C8 Corvette Z06 Is a Supercar with Superstar Engine Power
With 670 horsepower at 8,600 rpm the LT6 in the new Z06 has the power and sound to take on the best in the world.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 is one of the most highly anticipated new vehicles in recent memory. Buyers have been on waiting lists for years. Dealers are doing what dealers do and tacking on tens of thousands of dollars to the MSRP. And this was all before anyone outside of GM even drove the thing. Well, those days are over and the new C8 Z06 has been driven and reviewed and the first impressions are in.
And those impressions are that this Z06 might be even BETTER than the hype. A big reason why is the 5.5L, flat-plane crank, naturally aspirated, LT6 engine. It not only produces a whopping 670 horsepower. But it produces a sound that you expect to come from something with a prancing horse badge on the hood.
The guys from the Throttle House YouTube channel recently had a chance to wring out the C8 Z06 as well as speak to some of the engineers involved with the program. To say they were impressed with the car is an understatement. A legitimate supercar has been produced by the folks at Chevrolet. We will repeat that. A supercar from Chevrolet. And while the starting price of $106,000 may seem steep for a Corvette. When you consider that most of its rivals have sticker prices that begin with a 2 or a 3 or even a 4 then you realize what a bargain this thing is.
LT6
The C8 Z06 is a fantastic vehicle with many impressive features. But it all really begins and ends with the LT6 engine that powers it. You are reading an article on LS1Tech, so we doubt that we have to educate you very much on what it means to have a flat-plane crank engine architecture. But that is what the LT6 has, and it gives it a character that has never before been seen (or heard) in any Corvette. At 460 pound-feet of torque this is not a torque monster of an engine. But it is a screamer that loves to rev all the way to 8,600 rpm. And the 670 horsepower that it makes is certainly thrilling. But the sound. It is a fruity, high-pitched wail that allows you to also hear plenty of induction noise. It is a gem.
End of an Era
The fact that the LT6 is so fantastic does come with a bit of bad news. Electric cars are here. Cars with naturally aspirated flat-plane crank V8 engines are a dying breed. This engine marks both a beginning and an end for the Corvette. In a couple years when production of this car is finished, that will be it.
Hybrid and all-electric power are what is the future for Corvette. That just serves as another reason why folks today are so amped up to get a C8 Z06. Ten years from now people will look at the Z06 and say boy they don’t make them like that anymore.
Downsides
Are there downsides to this amazing car? Sure, nothing is perfect although this Corvette comes pretty close. For as amazing as the LT6 is, it is something that GM as very little experience building. Will the engine prove to be reliable in the long run? That remains to be seen. The Z07 Performance Package that everyone wants is even more limited right now and it does make the car a bit better on track but a bit worse (harsher) on the street. But all things considered this Corvette is a world beater.
It will flat out embarrass cars that are far more expensive. The MSRP on a BASE Porsche 911 is almost exactly the same as this Z06. And the base 911 is a fantastic car, but it will lose badly in every single performance metric you care to look at. The C8 Z06 is destined for legend status.
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