C/D: C7 Z06 test

[kevm14]

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/201 ... est-review

Dayum, 1.19G!!! 70-0 in 128 feet. That's unreal. The best news is, this is far more than a numbers car, even if the numbers are incredible.

Love the image caption:

Nothing to see here. Just the shortest-stopping, most tenaciously gripping production car we've ever tested. Oh, it has a kind of powerful engine, too.

This car, like every good performance car GM has these days, is not really even defined by its engine. I mean 11.1 @ 127 is barely faster than a Hellcat Challenger. The weight gain is also depressing but they seem to have put it to very good use. 200 lbs heavier than the old ZR1, which this is actually a touch slower than (straight line of course), at least in trap speed.

$79k base price, still came in under $100k as tested (topped out, I might add). There's nothing in the world that can touch this.

[kevm14]

We didn’t even use launch control, a simple flat-foot drop in full auto mode being all that was needed to produce these fireworks from the test equipment.

I like this. Just a good automatic and a responsive, torquey engine with no lag. Take that, everything with turbos and automated manuals.

[kevm14]

Motor Trend videos: http://wot.motortrend.com/1411_2015_che ... ition.html

Says there is a rumor that GM was preparing a large displacement, high RPM engine (like a Gen V LS7 successor) but couldn't meet emissions targets with it. That's probable. And a shame.

[kevm14]

Motor Trend article:

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/cou ... irst_test/

Leave the transmission to its own devices in Track mode, and it makes impeccable gear selections, even finding speed by shifting in places you normally wouldn't. Road Atlanta's Turn 3 at race speed puts two wheels in the air. You want to downshift for the next corner, but this isn't the time to take one hand off the wheel. "Consistently I'd go over the bump," Pobst said. "The landing is sweet, so sweet -- and I'd go to the power and say 'Whoa!' I was not expecting to be in that low of a gear, but it put the power to the ground." The automatic makes the shift in the air.

That's so badass.

0.3 seconds slower than the Porsche 918 through the figure-eight.

[kevm14]

Considering the capability of the optional tires, brakes, and aerodynamics, we were surprised to hear that when Pobst pulled back into the pits after his fourth lap, it wasn't because he wanted to stop. The car had flashed an oil-temperature warning on the back straight. "So I stuck it in neutral and let it idle even though we're going 140 mph," he said

Disappointing. Now I really long for the LS7 replacement.

[kevm14]

You'll also find it bizarrely easy to drive around town. At low speeds, it's like a normal Corvette, with nimble steering and ample cargo capacity under that hatch. The powerband's sheer breadth means you can treat the manual like a three-speed. Dig into the infotainment system and you'll find adjustments for the exhaust volume, from full-on freeway-droning madness to near silence. It has cooled seats. Wi-Fi, even. The price makes this all the more bewildering, as you'd need to spend nearly $1 million elsewhere to reach the performance our Z06 offers at an as-tested $105,210.

So combine that with the fact that it has a removable roof, AND was made to be a convertible from day one and the weight seems justifiable. This is no stripped down track day special.

[Adam]

So, what is the stripped down track day special going to be? ZR1?

[kevm14]

There is no ZR1. At least not a C7. The next ZR1 will be a mid-engine C8, sold alongside the C7 line. That will essentially be GM's version of a semi-affordable hypercar.

There's also the Camaro Z/28. Or a late C6 Z06 w/ Z07 if you prefer something more affordable.

[kevm14]

Interesting.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/12/a-n ... z3LSa7qVFR

It's an engine calibration thing. Not intake temps. Well, there may also be high oil temp issues with REALLY aggressive track use but I think this "problem" is mainly the conservative PCM tune.

But as our friends at Autoevolution report, tuning group Vengeance Racing did back-to-back dyno testing on their own car and found the intake charge temperature to be impressively cool. Instead, they say, the issue lies with a (perhaps overly) safe ECM tune, which pulls timing long before it has to. This not only helps prevent any chance of detonation, but is also essential for the Corvette Z06 to meet its emissions goals.

But this raised my eyebrow a bit:

Autoevolution reached out to General Motors, who seem to verify what Vengeance Racing has claimed, saying that while they “are confident that the vast majority of customers are going to be more than satisfied” with the stock engine mapping, those who are not can try the tuning aftermarket. But the manufacturer cautions that changing the engine tune will void the warranty, and may lead to driveability and reliability issues.

Emphasis mine. Did GM actually recommend the aftermarket here?

The good news is there is plenty to tap if you do:
http://www.autoevolution.com/news/2015- ... 89790.html

Since the customizer claims the post-intercooler intake air temp is impressive, nobody is quite sure why GM engineers came up with such a conservative ECU tune, with emission regulations being the most plausible reason.

As to what happens with minor bolt-ons and a tune?

For the record, Vengeance Racing’s 2015 Corvette Z06, a manual, showed 585 hp and 611 lb-ft (828 Nm) of torque at the wheels in stock condition, which are very good values. The LT4 has already proven to be a very capable engine, since the tuner has achieved a hefty output bump with less-than-serious mods. To be more specific, the V8 was taken to 660 RWHP and 663 RWTQ (899 Nm) using only a cold air intake, a smaller upper pulley and, of course, an ECU remap.

How about 75rwhp? And the damn thing just came out. 611rwhp with just the tune.

Remember the blurb about GM working on a Gen V LS7 replacement but they couldn't make the emissions work? Well it sounds to me as if the LT4 had a similar problem. That's really disappointing. Between this and CAFE, I do worry about the future of engines that I am interested in.

But this guy disagrees:
http://corvettec7fiasco.blogspot.com/20 ... -soak.html

[kevm14]

Hitler is pissed, too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvBxmwCUVgU

The video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... Sd1aZHqMTg