I personally own a C8 Z06 and I absolutely love it! It’s my daily driver and I fully broke her in within a week! She’s been bulletproof and is a blast to drive!
@@AmyKebriaei-rq8oc on performance cars with engine like these there’s typically a “break in period” for the engine and the transmission. On this car you can rev it past 5000 for 1000 miles and not supposed to track it for 1500 miles to let all of the parts settle and make sure everything is working properly. So I didn’t break the car i “broke it in” and just mean that everything is working smoothly without any issues.
I'm not a Chevy guy, but have to give props to their engineers. The performance and that sound are world class. I want to see this American supercar beat the rest of the world racing.
GM can do anything you want. Just give them a similar design and 1/2 the budget, and they will give you a better car. GM could make a better Ferrari in every way. But that's not their market.
Keep dreaming! You compliment the engineer's I criticize them, they can do much better than this garbage they have out now, they are decades behind Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and other sports cars, not to mention Dodge and their hellcat!
As someone who has grown up loving a lot of European cars like Ferrari, I've always respected the Corvette. However, the C8 Z06 has blown me away. I absolutely love this car.
You know you have an amazing car when it has recommendations for tire pressure based on what track you're on! That's something more owner's manuals need!
@@rickhammond2473 I have a Model X P100D. I’d much rather have this Z06. Soon as one comes up on the market in my area I’m going to get one. Even if I have to trade my X in 😂
Kinda want to buy two, put one away and enjoy the other - this will sadly, probably be the end of an era. I drove a friend's 2022 base model convertible recently and it melted my face. Ungodly fast, yet docile enough to let your mom drive it. Incredible!
Well you missed the boat.. The Z07 is already going for $110,000 over sticker. So $173,000 + $110,000 now. On a car you should ordered a year ago. The Z06s will be far and few between at MSRP ever too.
The beautiful thing about corvette is that every model at some point has been called the best corvette ever made. They have all been spectacular and will continue to be the best.
@@theeoddments960 I'm not sure that you are being serious or this is a tongue in cheek joke? In 83 there was no Corvette. Or one should say, none were sold to the public. 43 were made, they were all supposed to have been crushed but 1 Survived, it was never sold and it remained at the plant where it was made until it went to the national Corvette museum. I believe you mean the c4. The c3c was a rattling cheap horrible car
As a Corvette owner across generations I can only be absolutely blown away from the performance of this car. Excellent job with the engineering and package. My concern on the new ones would be supportability in the future. Also we're at the point where this kind of performance is really way beyond anything that would be mildly entertaining on the public roads unless you live in deserted areas. I learned this many decades ago with 1000CC sportbikes. But it's the ultimate Corvette without a doubt.
A early 2000s Z06 in that blue color steals my heart but I'm just never quite ready to buy one....have always purchased family oriented vehicle instead, smh ....Maybe one day!
Ignition on MT used to be my favorite car show. MT has gone off the rails. I am ecstatic how much this new Car and Driver formula with Carlos mimics the old school Ignition I used to live for.
I can't afford one, but that's the Corvette I've been waiting for my entire adult life! 🤓 It's actually crazy and hard to believe that it finally exists.
The C8 ZR1 is going to be boggling. The LT6 throttle body breathes at 100% at almost all times. Twin turbocharging is going to be insane to keep it planted at its limits, but Corvette has been paying attention. We shall see how Corvette ups the ante, and at what price.
I can understand that comment mate. They finally built a Corvette that looks and to all intents and purposes performance like in Italian sports car. This is the Corvette that should’ve existed a long time ago.
@@noelht1 it was the dream of one engineer who collaborated with Chevrolet many years ago, Zora Duntov, a rear engine, well balanced, good handling, powerful and nimble Corvette in their racing heritage. He is gone now, but his dream lives on.
The 8-speed shift programming is music to the ears. Drive it hard, and it makes it SOUND like YOU know how to blip downshift like you were using a clutch to do it. This thing looks like it sticks through a turn so hard your eyes will pop out and stick to the side windows. Bravo GM, THIS is the car.
Have watched about 10 of these reviews and there is one common theme. YOU CAN NOT WIPE THE SMILE OFF OF ANY OF THE REVIEWERS FACE😊. I have never seen this consistently with any other car review.
WOW! What a sweet car. I have loved Corvettes my entire life, starting with the C3 generation. I currently own a black on black 2000 C5 Convertible with a stick. To think how much more improved and how much faster this car is compared to mine blows my mind. What blows my mind even more is the 170K price tag on the most expensive 2023 Z06 package. That blows my mind because that was the exact amount I paid for house just a year and a half ago, LOL. I guess you have to be rich to afford a new Z06.
@@davejohn255 Sandwich, IL. It's a 4BR 1 Bath house in a very rural town. The house was built in 1953 so it's an older home but it was well maintained and I fully updated the kitchen and bath. You'd be surprised how inexpensive homes in rural midwest are. Granted I have to drive an hour to get to work but with a 2.625 rate on a 158K loan, I can easily justify the commute.
I've never really liked Corvettes until the C8 and I'd actually buy the Z06. The only issue is the ridiculous markup and wait times - please please please ramp up production to meet demand so dealers will sell me one for MSRP and not 2 to 3 years out. Love this car and so proud of the Chevrolet engineers.
the sound of the enormous engine cajones is just perfect. Nothing beats absolute linear gigantor power. I just kept this video going because I loved the sound so much.
I have a fully straight piped 458. This is the first Vette ever that’s truly awesome. They should’ve been building them like this all along. Bravo to whoever had the sack to green light this. Now if Ferrari would stop this green madness!
I currently have both a Cali 30 and a C8 HTC. I will never sell the Cali 30. It makes the same sweet downshift noise as the Z06 C8 in this video, if not even better. The Cali 30 never feels slow either, as least to me. And in all honesty the Ferrari front mid-engine balance is just as good in my opinion (I am not a pro level driver) as the C8 rear mid-engine. My C8 Convertible is stiffer than my Cali 30 and a 458 Spider for sure. The 458 / 488 Spider is a death trap in a rollover. The 458 Spider Will pancake in a rollover. Maybe my C8 will too, but I doubt it. It has 10 years of additional safety advancement. The wireless CarPlay, heated steering wheel and remote start in the C8 is nice too. But my Ferrari is a better car than my C8 at every level. I am talking about a regular Stingray. I have never driven a Z06 C8. In my opinion the real bargain is the Cali 30 and not a C8. The Interior quality of a Cali is still light years ahead of a Corvette. Poltrona Frau leather versus GM leather, just no comparison.
I built my Ls2 stroker and supercharged it, added meth, did a few transmission upgrades, supercharged it and tuned it for around 28k...... That was for 1000 HP. I think I came out ahead of the game.
@@TheG60528XiJinPing i worked at a motorsport suspension company, some of the guys were bmw guys, some of us, myself included, were miata guys, the guy with the most real racing experience had a honda and a bmw, but said that the miata had no flaws as a chassis and the only reason to get anything else was power, to which he also added, just k swap a miata and done (there a reason he had a honda, lol)
I'm not even a GM guy, but this car is absolutely stunning inside and out. To have a relatively small displacement engine pushing near 700hp NA is simply amazing. Everything about this car is amazing. Those downshifts, good god what an eargasm. That Black looks so good and menacing. I would absolutely die to own this car. I can't say it enough. Pure dream for a car enthusiast.
Pobst is a must. GM must release a Twin Turbo GT version of this car with the same $106K base price like Porsche offers the GT3 and Turbo at the same price.
Absolutely love the fact they’re so high revving. The cool sound that creates was the last thing the American car couldn’t produce to compete w the European super cars. That car with a custom exhaust would be outrageous
I'm not a Corvette guy. I'm a 911 guy, but this is the first Corvette that I'm truly impressed by. GM should be very proud of this Z06, along with the Cadillac Blackwing - the only 2 GM cars I'd consider buying. Good luck getting one at sticker price.
I probably heard this thing lapping when they were at Grattan Raceway. It's a great track, and it's only about 6 miles N/NE of home. GM still does a lot of testing there (my problem is I'm always on a time crunch when the camo test car's roll through the neighborhood).
What a feat of engineering, and the best part is they are just getting started!! I think for the first time we may get more than on Corvette at a time with a different body style much like Ferrari and Lamborghini do..
A exotic car w/out the headaches of an exotic. Dependable, no high maintenance, affordable. Probably go over 200,00 miles w/out any issues if maintained properly. Imagine what the ZR 1 will be?
The problem is that dealers are charging exotic car prices for these. Spending over $175k for a GM product is just stupid. You can get a lightly used Porsche GT3 for that price and have a much nicer car. Also, if you can actually afford a car like this, you don't think much about maintenance.
@@huehuehue-x3c its been about a year since your comment and the only thing I think that is true is spending over $175K for a GM product is stupid. Agreed, but the Z06 can be had for MSRP and there no are lightly used GT3’s available for $175K, more likely in the $250-285K range. The maintenance is a huge factor for anyone who has to use his personal time to keep his machine in great condition. A friend needs new tires for his GT3, the local tire stores - both GoodYear and Discount refuse to mount and balance his tires. So, he has to purchase from a Porsche dealer which involves making an appointment, drive 25 miles in traffic across town, wait for the tire change and pay a non competitive fee for the service. I’ll take the Z06 all day long and enjoy the ice cold A/C while the Porsche A/C can barely keep the interior of the car moderately cool on a 98 degree rainy day.
@@Rider-hh9it Not sure where you live but where I'm at I see a handful of sub 20k mile GT3s for less than $180k. The only ones that are in the price range you brought up are people who are flipping their 992 GT3s with like 500 miles on them. Also, I have no clue what you are talking about regarding the A/C. We have had a 997 and 991 and neither of them had any issues at all here in the Texas heat during the summer.
...watching this 'giant slayer' alone brings pure joy; a beauty to behold! ...and that 'symphony' coming from the centralized, quad-exhaust pipes ...OMG! America has responded pretty well! ...and thanks for uploading the video!
I get mine in February. I've never, ever spent anything close to what I spent on this car before. Literally saved for almost 5 years since my friend who works at GM clued me into this car being designed. I just hope the world doesn't fall apart before I take delivery....😆
Super cool! I've been doing HPDE/open track days at Gtrattan for nearly a decade now. I have a Camaro SS 1LE now, and my current record is 1:26.4 on stock tires. 1.25 is entirely feasible. Looking forward to see the Z06 in very low 1:20s soon
I have an 08 ZO6. 5000 miles on it now. I drive it once or twice a year. Its 505 horsepower. It will scare the crap out of you. I cant imagine driving this one with over 650 hp. Good God.........
For almost a year I’ve worked in the service department of a Chevrolet dealership. Around 12 times I’ve driven C8’s including one Z06,,,, but it’s only parking them outside, driving very very carefully. So I’ve never driven one on a public road but it’s still a special occasion to drive one.
I like how Carlos drives as if cruising around but as fast or faster as most other drivers on RUclips, their steering wheels jerking and twisting all over.
I see, we all get excited at quad dumps, but heres the thing, they could've absolutely used 1 exhaust, or two, save the smallest of weight reduction, objectively do a better time.
@DarkWiN14 & Kenzo75 not worth it, the difference in time might not even be measurable. Plus they couldn't use the valve system they already designed for it
@DarkWiN14 & Kenzo75 they've used a quad style valve system for years. Sure they could change to a different one with a little work, it wouldn't be bad. But that's more time and money just to take away part of the corvette signature to save maybe a few tenths on a large track. Plenty of larger improvements that I'm sure they'll address with the zr1. Z06 isn't the most performance oriented model regardless
This car is just amazing! Given any amount of money, I’d probably choose this. Maybe a LaFerrari, but maybe the z06. That’s really saying something given the almost $5m price difference!
It's nice to see them actually moving into a supercar quality build. Previous years didn't have the mix of power and handling like this. Which honestly made them a bit sketchy. Cool car. 👍🏻
Great video--but, C&D, please consider dialing down the volume on the "background" music when the driver is speaking. This video was full of interesting and useful info which only suffered from being masked by the music. You already dial the music up at moments for dramatic emphasis; just dial it back a little further in between. In fact...well, honestly, in this video the glorious wail of that engine is all the music I need.
In the (Tesla) Plaid era this is a good sounding car. Maybe like a film camera with the smells in the age of digital. It will be a classic 30 years from now for sure.
Someone always brings up the Plaid whenever you talk about fast cars, and they are fast in a straight line. The truth of the Plaid is that it handles mediocre, looks completely generic (I can’t swing a dead cat without hitting 3 Model Ss in my neighborhood) and they can’t stop to save their lives, literally. Yes, yes sometime next year you’ll be able to get carbon ceramic brakes for them, but no one is walking up to a Plaid at Cars n Coffee now or in the future to slobber over the Plaid. People still revere the 458, and they certainly will revere the Z06
@@gouldnj The Plaid as is per CarandDriver testing does 1.08 skidpad and 150ft 70-0. That is close to the cabrio here. The regular Z51 package does 149ft and only 1.03g. For sure the Tesla is faster around most tracks than this Vette. It laps Laguna Seca 10 seconds faster than the non Z06 Corvette.
The experienced tester commented it'll go as fast as he dares, yet still have plenty more capability. We seem to have reached tbe point where faster, more power, doesn't automatically = better. In the past that's all that mattered. Make it faster. Give it more power. Make it stop shorter, turn harder. That no longer seems to be the most important. At this point, the overall experience matters as much or more than the numbers. Witness Chevy going back to target 458 instead of 488. Fortunately it seems z06 delivers way more than numbers alone. The whole package adds up to a driving experience that exceeds expectations. Now plz put an exclamation point on that and add a manual shifting experience.
The extra width and larger wheels on the Z06 make it look exponentially better than the base Stingray. Can we please get a Grand Sport with this chassis/body configuration and the base 6.2L V8? (love the flat plane but I just think this would be a cool option).
Add in a manual on top of that and we've got ourselves a winner. Def would need it's own widebody kit to differentiate it from the Z06. Perhaps, a different exhaust tip layout too.
Exponentially? Get a grip. It’s an inch wider and the only real difference between the Stingray and Z is the exhaust exit. The cars are nearly identical. Some would argue the Stingray front bumper actually looks better. The Z’s front bumper looks like a goofy smile.
@@GinNBoost They aren't nearly identical, that's an oxymoron. You're either identical or you are not. Z06 is wider front and rear, a completely different engine with different power band and power output. Keep the subjective stuff out of it. It's not identical to the Stingray, while it's the same brand or car, and carrying similar chassis, the wider track, different engine with different spec make this a much different car compared to base car. I think you should also try getting a grip as well.
@@evilformerlys4704 to the average person they look like the same car. You’re getting too hung up on the nuisances. No one can see the engine from the outside. And only “car guys” will know what trim it is. It’s going to suffer the same fate as the Mustang where every trim level looks the same in passing.
I think@@GinNBoost bought the base C8 😁 Seriously though, nothing against the base Stingray. No doubt it's a serious performance car. I've just always been bothered by the rear fenders on the regular C8, too flat. The wider rear fenders on the Z06 fix that imo.
Love the car, don't love the weight. That thing is an absolute boat anchor. A Boosted Civic with 400hp would eat this car for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
I'm an old school corvette fan of the old school original American muscle corvette I feel like we copied those European sissy's design of what they call a super car I don't we are a super car we are American muscle I don't know that's what I think
it took big nuts to do this car, the c7 was awesome in its own right, near perfection for front engine performance and design. congrats Chev, you deserve the success and accolades. I'm looking forward to the next couple renditions of refinements in the c8, gonna be ahhhhmazing....sorry Ferrari and Lambo, i'll keep buying American made supercars now.
Corvette is a garbage car made for poor show offs. The reason it's so relatively cheap compared to Porsche or Ferrari cars is because it is made of plastic. That makes it very lightweight, cheap, and makes it easy to stuff a big engine in with a somewhat aerodynamic design and call it a day. Sure, it'll last you a week before falling apart, but hey, it looks cool!
I'm a proud American, but Chevy makes terrible cars. Go with Audi. They make cars that go fast and aren't made of plastic or are unreasonably expensive.
I am a die hard ford fanboy and always will be but goddamn, hats of to Chevy for this absolute masterpiece of a car, the next one may be a hybrid but I’m still interested to see just how far they will be able to push this platform
Can you imagine what the ZR1 will be like? (!) I read or heard that it may come with two turbos mated to this incredible V8. If that's true, I would imagine an increase of 100 to 150 horsepower. I hope that's true. Because that would be insane. 🤞 9:56 looks like a drawer full of knives.
My stepdad had a Vette when I was a kid. I was HOOKED the sounds this car made and the shear speed were intoxicating! When I was in my 20s I used to see Vettes DRAG Vipers, Ferraris, and Astons around the track at LeMans. I’ve been convinced for decades that Chevy makes THEE BEST performance car dollar for dollar on the planet. And I think they’ve finally proven it with this car.
I think its only fitting the c8 ZO6 is so good, considering the c6 ZO6 was incredible, keeping up with all the european cars while ripping past them on the straights and being 1/4 the price.
The c7 z06 is the black sheep to me as well, lol. I really wanted a used c6z06, actually worked for chevy when the c7 and c7z06 launched, wasnt really into them, decided id eventually get a c6z06 bcs peak corvette, then the c8 came out, meh, mod engine is cool, chassis otherwise nothing special, looks to immature (i like subtle beauty on cars, 458, 5th gen viper, 718 cayman, emira, etc.), and no manual. Then the c8z06 came out. i didnt jump into looking into it at first for above reasons, but 9nce i started learning about it, i got excited. Just like the c6z06, the chassis is nothing special, but very well executed, and also like the c6z06, the engine is something truly special, something for a driver, something for the guy who doesnt care how the car looks becaise he cant see if from behind the wheel, he just cares how it feels to drive. The c8z06 is a true enthusiasts sports car, and will likely hang with anything sub 7 figures on a track despite it relative lack of power compared what weve gotten used to out of "supercars" these days, just like the gt3rs, this car will show that more power than the chassis can handle quickly becomes a diminishing return on the track (though for guys that just like highway pulls, i get you, it can be fun too)
Ohhh man...seeing this makes me want to see Jay Leno again. He's going to be out of commission for a while, but we're all wishing the best and fastest recovery. LOVE YOU JAY!! ❤️🙏👍
I remember my 1983 mustang 5.0 convertable. 4 speed "H" pattern stick shift and a real clutch. You where in complete control of the car. No computer controlled paddle shifting or " launch control ". You guys can keep your 0 to 60 in 3 second corvettes. My God do I miss that car.
I never see Ferrari (s) at the track for very long. They mostly end up at a Ferrari dealership with large repair bills and long wait to get it back. A Mclaren or Porsche RS would’ve been a better basis for comparison.
I personally own a C8 Z06 and I absolutely love it! It’s my daily driver and I fully broke her in within a week! She’s been bulletproof and is a blast to drive!
I salute you sir.
Just got mine today
But how did you break it
@@AmyKebriaei-rq8oc on performance cars with engine like these there’s typically a “break in period” for the engine and the transmission. On this car you can rev it past 5000 for 1000 miles and not supposed to track it for 1500 miles to let all of the parts settle and make sure everything is working properly. So I didn’t break the car i “broke it in” and just mean that everything is working smoothly without any issues.
bro thats my dream car 😭💀💀😭
I'm not a Chevy guy, but have to give props to their engineers. The performance and that sound are world class. I want to see this American supercar beat the rest of the world racing.
GM can do anything you want. Just give them a similar design and 1/2 the budget, and they will give you a better car. GM could make a better Ferrari in every way. But that's not their market.
GM is the GOAT
It's a reversed engineered Ferrari 458. That's why this car is sooooo good 🔥
@@Alfa_Chefonly a lot better 😅
Keep dreaming! You compliment the engineer's I criticize them, they can do much better than this garbage they have out now, they are decades behind Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini and other sports cars, not to mention Dodge and their hellcat!
As someone who has grown up loving a lot of European cars like Ferrari, I've always respected the Corvette. However, the C8 Z06 has blown me away. I absolutely love this car.
You know you have an amazing car when it has recommendations for tire pressure based on what track you're on! That's something more owner's manuals need!
@@rickhammond2473 very big deal!
@@rickhammond2473 nobody asked, nobody cares. Shut up about ur batteries nerd
@@rickhammond2473 Tesla is too expensive for most people while having one of the worst if not the worst build quality reports.
@@rickhammond2473 I have a Model X P100D.
I’d much rather have this Z06.
Soon as one comes up on the market in my area I’m going to get one. Even if I have to trade my X in 😂
Precision isn't accuracy. Videos like these always crack me up. These people exist!
Kinda want to buy two, put one away and enjoy the other - this will sadly, probably be the end of an era. I drove a friend's 2022 base model convertible recently and it melted my face. Ungodly fast, yet docile enough to let your mom drive it. Incredible!
For almost all drivers the base models are more than powerful enough. This is great to see though.
I would do exactly that if I could, I have a feeling that spare car would be a shrewd investment.
Well you missed the boat.. The Z07 is already going for $110,000 over sticker. So $173,000 + $110,000 now. On a car you should ordered a year ago. The Z06s will be far and few between at MSRP ever too.
@@BAND-MAID-USA exactly
EVs are not gonna take over if thats what u mean
I believe this is the first time I've seen a C8 Z06 in black. Looks freaking hot!
Oh yeah!
Blackk w/metal flake in it. See left rear camera view, to see flakes.
Ikr looks badass
@@chuckcts-v3460 There's black and there's carbon flash.
Looks mean like the batmobile
The beautiful thing about corvette is that every model at some point has been called the best corvette ever made. They have all been spectacular and will continue to be the best.
Heh the early 80s were awful for corvette though
@@rooh5825 by 83 the c3 came out and beat out Porsches
@@theeoddments960 I'm not sure that you are being serious or this is a tongue in cheek joke? In 83 there was no Corvette. Or one should say, none were sold to the public. 43 were made, they were all supposed to have been crushed but 1 Survived, it was never sold and it remained at the plant where it was made until it went to the national Corvette museum. I believe you mean the c4. The c3c was a rattling cheap horrible car
I’d be willing to bet the c8 zr1 could be a 220 mph
And more expensive 😂
As a Corvette owner across generations I can only be absolutely blown away from the performance of this car. Excellent job with the engineering and package. My concern on the new ones would be supportability in the future. Also we're at the point where this kind of performance is really way beyond anything that would be mildly entertaining on the public roads unless you live in deserted areas. I learned this many decades ago with 1000CC sportbikes. But it's the ultimate Corvette without a doubt.
🤣supportabillity...
Current gen?
99% of corvette owners couldn't take an 05 base model around a track to its maximum capabilities.. yall are fine
Spread out
What more do you want? It's already fast!
The downshifts are absolutely incredible sounding.
It's that flat plane Euro design crank that does that..... kudo's for euro designers.
@bbhoustontx they didn't invent the flat plane crank but they perfected it.
What's impressive is his ability to talk calmly while screaming around the track. That speaks volumes to the confidence he has in the machine.
Can we get Randy to do a lap at Laguna already?
That's motortrend, this is car and driver.
@@khristoferyan Motor Trend doesn't do Laguna Seca anymore, and I don't know if Randy still works with them
@@khristoferyan Randy isn’t owned by motor trend
Randy, Mero, or maybe Jeff Gordon for once? he's a big corvette guy
@@khristoferyan I still want him to do it.
Congrats to the Corvette team! The C8 (including the Z06) is showing what American design and manufacturing is truly capable of. Well done!
Too bad they axed the Camaro program at GM 🥲
well Chevy can certainly copy the technology of a 13+ year old Ferrari
Are you guys expectations so low nowadays that copycatting is something to be proud of?
Dollar for dollar, the best value sports car in the world.
@@Acemechanicalservices what the hell is new about that? that's what the Corvette was
Love it. This is the first Corvette I would truly love to own. Black is the right color for this car.
Except for the c7 generation. Im have a stingray and want to wrap it in orange or anything brighter so it show the curves better
The c6 z06 was ridiculously awesome as well. Still is an unbelievable car today honestly
A early 2000s Z06 in that blue color steals my heart but I'm just never quite ready to buy one....have always purchased family oriented vehicle instead, smh ....Maybe one day!
Same. Really something special.
@@kennyphun1946 C7 in jetstream blue is money
Ignition on MT used to be my favorite car show. MT has gone off the rails. I am ecstatic how much this new Car and Driver formula with Carlos mimics the old school Ignition I used to live for.
I usually don’t like corvettes, but this looks amazing
The Z06 is a genuine supercar. Looking forward to the ZR1 to reach hypercar levels.
Agreed
Any ideas on how they’d do it?
The rumored Zora too. Twin turbo and a hybrid? Definitely a record setter
@@maxhilton325 indeed
0-60 in 2.6 is already hypercar fast.
I can't afford one, but that's the Corvette I've been waiting for my entire adult life! 🤓 It's actually crazy and hard to believe that it finally exists.
The C8 ZR1 is going to be boggling. The LT6 throttle body breathes at 100% at almost all times. Twin turbocharging is going to be insane to keep it planted at its limits, but Corvette has been paying attention. We shall see how Corvette ups the ante, and at what price.
At least you can rent one
SATAN says it will only be driven by senior citizens on their way to Cracker Barrel, and never at a MPH over the speed limit
I can understand that comment mate. They finally built a Corvette that looks and to all intents and purposes performance like in Italian sports car. This is the Corvette that should’ve existed a long time ago.
@@noelht1 it was the dream of one engineer who collaborated with Chevrolet many years ago, Zora Duntov, a rear engine, well balanced, good handling, powerful and nimble Corvette in their racing heritage. He is gone now, but his dream lives on.
The 8-speed shift programming is music to the ears. Drive it hard, and it makes it SOUND like YOU know how to blip downshift like you were using a clutch to do it. This thing looks like it sticks through a turn so hard your eyes will pop out and stick to the side windows. Bravo GM, THIS is the car.
It's a DCT so you're actually using a clutch.
Have watched about 10 of these reviews and there is one common theme. YOU CAN NOT WIPE THE SMILE OFF OF ANY OF THE REVIEWERS FACE😊. I have never seen this consistently with any other car review.
Only thing I can think of are the GT2/GT3 911s - which is saying something
Go look at any miata review and all you see is smiles
Go look up retro C5 reviews, they were like kids on Christmas. Still the best analog Vette you drive yourself.
WOW! What a sweet car. I have loved Corvettes my entire life, starting with the C3 generation. I currently own a black on black 2000 C5 Convertible with a stick. To think how much more improved and how much faster this car is compared to mine blows my mind. What blows my mind even more is the 170K price tag on the most expensive 2023 Z06 package. That blows my mind because that was the exact amount I paid for house just a year and a half ago, LOL. I guess you have to be rich to afford a new Z06.
You can live in your car, but you can’t drive your house. I’d sell the house. 🤣
For some reason I love the look of the C4.
Where did you get a house for that ? I paid more than that 30 years ago.
@@davejohn255 Sandwich, IL. It's a 4BR 1 Bath house in a very rural town. The house was built in 1953 so it's an older home but it was well maintained and I fully updated the kitchen and bath. You'd be surprised how inexpensive homes in rural midwest are. Granted I have to drive an hour to get to work but with a 2.625 rate on a 158K loan, I can easily justify the commute.
I've never really liked Corvettes until the C8 and I'd actually buy the Z06. The only issue is the ridiculous markup and wait times - please please please ramp up production to meet demand so dealers will sell me one for MSRP and not 2 to 3 years out. Love this car and so proud of the Chevrolet engineers.
the sound of the enormous engine cajones is just perfect. Nothing beats absolute linear gigantor power. I just kept this video going because I loved the sound so much.
It sounds very refined. Not my preference but it's still nice
I have a fully straight piped 458. This is the first Vette ever that’s truly awesome. They should’ve been building them like this all along. Bravo to whoever had the sack to green light this. Now if Ferrari would stop this green madness!
As a Ferrari owner, do you think the C8 is any real threat to Ferrari? I think it's overstated, as they don't necessarily have the same buyers.
I currently have both a Cali 30 and a C8 HTC. I will never sell the Cali 30. It makes the same sweet downshift noise as the Z06 C8 in this video, if not even better. The Cali 30 never feels slow either, as least to me. And in all honesty the Ferrari front mid-engine balance is just as good in my opinion (I am not a pro level driver) as the C8 rear mid-engine. My C8 Convertible is stiffer than my Cali 30 and a 458 Spider for sure. The 458 / 488 Spider is a death trap in a rollover. The 458 Spider Will pancake in a rollover. Maybe my C8 will too, but I doubt it. It has 10 years of additional safety advancement. The wireless CarPlay, heated steering wheel and remote start in the C8 is nice too. But my Ferrari is a better car than my C8 at every level. I am talking about a regular Stingray. I have never driven a Z06 C8. In my opinion the real bargain is the Cali 30 and not a C8. The Interior quality of a Cali is still light years ahead of a Corvette. Poltrona Frau leather versus GM leather, just no comparison.
@@siler7 Threat on the track? Absolutely. Financially? Probably not
The problem is that Chevy execs always tried to limit the Corvette. Also check out the C7 ZR1
First awesome Vette? Weird take
This car is beyond the best Vette, it is one of the finest cars made
Love seeing you guys at Grattan, great place to give a real test.
It looks like a nice golf course 😂
@@Homerlovesbeer2 Far from it. Grattan is a nasty old junkyard dog of a racetrack that will bite you in 3 different places.
670hp is pretty impressive. Hope they make crate versions of the engine
There’ll probably be plenty of good second hand engines available as soon as these cars are written-off on a regular basis I suspect…
I built my Ls2 stroker and supercharged it, added meth, did a few transmission upgrades, supercharged it and tuned it for around 28k...... That was for 1000 HP. I think I came out ahead of the game.
@@johngatsby1473 while I would love to do the same...it would be like adopting a feral PolarBear while living in South Texas...
@@johngatsby1473 maybe. Power is being worked if you're gripping.
@@johngatsby1473 This engine has much more capability, it's literally naturally aspirated on pump gas
This is such a great review of the C8 Z06!
that exhaust note is something i never expected from 2022 era performance cars. Good job chevy. Sounds like a 458 ,in a good way.
It’s like a work of art! And that sound is intoxicating.
The ability to articulate the review while driving like that is truly impressive.
“Ok, scene 6, take 42… 4, 3, 2, …”
He is driving slowly, he outright said so. What are you talking about?.
so no other views of the car except his ugly mug
I really enjoyed watching YOU enjoy this experience! If I could afford the new ZO6, I'd order the convertible.
I see so they benchmarked it to one of the greatest driving F cars of all time. Seems like a solid idea.
They supposedly also benchmarked against the 991.2 GT2RS which is one of the greatest P cars of all time
I recall they also benchmarked it against the Miata, one of the greatest driving M cars of all time.
@@TheG60528XiJinPing i worked at a motorsport suspension company, some of the guys were bmw guys, some of us, myself included, were miata guys, the guy with the most real racing experience had a honda and a bmw, but said that the miata had no flaws as a chassis and the only reason to get anything else was power, to which he also added, just k swap a miata and done (there a reason he had a honda, lol)
You all are wrong they benchmarked it against the hellcat the greatest d car ever
@@amsrocks lol nah your thinking of the Viper ACR! The best D Car ever produced
I'm not even a GM guy, but this car is absolutely stunning inside and out. To have a relatively small displacement engine pushing near 700hp NA is simply amazing. Everything about this car is amazing. Those downshifts, good god what an eargasm. That Black looks so good and menacing. I would absolutely die to own this car. I can't say it enough. Pure dream for a car enthusiast.
I been tellin folks for years if GM ever did an engine like this the power would be insnane being N/A. This car is incredible.
Get Jason Camissa and Randy to do these high performance review! It would be epic; they will find its limits! My thoughts
Jason and Randy are in Hagerty now; I don't think they will be able to mingle with Carlos and C&D anymore.
Camissa is pretty insufferable as he tries to be funny. Carlos is pure class and substance.
@@taylorc2542 I don't know, I like his kookiness--it's way more informing and refined than what we're seeing here on CD
@@taylorc2542 insufferable! I get your point!
Pobst is a must. GM must release a Twin Turbo GT version of this car with the same $106K base price like Porsche offers the GT3 and Turbo at the same price.
Talk about a straight forward intro. That is a z06 Corvette indeed.
Was on my delivery route in North Carolina and I saw one buzz past me. I've been privileged to see a few of them up there 😂😂
Absolutely love the fact they’re so high revving. The cool sound that creates was the last thing the American car couldn’t produce to compete w the European super cars. That car with a custom exhaust would be outrageous
Is all wheel drive? Or rear drive
I'm not a Corvette guy. I'm a 911 guy, but this is the first Corvette that I'm truly impressed by. GM should be very proud of this Z06, along with the Cadillac Blackwing - the only 2 GM cars I'd consider buying. Good luck getting one at sticker price.
Zr1 = 🐐
Same here.
Looks like he's chill'n while he's racing! True drivers' car!
I probably heard this thing lapping when they were at Grattan Raceway. It's a great track, and it's only about 6 miles N/NE of home. GM still does a lot of testing there (my problem is I'm always on a time crunch when the camo test car's roll through the neighborhood).
that SOUND. holy moly.
My first thought too - what a sound! When a car is called a "beast", this is what it sounds like.
@@davidb6576 EXACTLY. hard agree.
Sounds European
I'm not sure I've ever wanted a car more in my entire life.
Carlos, you've outdone yourself once again.
Im so happy for you guys(americans) that you got your stuff together finally! Its looks like you have a great car right there!
this is exactly how the progression of the corvette needed to go. be if pushrods or overhead cames as always sounds incredible.
What a feat of engineering, and the best part is they are just getting started!! I think for the first time we may get more than on Corvette at a time with a different body style much like Ferrari and Lamborghini do..
Tesla will kill GM.
Ferrari will start calling their cars Corvette. 😅
A exotic car w/out the headaches of an exotic. Dependable, no high maintenance, affordable. Probably go over 200,00 miles w/out any issues if maintained properly. Imagine what the ZR 1 will be?
Its a GM. It'll have problems. Theyve already had some with blown engines and had a stop sale due to a trans issue.
The problem is that dealers are charging exotic car prices for these. Spending over $175k for a GM product is just stupid. You can get a lightly used Porsche GT3 for that price and have a much nicer car. Also, if you can actually afford a car like this, you don't think much about maintenance.
@@huehuehue-x3c its been about a year since your comment and the only thing I think that is true is spending over $175K for a GM product is stupid. Agreed, but the Z06 can be had for MSRP and there no are lightly used GT3’s available for $175K, more likely in the $250-285K range. The maintenance is a huge factor for anyone who has to use his personal time to keep his machine in great condition. A friend needs new tires for his GT3, the local tire stores - both GoodYear and Discount refuse to mount and balance his tires. So, he has to purchase from a Porsche dealer which involves making an appointment, drive 25 miles in traffic across town, wait for the tire change and pay a non competitive fee for the service.
I’ll take the Z06 all day long and enjoy the ice cold A/C while the Porsche A/C can barely keep the interior of the car moderately cool on a 98 degree rainy day.
@@Rider-hh9it Not sure where you live but where I'm at I see a handful of sub 20k mile GT3s for less than $180k. The only ones that are in the price range you brought up are people who are flipping their 992 GT3s with like 500 miles on them. Also, I have no clue what you are talking about regarding the A/C. We have had a 997 and 991 and neither of them had any issues at all here in the Texas heat during the summer.
...watching this 'giant slayer' alone brings pure joy; a beauty to behold! ...and that 'symphony' coming from the centralized, quad-exhaust pipes ...OMG! America has responded pretty well! ...and thanks for uploading the video!
I get mine in February. I've never, ever spent anything close to what I spent on this car before. Literally saved for almost 5 years since my friend who works at GM clued me into this car being designed.
I just hope the world doesn't fall apart before I take delivery....😆
@Lynx Actual how much do jailbreaks go for?
Bad ass bro have fun
How is it 😉
I kept wondering why you weren’t shifting yourself; I’m blown away how well you could lap a track in D!
I asked myself the same….like, really? Just automatic through a track?
Grandma driving…
@@matthewkuhl79 Hey, let’s make it completely self-driving next !😴
Looks like a real nice track car.
I have a 2022 HTC C8. It is more than adequate for this guy. I love it.
Imagine how insane the zr1 will be
Best.
Thumbnail.
Ever.
Always been something to look at, to drive, love Chevy.
I parked next to one in my BRZ and they are just about the same size in length, was surprised how small this Vette is.
It's 800 pounds heavier than your car! If you ever parked next to a GMA T.50 that would be a wild comparison
@@Shadowboost Heavier only because of the V8 powertrain.
@@cali2468 well, GMA T.50 has a V12. This is a big heavy V8 and big heavy car
Super cool! I've been doing HPDE/open track days at Gtrattan for nearly a decade now. I have a Camaro SS 1LE now, and my current record is 1:26.4 on stock tires. 1.25 is entirely feasible. Looking forward to see the Z06 in very low 1:20s soon
best C8 Z06 review to date, thanks Carlos. Finally the real car journalists step up, the influencer content on this car gives me cancer.
It’s BAD ASS!!!! The Z06 sound’s like a FIGHTER JET!!!!!😎👍🏁
Is the ZR1 of the C8 even gonna be street legal? The Z06 is already a beast.
Ferrari has 1000hp cars on the street today. Bugatti 1500. The ZR1 will be underpowered compared to these.
@@christschool Yes HP has nothing to do with street legality thank god.
@@christschool Power to weight is more important, and those numbers mean nothing if the cars cost millions of dollars and are unobtainable
Can’t wait to see the ZR1 When it’s released🔥🔥
Guaranteed it will be twin turbo
the electric version will be much faster
@@puny-tinsucks5102 And boring
@@CountryBoyShane i wish they'd use a whipple or eaton sourced supercharger. unrestricted v8 scream met with supercharger whine would be an eargasm
@@CountryBoyShanenah might be supercharged, they don’t want to disturb the v8 noise with turbos
I’m too distracted by Carlos struggling with the square steering wheel.
Never knew the z06 would look so good in black
Your a lucky man to be driving that beautiful car on a track
Finally a review done by adults, not these annoying AF kids.
Insert nonstop flash editing.
@@mytruthslays1303 lol
I can barely afford to even watch this.
Right
For now you can't afford it......read the 3rd chapter of Ecclesiastes.
This Z06 has literally put the world on notice… It’s as good or better than anything, ANY other brand has to offer, for far less 💵.
I have an 08 ZO6. 5000 miles on it now. I drive it once or twice a year. Its 505 horsepower. It will scare the crap out of you. I cant imagine driving this one with over 650 hp. Good God.........
For almost a year I’ve worked in the service department of a Chevrolet dealership. Around 12 times I’ve driven C8’s including one Z06,,,, but it’s only parking them outside, driving very very carefully. So I’ve never driven one on a public road but it’s still a special occasion to drive one.
I like how Carlos drives as if cruising around but as fast or faster as most other drivers on RUclips, their steering wheels jerking and twisting all over.
It looks like understeer dialed into the alignment is also enabling him to drive like this.
I’m a huge Carlos fan
Smooth is fast and fast is smooth. Racing 101
@@dohabandit who’s austin?
Man I’m loving the traditional quad muffler look on the z06..pure power
I see, we all get excited at quad dumps, but heres the thing, they could've absolutely used 1 exhaust, or two, save the smallest of weight reduction, objectively do a better time.
@DarkWiN14 & Kenzo75 not worth it, the difference in time might not even be measurable. Plus they couldn't use the valve system they already designed for it
@@trashbandit2449 and tell me what exactly team mechanics could modify on the car? a better exhaust system. valve system doesn't matter in this case.
@DarkWiN14 & Kenzo75 they've used a quad style valve system for years. Sure they could change to a different one with a little work, it wouldn't be bad. But that's more time and money just to take away part of the corvette signature to save maybe a few tenths on a large track.
Plenty of larger improvements that I'm sure they'll address with the zr1. Z06 isn't the most performance oriented model regardless
This car is just amazing! Given any amount of money, I’d probably choose this. Maybe a LaFerrari, but maybe the z06. That’s really saying something given the almost $5m price difference!
A LaFerrari isn’t made for everyday use from what I read.
The Corvette Z06 is a Ferrari style car that is more affordable.
It's nice to see them actually moving into a supercar quality build. Previous years didn't have the mix of power and handling like this. Which honestly made them a bit sketchy. Cool car. 👍🏻
Great video--but, C&D, please consider dialing down the volume on the "background" music when the driver is speaking. This video was full of interesting and useful info which only suffered from being masked by the music. You already dial the music up at moments for dramatic emphasis; just dial it back a little further in between. In fact...well, honestly, in this video the glorious wail of that engine is all the music I need.
I think the dual badge 70th anniversary and Z06 look good together. Anyone else like that combo?
In the (Tesla) Plaid era this is a good sounding car. Maybe like a film camera with the smells in the age of digital. It will be a classic 30 years from now for sure.
Its a great sounding car in any era lol
It s ICE era... EV are for the weaks...
Someone always brings up the Plaid whenever you talk about fast cars, and they are fast in a straight line. The truth of the Plaid is that it handles mediocre, looks completely generic (I can’t swing a dead cat without hitting 3 Model Ss in my neighborhood) and they can’t stop to save their lives, literally. Yes, yes sometime next year you’ll be able to get carbon ceramic brakes for them, but no one is walking up to a Plaid at Cars n Coffee now or in the future to slobber over the Plaid.
People still revere the 458, and they certainly will revere the Z06
@@gouldnj The Plaid as is per CarandDriver testing does 1.08 skidpad and 150ft 70-0. That is close to the cabrio here. The regular Z51 package does 149ft and only 1.03g.
For sure the Tesla is faster around most tracks than this Vette. It laps Laguna Seca 10 seconds faster than the non Z06 Corvette.
@@paouvous the problem is no one cares because they have ears
Has to be one of best cars ever built and definitely best corvette ever built.
The experienced tester commented it'll go as fast as he dares, yet still have plenty more capability.
We seem to have reached tbe point where faster, more power, doesn't automatically = better. In the past that's all that mattered. Make it faster. Give it more power. Make it stop shorter, turn harder.
That no longer seems to be the most important. At this point, the overall experience matters as much or more than the numbers. Witness Chevy going back to target 458 instead of 488.
Fortunately it seems z06 delivers way more than numbers alone. The whole package adds up to a driving experience that exceeds expectations.
Now plz put an exclamation point on that and add a manual shifting experience.
This car the C8 Z06 is now the pinnacle of performance for the money in the world.
A race car I can walk into Auto Zone, and by parts for.
The times we live in!
Mannnnnm
The extra width and larger wheels on the Z06 make it look exponentially better than the base Stingray. Can we please get a Grand Sport with this chassis/body configuration and the base 6.2L V8? (love the flat plane but I just think this would be a cool option).
Add in a manual on top of that and we've got ourselves a winner. Def would need it's own widebody kit to differentiate it from the Z06. Perhaps, a different exhaust tip layout too.
Exponentially? Get a grip. It’s an inch wider and the only real difference between the Stingray and Z is the exhaust exit. The cars are nearly identical. Some would argue the Stingray front bumper actually looks better. The Z’s front bumper looks like a goofy smile.
@@GinNBoost They aren't nearly identical, that's an oxymoron. You're either identical or you are not. Z06 is wider front and rear, a completely different engine with different power band and power output.
Keep the subjective stuff out of it. It's not identical to the Stingray, while it's the same brand or car, and carrying similar chassis, the wider track, different engine with different spec make this a much different car compared to base car.
I think you should also try getting a grip as well.
@@evilformerlys4704 to the average person they look like the same car. You’re getting too hung up on the nuisances. No one can see the engine from the outside. And only “car guys” will know what trim it is. It’s going to suffer the same fate as the Mustang where every trim level looks the same in passing.
I think@@GinNBoost bought the base C8 😁
Seriously though, nothing against the base Stingray. No doubt it's a serious performance car. I've just always been bothered by the rear fenders on the regular C8, too flat. The wider rear fenders on the Z06 fix that imo.
Love the car, don't love the weight. That thing is an absolute boat anchor. A Boosted Civic with 400hp would eat this car for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
You reachin
incredible video. you guys are doing an amazing job!!
I drive these things everyday thanks to my amazing career. These Z06 Corvettes are simply amazing
Great car of course, the new model isn’t my style but with performance like this I’m sure it’s here to stay.
I'm an old school corvette fan of the old school original American muscle corvette I feel like we copied those European sissy's design of what they call a super car I don't we are a super car we are American muscle I don't know that's what I think
it took big nuts to do this car, the c7 was awesome in its own right, near perfection for front engine performance and design. congrats Chev, you deserve the success and accolades. I'm looking forward to the next couple renditions of refinements in the c8, gonna be ahhhhmazing....sorry Ferrari and Lambo, i'll keep buying American made supercars now.
Corvette is a garbage car made for poor show offs. The reason it's so relatively cheap compared to Porsche or Ferrari cars is because it is made of plastic. That makes it very lightweight, cheap, and makes it easy to stuff a big engine in with a somewhat aerodynamic design and call it a day. Sure, it'll last you a week before falling apart, but hey, it looks cool!
I'm a proud American, but Chevy makes terrible cars. Go with Audi. They make cars that go fast and aren't made of plastic or are unreasonably expensive.
What z07? The last z06 or zr1?
It's not only the only NA v8 available, it's also the most powerful NA flat plane v8 production car ever made.
The sound gives me goosebumps!!! I WANT one!!!
I am a die hard ford fanboy and always will be but goddamn, hats of to Chevy for this absolute masterpiece of a car, the next one may be a hybrid but I’m still interested to see just how far they will be able to push this platform
Hybrid and turbos are coming to the platform.
Can’t wait to see the Zora! Twin turbo hybrid AWD on top of these numbers!
an electric awd, it should lose the corvette name then.
@@zzz7zzz9🙄
Good review. Wouldn’t the 0-60 times have been better also with less tire pressure?
Can you imagine what the ZR1 will be like? (!)
I read or heard that it may come with two turbos mated to this incredible V8. If that's true, I would imagine an increase of 100 to 150 horsepower. I hope that's true. Because that would be insane. 🤞
9:56 looks like a drawer full of knives.
The ZR1 will be one of the handful of best cars in the world, at no more than half the price of every other car on the list.
My stepdad had a Vette when I was a kid. I was HOOKED the sounds this car made and the shear speed were intoxicating! When I was in my 20s I used to see Vettes DRAG Vipers, Ferraris, and Astons around the track at LeMans. I’ve been convinced for decades that Chevy makes THEE BEST performance car dollar for dollar on the planet. And I think they’ve finally proven it with this car.
Excellent stuff bro
It sure is, Car and Driver. Love it!
I think its only fitting the c8 ZO6 is so good, considering the c6 ZO6 was incredible, keeping up with all the european cars while ripping past them on the straights and being 1/4 the price.
The c7 z06 is the black sheep to me as well, lol. I really wanted a used c6z06, actually worked for chevy when the c7 and c7z06 launched, wasnt really into them, decided id eventually get a c6z06 bcs peak corvette, then the c8 came out, meh, mod engine is cool, chassis otherwise nothing special, looks to immature (i like subtle beauty on cars, 458, 5th gen viper, 718 cayman, emira, etc.), and no manual. Then the c8z06 came out. i didnt jump into looking into it at first for above reasons, but 9nce i started learning about it, i got excited. Just like the c6z06, the chassis is nothing special, but very well executed, and also like the c6z06, the engine is something truly special, something for a driver, something for the guy who doesnt care how the car looks becaise he cant see if from behind the wheel, he just cares how it feels to drive. The c8z06 is a true enthusiasts sports car, and will likely hang with anything sub 7 figures on a track despite it relative lack of power compared what weve gotten used to out of "supercars" these days, just like the gt3rs, this car will show that more power than the chassis can handle quickly becomes a diminishing return on the track (though for guys that just like highway pulls, i get you, it can be fun too)
Ohhh man...seeing this makes me want to see Jay Leno again. He's going to be out of commission for a while, but we're all wishing the best and fastest recovery. LOVE YOU JAY!! ❤️🙏👍
That’s some good work Chevy.
Carlos lives! Haven’t seen him since the old MT days
I remember my 1983 mustang 5.0 convertable. 4 speed "H" pattern stick shift and a real clutch. You where in complete control of the car. No computer controlled paddle shifting or " launch control ". You guys can keep your 0 to 60 in 3 second corvettes.
My God do I miss that car.
I never see Ferrari (s) at the track for very long. They mostly end up at a Ferrari dealership with large repair bills and long wait to get it back. A Mclaren or Porsche RS would’ve been a better basis for comparison.
Tell me you've never owned a Ferrari without telling me.