ALISTAIR WEAVER: Alistair Weaver here
for Edmunds with the top 10 differences
between our 2020 Corvette Stingray
and the new 2023 Corvette Z06.
The blue car on the right is Edmunds own C8 Corvette
Stingray.
We bought it last year with our hard-earned cash.
And since then, we've done over 13,000 miles on it.
You can read all about it on the link below.
Spoiler alert, actually really big fans.
On the left is a highlighter-yellow car,
the new Corvette Z06 that we've borrowed
from Chevy for the day.
It comes complete with the Z07 hardcore performance pack,
and promises an even bigger dollop of performance when
it goes on sale next summer.
We're going to compare the spec of each
and declare a winner in each category, which isn't nearly as
straightforward as it sounds.
And now without further ado, let's get on with it.
Let's start with the bit that you probably
care about most, the noise.
Both these cars are naturally aspirated
V8s, not a turbocharger or a supercharger in sight.
But this, the new Z06, has a flat plane crank.
We're going to talk more about that in a minute.
So let's hear them.
Fire it up, maestro, starting with the Stingray.
[ENGING REVVING]
And now ladies and gentlemen, the Corvette Z06.
[ENGINGE REVVING]
[ENGING BACKFIRING]
Ha, ha!
That's ridiculous!
PRODUCER (OFF SCREEN): So who won?
ALISTAIR WEAVER: So oh, victory.
Winner is the Corvette Z06.
It's just outrageous.
PRODUCER (OFF SCREEN): You need new pants?
ALISTAIR WEAVER: Power, ladies and gentlemen.
Well this new 5.5 liter V8, in this case,
built by Brian Walker.
Great job, Brian.
I hope you're watching.
Develops 670 horsepower.
The 6.2 liter V8 in the Stingray develops 490 horsepower.
This is literally the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8
in history.
Good job, GM.
Winner, Z06.
Power is good.
Torque, which I probably do too much of,
the Z06 developments 460 pound feet.
The Stingray, 470.
So it's a narrow victory for the cartilaginous fish.
Winner, Stingray, easily.
Crankshaft, the Z06 is a special flat-plane crankshaft that
saves a ton of weight, helps it rev to an extraordinary 8,600
RPM, and sound fantastic.
For anywhere close to this money,
the only car that revs harder is the Porsche 911 GT3.
And that's not a V8.
How hard is it to engineer a flat-plane crank V8
for sensible-ish money?
Answer, very.
A few years ago, I spent time with the Ford performance team
as they developed the Mustang GT 350, the last mainstream,
sort of mainstream car with a flat-plane crank.
And that was a really tough gig.
This is courageous, GM, really
By contrast, the Stingray is a more conventional
cross-plane crankshaft, which is easier to engineer,
but doesn't have the ultimate performance benefits.
It redlines at 6,600 RPM.
Winner, Z06.
Flat-plane cranks are race car cool.
Performance, Chevy claims the new Z06 will
do 0 to 60 in just 2.6 seconds.
While we recorded 3.4 seconds for our Stingray
at our very own test track.
Winner, Z06, but with an asterisk.
We won't know for sure, until we test it ourselves.
Brakes, wheels, and tires, the Z06
have six piston calipers in the front
and four pistons in the rear.
The Stingray has four pistons all round
and smaller Brembo rotors.
But with the Z07 you see here, you
get larger Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, even says so here.
And special Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires.
Now I've driven these tires on a 911 GT3,
and they're basically hand-cut slicks,
which you'd just about get away with if you live here
in Southern California.
But if you live in Michigan, you're
going to need a spare pair of boots.
And you can pay a few grand more for these awesome carbon fiber
rims, which apparently are the widest ever sold.
They say 41 pounds of unsprung mass, which
is undeniably a good thing.
And they are maximum, maximum pose.
Winner, Z06.
But if you're going for the Z07 pack,
you're going to need a big budget for boots.
Now here's a bit of practical, real-world, car-shopping
advice.
If you're going to buy a Stingray,
tick the box for the optional magna ride suspension.
It's just under two grand.
We did, and we don't regret it.
Honestly, that thing rides better than many
so-called, luxury sedans.
The Z06 gets magna ride suspension as standard.
But it's been retuned and serve the springs.
Then, if you go for the Z07 pack, it's stiffer still.
Will that compromise the Corvette's
everyday versatility?
Probably.
Will it be worth it?
Maybe.
Winner, TBC.
Styling, the Z06 just looks that little bit more alpha.
Its 3.6 inches wider to accommodate those bigger boots.
And you get new front and rear fascias, with an extra radiator
here at the front.
The four exhaust pipes have also been redesigned.
So instead of two at either side of the rear,
you now get four in the middle just
to wind up the Tesla fanboys.
Then if you go Z07, you get that mighty rear wing and a carbon
fiber front splitter with these so-called dive planes.
Is it OTT, over the top?
Well of course it is.
But hey, this is a Vette.
Winner, Z06.
Because in a Corvette less is always less.
By the way, if you're wondering why
our C8 Corvette has a crack in the windscreen, join the club.
It broke two months ago, when it got hit by a stone.
And so far we've failed miserably to get it fixed.
GM sent out two different windscreens, both of which
arrived broken.
So if you're sitting on a windscreen for a new Corvette
that you'd like to sell us, please
drop me a line to my Instagram account
@WeaverOnCars that's @WeaverOnCars,
and we'll do a deal.
Frankly, we're struggling.
Optional on the Z06 is all this carbon fiber trim
that will likely cost you a couple of grand.
Now decorative carbon that doesn't help you save weight
is a real pet hate of mine.
Honestly, don't do it.
Best to leave well alone because otherwise the Corvette has
a well-executed, high quality, and comfortable cabin.
Winner, Stingray.
Because the carbon fiber aberration
isn't even an option.
When the Stingray was originally unveiled at $60,000
price tag caused a sensation, and rightly so.
This one actually set us back 80 grand, which we think
is really the sweet spot for a Stingray.
Chevy won't confirm the price for Z06,
but we reckon it'll start at around $95,000.
Then you can add on about 10,000 more for the Z07 pack,
plus the carbon fiber wheels and a few other goodies, too.
This car that you see here is probably
going to be around $150,000.
Now we recognize that's a load of money by anyone standards,
but consider this, even the base price
for the similarly-powered Lamborghini Hurricane
is over $200,000.
Winner, a tie.
All things are relative.
But the Corvette is still a relative bargain.
It's no secret that we love our Corvette Stingray.
It won our Edmunds Top Rated Award in the sports car class
last year.
And a year of ownership, and 13,000 miles
is done nothing to dent our enthusiasm even if we
can't get a new windshield.
On paper or even sitting on the floor behind me there,
the Z06 feels like a logical next step,
with or without the Z07 pack.
And of course, it sounds fantastic
But here's a cautionary tale, part of the Stingrays appeal
is its everyday versatility.
And will the new harder edge and retuned suspension
compromise some of that?
I guess we'll have to wait until the spring
when we finally get to drive it to find out.
Can't wait.
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Thanks for watching.
See you soon.