How much power is enough? Driving the full Corvette lineup
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- Опубликовано: 5 окт 2024
- The 2025 Chevy Corvette Stingray has nearly 500 hp, the Z06 has almost 700 hp, and the upcoming Corvette ZR1 tops 1,000 hp. But we have to ask: when the floor is so high, can the average driver really tell the difference as power ramps up?
Horsepower is cheaper and more accessible than ever these days, and we’re not just talking about EVs. But technological progress always follows the same curve: there comes a point when the increase in performance stops being perceptible. Think of the jump between VHS to DVD, then from Blu-Ray to 4K.
Does the same thing happen with horsepower? To find out, we went to NCM Motorsports Park in Kentucky to put our resident track rat Joey in three C8 Chevy Corvettes: the 490-hp base model Stingray, the 655-hp hybrid E-Ray, and the 670-hp track-ready Z06.
There are many differences between each model beyond horsepower, of course, but that’s ultimately the headline number for most people. So when you’re used to driving something with 100-200 hp, what’s the jump to 500 hp like? And then again to 670 hp?
Special thanks to the National Corvette Museum and NCM Motorsports Park for the track time and use of their cars!
Produced and hosted by → / rassoolracing
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Hey everyone! Joey here. Thanks for watching! This opportunity kinda fell into out laps as I was traveling through Kentucky and we really wanted to make something for you. This is my first time doing any kind of "car review" type content, so theres definitely some room for improvement and i appreciate you all being on board. Also big thanks to NCM motorsports park for offering up their cars, track, and time to us.
Good Day Joey. Excellent Presentation. Clear and Honest discussion. I bought my 2004 Z06 Commemorative new, and it is a great car. 131,000 miles on the LS6 engine and it still runs like new. The NEW Vettes are almost beyond belief. I'm 72 years old and 426 HEMIs and LS6 454 Chevy's were once the pinnacle. I did mostly 440 Magnums myself. Today is almost the Twilight Zone with these new Vettes. Thank You. Very interesting and educational.
Interesting review thank you for doing it
Loved the comparison. From a AWD track car owner, it’s not really the answer video games let us believe. However, red light to red light…. Lotta fun. Being able to put down 1.6 60ft times and still stop before the next interaction can be a blast in the city.
I think that a regular Stingray is more than enough for everyday Joe :)
More fun wity z06 tho
I love the bravery and experimental nature of this, very fresh take, good job! I feel like you're quickly finding your automotive niche again, and that's good for everyone.
You should revisit this with the C8 ZR1 when it's available. I also think a similar test for street driving should be done.
I’m so thankful for you doing this. I’ve been mulling over trading in my C8 but now I think I’ll stick with it. Thanks.
Interesting idea for an episode. Well done.
I really enjoyed this! So many full-time reviewers have thier opinions skewed by driving hyper car after hypercar that they simply can't provide a vailid opinion on cars remotely normal folks could buy. Hearing the opinion of someone who's more in touch with reality on cars that some of us could remotely dream of driving or owning one day is valuable and interesting.
tunedbyai AI fixes this (AI assisted Car Design/ Tuning). Driving full Corvette lineup power
How does it do this
Very much enjoyed your video. I am going to comment on the all-season tires on the non-Z06 cars and recognize you actually did somewhat note this at the end of the video as it is extremely important on track. Running an all-seasons (aka no-season) vs a PS Cup/Sport tire is night and day on track. I'd guarantee the E-Ray would become quite a different animal and give you much more confidence with a proper set of track tires such as the ones you noted are an available option. I'd almost disregard any track times or feedback from a sports car or exotic if it is running anything but a track spec tire like the Pilot Sports. The Z06 was most confidence inspiring because of those tires. Your only connection to the road is only as good as the little contact patch each tire provides.
That's a great point although I did forget to highlight that the Z06 is 500 lb lighter than the E-ray. Maybe the all-wheel-drive system makes up for that, but I think the programming of the electronic limited slip diff would also come into play. Guess I'll just need to do more testing! 😊
Great commentary on the difference in the cars. I have seen many C8 videos, many, and this one talks about the difference in experience as well as any. Especially coming from an honest place of only tracking a 100hp Yaris.
Z06 is a much more special car and experience than the other two.
For 99% of buyer that 490 and stock suspension is more than enough for a daily driver and the though of “I ~could/might~ track it” but never actually track it
The majority of Corvette’s aren’t daily drivers though. I certainly wouldn’t want it as my only car, especially for those up North.
@@jroe25yt8 I think you missed my point
@@andrewsbbq 99% of buyers don’t need a Corvette at all, especially for just the street. Thing is, these things aren’t about needs, they are about wants, the experience, and how they make you feel. That’s why the Z06 is clearly the most special car among these three. Completely different experience from the other two, regardless of performance numbers.
@@jroe25yt8 woosh
@@andrewsbbq I get your point, you apparently aren’t comprehending mine. I don’t think you understand the Corvette market. Someone could easily say that 99% of buyers don’t need a Corvette at all, even a base model Stingray, and certainly not as a daily driver. The vast majority of Corvette owners have a different, daily driver. These are toys, vehicles for enjoyment and the experience. Buy whatever car provides the experience that talks to you the most. Trying to rationalize like you are shows that you don’t get it. Whoosh.
I have the eray and knew I'd never be going to the track with it. AWD and zooming stoplight to stoplight is fine by me for now. Gotta see these Zora specs for that to change
I don't think any of these cars are meant for average consumers. However, some people have more money than sense though.
The first production mid-engine Corvette ever made - was the 1963 model! They have been front-mid-engined ever since. There have been a few rear-mid-engine concept cars over the years, but the C8 is the first production rear-mid-engine Corvette. Thank you for the great video! It was very interesting and good to see a comparison of these three models, and from somebody not already experienced with them - great idea.
Great video! I’ve always wondered about a back to back comparison between the current C8’s from a non supercar journalist. Nicely done!
Being an eray owner myself and no offensive but the eray is no slouch on the track…but I feel you had no idea how to harness the true power and handling. On the street the eray is wild, especially from street light to street light. The Swiss Army knife for sure!!!!
I feel like it would also probably be great for that southern weather when it just dumps a ton of rain.
I honestly wish they would have done all three cars on the same tires since they are all available with the PS4s. It would have been a truer comparison. I hate it when they back to back cars and then hamper one of them with all seasons.
So is my c8 z06 from light to light is so nimble
Joey, love your racing content. It's cool to see you out there doing other things. The question on my mind is whether driving a fast car fast is more fun than driving a slow car fast.
Horsepower & torque is never enough the first time I did a blast from 0 to180 mph in my 2018 ZL1 The first words out of my mouth when I let off the gas was now I know why people modify even a 650 HP 650 tq car 0-60 in 3.5 seconds is fun but my next sports car is gonna be a 2028 Corvette ERAY 655hp AWD MONSTER I haven’t put my sports cars on a dragstrip or the track in 15 years and don’t ever plan to do the ERAY is definitely gonna be my next ride!
0-180, but haven't been on a track in 15 years? Doubt... it's okay, you don't have embellish.
I do think it really matters where you live and what kind of weather conditions you will have to cope with, especially in winter-time, what your choice of Corvette would be. Yes we can all be very fossil about this, but in the end the Corvette E-Ray provides you with All Wheel Drive and in many weather conditions that is the far superior car. Obviously in summer-time, or living in a warm climate state, you have the luxury of getting the Z06, but then again, although you may have the money to get one does not mean you have the driver skills it takes to not to crash it. Many junkyards are filled with wrecked overpowered cars, which turns out to be more than a handful for any average driver. Large amount of money do not automatically come with driver skills. So it is safe to say that the convincing majority of people who are about to get themselves a fast Corvette, that they in general are way better off with the Corvette E-Ray. And when you live in Florida and you have decided to go skiing in Aspen at Christmas-time, you will find out that a Corvette Z06 can be useless up in the mountains on snowy roads. Spinning rear wheels; no traction at all, and so all those horses and no grip to gallop. It may surprise you how much All Wheel Drive car will do for you in situations a 2 wheel drive car 100% guaranteed will let you down due to no grip, even at the slowest speeds thinkable. This does also go for other extreme weather situations, like heavy rainfalls and the risk to aquaplaning, heavy winds; storms in general, because it isn't always 80 degrees Fahrenheit and nice sunny weather... After all, a car must be able to do it was purchased for: to get you from A to B under all circumstances throughout the entire year no matter your destination, it must be reliable, and safe to ride in. Just like most of us would not want to get strapped to a rocket just before launch, you also may prefer to drive a car you actually can handle.
How exactly do you imagine AWD helps with hydroplaning?
@@xtnuser5338 Yeah, ok... well go see rally video's and especially those with Porsche 911 (rear engined...but All Wheel Drive) and see them go like hell o places where average Joe/Joan will not even try to go slow...under ALL Cirumstances (Icey Snow, Dust, Forrest, through rivers; you name it ! Then you will understand.
Good production on this, nice to see / making video again.
I like this video! Hope this format continue. Thank you
Great video! I can vouch for the general theme here, not with Corvettes but other cars. Adding more power doesn't necessarily make a car better unless it's correctly complemented with beefed-up components that communicate well. I've driven a few otherwise stock cars with boosted engines, and I can safely say I'd almost never go the route of adding power first. It mostly ruins the car unless you beef everything else up. It's all fun and games until the suspension can't act fast enough for the weight transfer brought on by quicker changes in speed. A base Stingray to a Z06 looks to be that from the factory. One caveat: "better parts" doesn't always equate to a better ride or experience. Chevy went out of their way to make the C8 approachable with all the tiers they currently have. This didn't seem to be the case with previous Corvette generations, which aimed to simply be better track cars vs. faster, livable cars. One special note I'd add about the E-Ray: in my experience, making an otherwise 2WD car into a 4WD car often doesn't feel right. A great example is the Focus RS vs. the ST. The RS was for sure a more capable car, but it never felt right to me. It felt like the chassis was never comfortable with where the power was coming from. The ST was a riot at all speeds. It felt "right". Could be talking some BS, but that's how it felt to me. Hope to see more stuff like this!
Well done video! The Z06 is of course a track focused car. The Eray & Stingray are considered the better street cars/daily drivers. The Eray can be fitted with PS4s and Cup 2 R's as well. All can also of course be modified. A Callaway supercharged Eray for instance, has 847 combined HP with 825 lb ft of torque. It also carries both a Chevy & Callaway warranty. The new ZR1 utilizes the FPC engine paired with turbos. The Z06 FPC engine is special. But given I likely wouldn't track the car, the Eray would probably be my choice, as I do prefer the wide body platform.
The content you guys are pumping out is great! keep it up
I can certainly tell the difference in the sound of that Z06 flat-plane crank. It could be the one with 470 and I'd still choose it. I'd bet if they put that Z06 motor, even detuned, and AWD like the E-Ray, it would sell better than the Stingray, E-Ray, Z06, and ZR1. AWD is just really nice for inclement weather. It's like they slightly missed the mark for the perfect everyday driver's car with the engine choice in the E-Ray.
It's more fun to drive a slow car fast. Also I like the feel of older cars. They let you feel the speed. Newer cars glide along effortlessly at higher speeds and feel numb. Even driving down the highway in a modern car feels like a crawl. But an older car lets you know when you're going fast. Especially the old clunkers that I've driven 😊. Going 80 feels like 180.
I totally agree with your ranking of Z06, Stingray and E-Ray. I’ve got a Stingray Z51 HTC and I’d never sell it for an E-Ray. But I also think the new ZR-1 with the twin turbos on the flat plane crank engine wont sound as good as the Z06 due to the back pressure. Z06 all the way, baby. Might try to secure one in the next couple of years
Did you run a full session in eray with 100% battery boost? I heard battery power falls off in 1 lap....not many reviewers talk about it
Hey Jerry. I honestly only had a few laps with each car so I didn't even think to check. We had to get the whole shoot crammed into about an hour. Next time though!
The answer to that is pretty easy: for the average car enthusiast, any power that gives you the acceleration rush on a daily without getting old.
From all the cars I have, that usually falls between 550hp and 650hp. Anything beyond that is of course great, but unnecessary.
Almost the full lineup.
I'm curious how an E-Ray with the Z51 package would fare. Seems like that would be the appropriate mid-point between the three cars.
The E-ray is more my type! I will never track anything again!
This was a really interesting idea for a video! And the format that it was presented in was excellent. Thank you for sharing your insights 🎉
Great video. I have the c8 z07. Best car ever
The Eray seems to be the best of both worlds especially with AWD so those in cold weather climates can potentially use it in the snow
The car can barely clear a speedbump and you think it's practical in snow?! Goodluck.
@sp1pilot judging from your past comments seems you arent a fan
@@sp1pilotit's not necessarily about the depth where I live it's just all about the cold and ice so the ground clearance isn't really an issue. I can't easily clear a speed bump in my car either without planning but it's not an issue.
No
Those in cold weather can potentially use a 2WD car in the snow also. Sure, AWD will be a bit better, but don't make a blanket implication that 2WD just can't be used period. That's ridiculous.
Great show. Different, I like it.
I enjoyed this video. Thanks for putting it out there! Keep up the good work!
I feel like they should have matched tires for a fair comparison. Try that Z06 on all seasons and see how it goes. Not well.
There is no thing as too much power just not enough traction
ERAY to me is weird. As if GM made that car with a question mark. No one knows what it is really. People just get it because it's AWD for "winter" duties. When in actuality it would make a terrible winter car because of those insanely wide tires. Even if you can get all seasons or winters close to those sizes, you would want a narrow tire for snow to slice through it, not plow through it with those wide ass tires. So essentially the stingray would be a better winter car even if it's RWD. It's a milestone for GM to create the ERAY but honestly when it comes to C8's, which is a push towards that exotic/supercar level, it starts with the z06 and ends with the ZR1 or ends with the ZORA, if that car is a reality.
The E-Ray is a Michigan car. What I mean by that is that it is a Corvette meant for incredibly harsh roads and snow and slush and potholes but also high speeds and a plush ride, AND for zero to 100 runs - with beautiful design. Adding the Z06 body and suspension onto the AWD platform makes for a really well-tuned GT car.
@@spdcrzy I get that but the stingray is already massive. The widebody cars just add to it and again those insanely wide tires aren't ideal for wintry conditions. It was definitely a good approach of making the first hybrid corvette but it is literally a stingray with an electric front motor. Hopefully in the next gen ERAY it'll be better. However still not an ideal "winter" corvette.
I like corvette and all the history it has but they have really gotten confusing and watered down with too many models and packages. E Ray, stingray, z06, Z07, z51 and Zr1 have just become random numbers and words that most people don't understand or care about.
It’s no different than Porsche with the 911:
1. 911 Carrera
2. 911 Carrera S
3. 911 Targa
4. 911 Turbo
5. 911 GTS
6. 911 GT3
7. 911 GT3 RS
8. 911 GT2 RS
I think I may have even missed a few options and trims, but the point I’m making is that when car manufacturers find a winning formula, they tend to make several variations of that formula.
Key words, "Average Consumer"!!
Good Job!
Thank You!
👍
I don't need a track ready car with a wing and carbon brakes. I just want a base model C8 with the magnetic suspension and a limited slip diff. Anything else is unnecessary for the area and style I drive. That being said. The E-Ray would probably be better for the part of the country I live in. I could even drive it in the winter 😂. As long as the snow wasn't too deep anyway
From those 3 I took...E- Ray
Good review.
lol.. yeah Im sure AS tires are not going to feel the same as Cup2s on the track. Thank goodness reviewers don't hold it against the car itself... 😔
Unfortunately, the "average consumer" wont be able to afford a car that costs as much a a small home...150-200k is
a crazy amount of money for a car ...its hard to believe there are alot of people with that kind of money burning a hole in their pocket LOL.
Loved the video, nice work guys! Interesting perception here though at the beginning...."mildly wealthy" consumers spend $200K+ on a vehicle???....huh, that's crazy. IMO, if you're spending a quarter million on a car, you're likely in the top 2%, probably not what i would say is "mildly" wealthy. Americans don't save money either, so the argument can be made those folks are just spending more than a mortgage to afford these types of vehicles but will be working their entire life. There is no doubt, the value prop on the C8 platform is pretty unbeatable (especially when buying used) but GM keeps pushing them up the foodchain where MSRP's continue to increase and the dealers ruin releases like the Z06 and the upcoming ZR1 with slapping ridiculous market adjustments on them. If i could justify the cost of any of these, i'd pick the Z06 hands down.
Just speaking statistically...yes, the ability to buy a $200k car is "mildly" wealthy. I'm worth about three million so far. That's very wealthy in the eyes of most, until you are reminded that the VERY wealthy have billions. Yeah, my net worth makes me wealthy, but it pales in comparison to the very wealthy, so I think mildly is a suitable word.
I already left a comment similiar to urs... 200k is just unobtanium to the average struggling person out there.
these cars would cost as much as a mortgage...Im driving a 30yr old car and would be thrilled with a 20 to 30k used car... I get a kick outta these vids but none of them have any bearing on reality as far as actually owing one...
@@xtnuser5338we’re at about the same here but nobody knows what tax rates or cost of healthcare will be in 10 years so I’m not about to spend $200k+ on a car. I get paying that kind of money if you’re going to start a collection of rare blue chip collector vehicles but that’s not what we are talking about here. The vast majority of Americans will never retire because of a combination of their saving and spending habits and the government may go bankrupt trying to support them when they can no longer work.
Just like motorcycles, a lot of performance car horsepower is just for bragging rights on the street. My modded sportbike makes over 200hp at the wheel. Can't really use it anywhere on the road except out in the middle of nowhere. Even on a track 200+ hp for most riders isn't being used.
How much power is enough? 3 billion horsepower. And the new ZR1 makes only 1064 HP.
I want the 1. gen NSX
They are all C8s the base one is called stingray
Music’s a bit much
Thought you'd be driving C6, C7 and C8 instead of talkkng about car like Yaris and 3 different C8s
Driving every generation is Donuts schtick
The Stingray is enough.
So your saying the base corvette is only one wheel drive? Kinda lame. Shouldnt a sports car come with some kind of diff
It's two wheel drive, rear only, and of course it has a differential
The electronic limited slip differential is optional on the stingray.
@@RassoolRacingI don’t believe that’s accurate. All trim levels of the C8 come with eLSD.
@@michaeldodd9302 Yes, what I meant was I wonder how it interacts with the front axle getting power in the e-ray
The C8Z06 has & will have the LOWEST TQ number of all the C8 corvettes (current and future)
Is that a good thing, bad thing or?
Look up torque to the wheels, thats what actually matters. C8 Z06 basically matches the C7 Z06 torque to the wheels, even though the C7 Z06’s LT4 produces significantly more torque.
@@jroe25yt8 Sorry I dont understand reply >>>> My 2017 C7Z rwtq is 573, vs C8Z06 rwtq is 416, 157 rwtq difference
@@jroe25yt8 I just did a quick search and am not seeing that. I saw C7’s making mid to high 500lb-ft on dynos where the C8’s I saw were making at most mid 400lb-ft. What sources did you use?
Are you maybe trying to estimate the area under the curve, taking into consideration the extra rpm the C8 is able to hit?
@@ALMX5DP just needs to be driven higher in the rev range than a C7 Z06. Very different experience with the high revving, NA FPC.
This doesn’t make sense. You say the z06 has more “mechanical” grip than the eray? Well I’m sorry to say but they are the exact same chassis as each other. The only difference is the Z07 package that added the FE7 suspension which was not in the car you drove
Maybe I misspoke. I was including the tires in mechanical grip. Is that not how you'd refer to it?
@@RassoolRacingyes but they are also the same size tires. The tire is different from eray to z06 but the grip difference is very minimal.
@@emusoda oh, then I didn't make it clear. The difference is tread wear. 320 vs 300 doesn't sound like a lot, but the 4S perform closer to a 200tw tire and when you add to that a 500lb difference in the two cars the Z06 has significantly more lateral grip off throttle.
Love the content for normies. Thank you
Not the full lineup
Great video
It’s never enough
Correction: previous generations of Corvette were already technically "mid-engine" for 50/50 weight distribution. Front-mid-engine versus the current rear-mid0engine.
Weight, the eray is too heavy for track, it's a gt car for sure.
Having a 200k toy is mildly rich?
Realistically, yes. If you look at the top 20%'s income, this is comfortably attainable as early as age 35.
None of these cars are 200k….or even close to it. A fully loaded Z06 with a Z07 package is around 160 I believe, but you can get a base z06 for 115. A base stingray can be had in the 60s. When the average new car is currently 48k, a base stingray isn’t too far away.
There are two kinds of wealth:
1. A person that has a job that pays $200k per year, but doesn’t have a lot in the bank, cause their money is tied up in a house note and other expenses.
2. The person who claims $200k per year as salary from the interest earned from the $20 million they have in the bank.
The first is mildly wealthy… the second is straight up wealthy.
U can buy c8 z06 sticker 110k to 117k new now
Yes, MILDLY rich can get you into a $200k toy. It would be your baby. Your wife wouldn't be allowed to drive it. You would fuss over it.
The other end of the "rich" spectrum are people with many billions of dollars, people who might--if they were so inclined--buy a $200k toy for their sixteen year old daughter's first car, then buy her another one a month later after she wrecked the first one. Those people are the VERY rich.
Corvette buyers are not your “average consumer”.
So just looking at your username and pic. I’m a red C8 Z06 owner, a physician and born in 1986. Are you me?
@@mattabell3657 I was born in 1954. My new 2024 Z06 HTC is Sea Wolf grey and the red C8 Coupe was just sold. My 2021 C8 Z51 HTC is shadow gray. Need to update the photo. I’m still practicing Internal Medicine after 35 years because it love it more than my cars.
I thought I was subscribed to the drive. But I am not.
I guess RUclips does unsubscribe users - who knows why.
I own a c8 z06...if someone says nice c8 to me i tell them its a z06 not c8 stingray..
But if they say, "Nice C8," then they didn't SAY stingray. So why would you correct a mistake that wasn't made?
GREEDY Chevy dealers ADDING EXTRA PROFIT ADMs of $50k to $100k does NOT make the C8 attainable........even though GM warned dealers.....dealers did it anyway
Those days are gone. McMulkin is doing stingrays at 10% under MSRP. z06 and Eray at msrp. Even the little dealer in my town is under sticker on base vettes and at sticker on z or Eray.
That’s mostly over with. I got my Z06 for MSRP. Worth every penny.
@@Tharley87 the Chevy dealer in Plano, TX told me over a year ago, they are no longer accepting ORDERS for ANY C8 for the rest of the C8 run......yes I had repeat it to make sure I heard right. Im really sick of dealers of this crap
@@JerryCecco You can go to MacMulkin right now, have your custom order stingray in 3 months, and pay under 10% MSRP. My Z06 is only 4 months out, and was exactly MSRP. Your dealer may simply not sell enough vettes to get enough allotment for the demand they have, but I live in a pretty small town and there are 3-5 C8 vettes on lot at all times with markdowns.
@@mattabell3657 my Z is on its way, MSRP as well, expected in 4 months. Pretty excited and counting down days like it’s Xmas.
No wonder why the world said Sunset UK 🇬🇧 are very poor and depressed for money 💰 ……. This video just like a commercial video
Nah dude..when someone says u got a c8 means u got a stingray...when someone says u got z06 u got a z06..z06 is not called a c8..
They’re all C8s. Corvette, 8th series.
I still don't like the C8. GM abandoned the classic formula because they've had an inferiority complex about Ferrari for 50 years. They have their knock off Ferrari now...
Porsche would never do that to the 911, they just make a different car.
The only people who continue to defend the eray are eray owners who refuse to admit they bought the wrong one.
You sound like you dont know what you are talking about
Does dude know that they are all C8s. He keeps referencing the Stingray as C8. Say Stingray or C8 Stingray if you want to be truly specific because just saying C8 males you look like you don't have much knowledge of the platform you're speaking on. Just saying C8 only lets someone know that its the 8th generation of a Corvette for which there are numerous different variations that each have their own name. For example, if I'm having a conversation with someone who has any knowledge of Corvettes and I tell them I have a C7 their next question will probably be "which one?" Because the C7 platform has the Stingray, Z06, Grand Sport, and Zr1 so while calling any one of them a C7 would be true none of them have the designated name of just "C7". So in the future. If say "C8" "C7" "C6" etc. then say what trim it is as well so that people know that you know what you're talking about.