Yes, we know – you’re excited about the new Corvette Z06. We are, too. It’s set to debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on Monday, Jan. 13 and that morning at http://www.chevrolet.com/corvette-z06-supercar-reveal.html at 10 EST. Even Chevy is pumped about the ‘roided-up quarter-mile-murderer. So excited, in fact, that they accidentally released the launch site’s meta data, finally revealing the Z06’s output: 620 horsepower and 650 lb.-ft. of torque. Huzzah!
If you try to replicate the magical Google search that led to the discovery (“Chevrolet z06 supercar reveal”), you’ll be out of luck. The good guys at Jalopnik alerted Chevy to its slip-up and the bow tie bunch promptly plugged the leak. But you know the internet. Once one person gets ahold of a juicy morsel of information, the entire online population feasts. Now everybody knows Chevrolet’s wonderful secret.
What do you think of the Z06’s figures? Are they higher than you expected? Do you think Chevy put the specs out on purpose to create buzz?
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
