the Z06 just doesn't work very well with everything it has to offer. So, way too flash + not as well engineered as you'd like = SU.
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
The R35 Nismo is $150k. A Vette is c.$90k fully specced. Not really a fair comparison. Even a stock R35 is >$100k.
A fully specced Z06 is similar in price to a base 991 Carerra before extras, or a top end Cayman... and it offers a LOT of extra performance over both those cars.
Need to compare apples with apples!
- 3,957
- Cleveland
But... you were giving a comparison vs a 991 GT3... which is $130k. Just saying, the Z06 should be able to do more with everything they've put into it.
- 4,543
- Bay Area, CA
- Zenith113
No, that's not what he said.
The figure 8 and skidpad don't factor in the AWD advantage well. There's no opportunity to take advantage of the corner exit acceleration. The Willow Springs road course, on the other hand, is particularly well suited for AWD with its long curves and straights.
And we have to factor in what @Tornado said earlier. The Z06 has the wrong engine. The supercharger has turned the car into a two-pump chump with the car going into limp mode after the supercharger soaks up all the heat. In the Motortrend test, the Corvette's fastest time was its first run out. That's telling me that the heat soak became an issue right as the tires and brakes were getting up to temp and MT agrees.
The Z06 should be capable of more, but that supercharged engine is letting it down. Unfortunately GM said that they had to go with the supercharged engine because a naturally aspirated one would have failed emissions standards.
- 3,957
- Cleveland
Ah, I'd only watched the video, that write-up includes some more good info. Also I believe they were testing the Z07 package in the video I watched.
- 17,401
- United Kingdom
- 12,389
- Betelgeuse
- Beeblebrox_237
- 8,642
- London
- GTP_Stotty
Sorry, I was just trying to illustrate how good VFM the Z06 is compared to European car, not suggesting it would be priced at that level within Europe.
Nevertheless, the Z06 is still very good VFM in the US.
- 12,389
- Betelgeuse
- Beeblebrox_237
Very true. Corvettes have been terrific value for money in America for many years now. The C7 is the first generation that can drop the "value for money" bit, though. It's incredible that in the US a C7 might go for $60k, while a 911 is about $120k. The 991 is really good, but it's not twice as good as the C7.
Roo
Premium
- 7,453
- Hampshire, UK
- GTP_Roo
Ah, gotcha. I don't agree with that, but I see where you're coming from.
The Corvette isn't hated over here (here being Europe rather than just Britain; it has a following in Britain as well as on the continent) any more than its rivals are. Beyond the fanboys of a particular make/model, who are all SU anyway, it's not liked or disliked any more than the R8, 911, 458, GTR, Gallardo/Huracan etc. I vote on coolness based on what I think the majority think of a car - would I look cool to other people driving this? - and all cars of that nature I reckon would be considered uncool at best. The only possible exception might be an Aston Martin, but the current Vanquish I personally consider uncool with the rest.
I imagine the Corvette is disliked by the majority of people for being a quasi-rich man's plaything, especially if it's being driven with gusto, but that's true of any car in that price/performance range. It being American doesn't make any difference - I'd be willing to wager that if you lined up a bunch of £70-90k sportscars and took the badges off most people wouldn't even know which one was from the US.
A normal C7 would be uncool. The Z06 becomes SU because it looks awful. I like both though.
- 17,401
- United Kingdom
To be fair, I don't really see any hatred in this thread at all, even the people saying it's uncool have mostly said they like it.
- 5,551
- Controls set for heart of sun
- GTP_RogerTheHors
I think Naveek is amazed at the lack of hatred. That's the only logical explanation.
- 3,957
- Cleveland
I don't know, sounds like a fair but of strong dislike at least, if not quite hate. The one I've spotted was indeed driving like a jerk, 70mph in a 35mph zone, etc. And to be fair (in response to @niky), he was young. The C7's controversial design was intended to attract a younger market. Still see a lot of older guys in them, but also a good number of guys in their 30's and 40's.
- 12,389
- Betelgeuse
- Beeblebrox_237
I like the way it looks, but it's very hard to deny that it looks tacky and overdone.
- 2,621
- Lincoln, NE
- huskeR_32
- 2,436
- Eastern PA
- Weather_Systems
Performance figures and actual capabilities matter to me above most else, especially looks. But, the C7's taken some time to getting used to, when it first came out I really didn't like it, but it's grown on me - and I mean the base model, not the Z06. I like the base model, but the Z06 takes the styling just a little too far in my book.
I don't hate the car, no. I like the performance, and the price is very nice for a car with those kinds of capabilities. But, the bodykit... no. I just don't like it.
- 4,763
- Houston, TX
They look much better in person, and have the performance to back up the racy looks. Cool.
