Jumping the gun a bit here guys, no? C&D said it's going to be 3,600-3,700 lbs... I'll believe it when I see it. The C6Z is right around 3,150lbs and the Corvette team is arguably the most weight obsessed as any development team in the entire auto industry. You guys really think they're going to develop a car that's 500 lbs heavier despite being almost identical from a size, equipment and build philosophy?
Exactly what is the percentage of buyers who actually take these cars to a track? I have lots of pals who own all types of performance vehicles and only 1 of them does the "track thing". Maybe my particular group of buddies is not representative of these types of cars. So how many of you people who own true performance cars actually track (exc. Kverges, as we know he is a track master) ?? IMO, most people just drive their cars on the street where the weight issue is basically moot with 650 horsepower.
The C6 ZR1 will track quite hard all day long, and as long as the ambient temps aren't much above 90 degrees F, it suffers very little from heat induced performance drop. Its ceramic brakes wear very, very well with rotors lasting multiple seasons and pads lasting multiple track days. Team Corvette has upgraded the heat exchange capability on the new Z, so it should perform even better than ZR in that regard, and it's available with the same carbon ceramic rotors. As to tires, most of the track dog ZR pilots are running track tires in any event, largely for a cost reasons/consumables. The new Z will likely be no more than 150 lbs heavier than the ZR, and quite possible less than that. As well as the ZR does on the track, and with the improvements to the Z, I don't believe the new Z will have a difficult time performing well on track - and do so lap after lap, not just a few hot rounds. Team Corvette is publicly touting this machine as "the most track capable Corvette ever." I seriously doubt Tadge and company desire to lead with their chin on that score.
I did not track at all last year but, I have an M3 that I (used to) track all the time, as well as a Exige 240S that I own only for the track. When I had my Fcars I tracked them all--all had iron brakes, and I would swap out the pads for track pads before each day. Life has gotten busy and is keeping me away from the track. Usually every new car I buy gets at least one or two day on the track.
What percentage of USA ferrai pwners go even over 120 mph, but part of the ferrari cacht its it perfomance potential and porfile. I dont know the percentage of buyers who track, but at the track vettes have till now been a significant percentage oif the cars. I would also say that the sales and credibilkity for the z06 came from its track ability, remove that and all you have is a powerful motor option package. The z06 becomes that hated word a "brand" I nay event i have no doubt thta for a few flying laps the Z06 will blow the C6 numbers away. Its just that for people who actualy do track, from whence the z06 gets its cred, the new ones apparent weight is a step backwareds, while for paper spec people its a "better" car. Like other posters here, I have dedicated track cars, and other cars that see the track. Even my boxer goes to a Big track every year justr to run down the straights. The only car that really does not see the track(aprt fom my equinox) is the E46 BMW too heavy, too soft too underbraked, really just a fast comfortablish street car. Now the new M4 sounds more like it, not more than 3300lbs serious brakes and a stick.
Over on rennlist seems like a lot of the porche faithful are considdering the Z06. Rumor now has it that the next GT3RS may be stick and no 4ws. Pity porche does not make a Cayman GT3Rs, you know Gt3 motor with a stick.
I'm also considering the next RS. A stick would be great in my mind. I think bang for buck the Z06 may win, but I'm worried about reliability of continuous track abuse. The GT3 is great for that. Plus, I'm slowly getting over the stigma of considering a Vette.
Vettes are extremely reliable on track. I've never had a mechanical issue while road racing any of the Vettes I've owned, even the modified ones, and in fact the only mechanical failure ever was a broken halfshaft while launching my early build 2006 Z06 at the strip, an issue that prompted a recall. Spring Mountain and Bondurant keep a fleet of Corvettes on hand for their students, and they'll also tell you that the Vettes handle being flogged with aplomb. Time to let the "stigma" of the world's best performance bargain go!
I just hope its not that heavy. That just seems extremely excessive. Some guys have gotten they're Z06s un 3090 pounds with a few tasetful mods. This car seems more akin to a GTR. Which are cool but not a car I wanted to order.
