C8 Z06

Carbon aero. Front slipper and dive planes, carbon rear wing, carbon brakes and retuned suspension settings.

Im not sure if you have to spec z07 first in order to chose the carbon wheels — I know the suspension and steering is calibrated differently if you have carbon wheels for sharper turn in and steering feel to take advantage of the light weight wheels, so z07 may be a requirement for this.

 

Exactly. Well said.

 

You may be required to spec that z07 pack to get the carbon wheels.

if you are tracking the car why in the world would you not use the carbon wheels on the track where you can really tell how special they are and what they do? It make no difference besides posing at any sane speed you can accomplish on the street (ok steering may feel a bit more sharp on street but it’s not near the difference) and there are wayyy more hazards (pot holes, curbs, sewers, ect) on the road than on a nice smooth race track!

GT350R people at the track make the same comment to me about why don’t I get a spare set of wheels for track use. I actually bought a spare set of carbon wheels (some idiot at M1 concourse didn’t like the look and sold the like new set with new cup 2 tires years ago to me $4,800 cash, deal of the century —- I also cracked one of mine somehow and my warranty paid $6700 for a new rim and tire and I sold the cracked one to a Shelby enthusiast for $650 as is). I do hope Chevy offers a wheel and tire warranty, as mine has covered a carbon wheel and at least 4 cup 2 tires, 2 punctures and Two inner sidewall lips got ripped apart from heavy g forces, paid 10x the warranty cost).

anyway, use the carbon wheels on the track!

 

fwiw, carbon revolutions makes these carbon wheels, same company that makes them for my 350R and the GT500 and the Ferrari pista. I have taken the wheels on/off probably 300 times and my lug torque spec is 150ft/lbs. zero issues and it’s a treat to move the giant but surprisingly light wheel. I forget how heavy wheels are when I took my wife’s Cayenne wheel off I almost fell over lol.

I drive my car to the track and fortunately can fit a full spare set of carbon wheels in the car with me. I love driving the track car to the track and not messing with a car trailer, but ya, not gonna get away with that on a z06. I don’t use rain tires so don’t swap at track unless I chord or get a flat, although a set of rain wheels would be quite nice to have. For now I plan to drive the z06 to/from the track and if I’m gonna heat cycle mid weekend event I’ll take my R and use the z06 the next single track day before changing tires.

I pay an average of about $900 for a take off set of cup 2 tires on my R, and get 5-7 days on front before chording (with rotate) and 7 on rear before heat cycle out (far from chording). I did my last track day of the year last week starting with 6.5 track days on rears (say 32-35 sessions) and the tires were a greasy mess. I find them to be great up until 6-7 track days depending on session count (sometimes you only get 5, sometimes 7), but after 35 heat cycles it’s time to throw away cup 2. I won’t find deals like this on the z06 Cup 2 R tires unfortunately.

this reminds me I have time tires to change before next spring. Make sure you ONLY use a touch less tire mount (hunter) so the knuckleheads don’t crack your carbon wheel!

 

lets remember that fir 2023 the interior is being redesigned.

 

The magnetorheological shocks are tuned differently for the Z07-equipped cars.

 

I can't imagine able to get z07 aero pack as option on regular z06 w normal suspension. It would bottom out unless tuned for it

 

I just payed around with the z06 configurator on chevrolet.com

Based on the configurator MT is correct, you can get the big aero on a standard z06. It also seems that the better more pure for track seats with fabric centers bigger bolster hard shell backs are only on the base 1lz. The site says these seats are track enhanced whereas the leather seats are termed for more long distnace comfort.

If the site reflects actual production reality one will be able to get a more base z06 with the greater downforce wings splitter and dive planes/canards, steel rotors and fabrirc track style shells. in other words what one would want if tracking the car was a primary factor in spec. The site works and when you plug in the optional aero you get the big wing, that is a seperate selction to z07. Im guessing z07 bundles a bunch of options.

As to whether the higher downwforce comes with z07 type springs I have no idea, those are reputedly 8% stiffer.
Not having carbon brakes or leather is a major plus if you're really going to be tracking the machine in earnest.
The Cf wheels are a standalone option on base and zo7.

there is also a pethora of wheel color options and some caliper color choices.

the site does not currenly list prices for the options.
If a base z06 is going to be mid 80k and you truly can buy the good aero etc as an option, and if the serious track seats are on the 1 lz more base spec then its possible the right car can be done for 100k. You can always schmutz it up with optional Cf.

Seems like Chevy is serious about having a version for those who place a high priority on the track.and don't want or need things that are superflous to that or detract from it(carbon brakes)

 

How much is weight savings of gt3 worth? 500 lbs savings for $100k?

 

"Z07" is an option package on the Z06, just like "Z51" is a Stingray option package.
The C7 GS and Z06 also offered a "Z07" option package.

 

Do you have a source for this? This certainly hasn't been my experience. What's your actual data?

 

Acording to the configurator you can get the worthwhile(for track) z07 bits, ie the aero on the stock z06, and can avoid the carbon brakes, leather seats while getting cloth "competition" seats. in which case thats the way ill go.

i also noticed multiple wheel colors, including even the the cf ones open weave or painted. The enhanced aero for the stock car which looks to be the same z07 wing and splitter come in either open weave of Cf flash which i assume costs significantly less. Exhuast tips also come in metal finish or black.

We'll see what one can actualy order when the time comes. But it does seem one can order a focissed track spec without uneeded ietms, which si as it should be.

 

Just my chatting with people at the track with these cars and carbon brakes. Most of them tracking carbon brakes only do 2-3 track days a year, not 20, and sell the car in 2 years. The guys, usually Porsche club with GT3, that do track that much I’ve never seen a single person (out of a sample size of maybe 5 people I know with GT3 and had carbon brakes) use carbon. They pull carbon off and go with iron.

the only people with z06 c7 with carbon brakes I know have a history of selling the car every 2-3 years before wearing out rotors. I’m not sure how long carbon rotors will last, but a c7 z06 guy changed his pads at Grattan with me and only had his car like 2 years and I doubt more than 12 track days (his warning brake light came on, which probably meant he had 35% wear left that I would have used, but most people change there).

I would love to hear a data point from someone saying they have 50 track days on carbon rotors and still no issues and thickness in spec and no vibration, as well as how long carbon pads really last. If it’s reasonably I’d love to use them and not bother with a iron rotor conversion.

Looks like $1800 each carbon rotor online for a c7, so $7,200 for rotors (actually not bad compared to exotics off same size). Front pads $650 and rear $550. So call it $9,000 shipped plus or minus taxes for new pads and rotors. This actually isn’t as bad as I thought IF the carbon rotors can last at least 50 track days. Rears certainly should, I have 60 days on my Gt350R rear oem iron rotors and have used abrasive race pads for half that and they look like they can take another 60. Front rotors with drilled holes lasted about 35 and were starting to get pretty big cracks, not right near edges, but they were pulsating bad enough and it’s hard to find someone to try to turn them (plus they are only $235 for the GT350R so I just got new). I have non drilled oem iron front rotors now with 25 or so days now and no issues, only minor heat cracking, much less than drilled rotors, and a little vibration on occasion.

anyway, $9000 for a diy full brake job, and more importantly $1100 for pads, isn’t as bad as I expected. Might be closer to $10k for the bigger brakes on the c8 zo6, and remember that’s sourcing online at best prices. Your local dealer might charge double that to install them with their parts Dept.

 

If they are adjusting steering response for carbon wheels and dampening for z07 pack, I worry what part of the tested ideal configured setup you are missing doing a piecemeal just to avoid carbon brakes (and also if adding individually might be way more money that just getting the carbon brakes, which you could take off new and sell). See my above post, the costs may not be that horrific on the carbon setup so long as rotors last 50+ days and pads 15 or so. Your cup2 R expense will be more than that for heavy tracking.

of course driving style and more importantly the tracks you run affect your brake parts life. Waterford hills near me is gentle on brakes, but M1 concourse will boil brake fluid on anyone fast without top race fluid and destroys pads.

 

We purchased 2 Challengers from a large multi-brand dealer in the last couple of years and we put our name in for a C8 at their Chevy store. They called back when the C8 came available and we moved to the Z06 list instead. Wife called today and we are 19th out of 125 and counting. No pricing info yet but they will call when they get it.

 

My only interest in carbon brakes is in whether I have wheels that are hard to clean. I LOVE CCB's on intricate wheels. Have them on the new-to-me '16 Cayenne Turbo S and it's a joy not having brake dust. Couldn't care less otherwise, practically speaking. I cant wait for my Z06, but it has nothing to do with the performance, our C8 is plenty fast. They've fixed the styling queues front and rear that I found displeasing, game changing flat plane powerplant that I'm proud AF America is now producing, those are my main reasons. It's the no apologies, no asterisk American hypercar and I just want one...period. I won't put it to 15% of it's actual ability, at least I doubt I will. My son and I will just enjoy it as a daily fun car. He's the only reason I'd consider carbon wheels and I will for him. If I can get them sans the rest of the Z07 package, I will just for my son. He's CF crazy.

 

The only biggie I see there is the 8% stiffer springs on the z07, wheter they come with the high downforce wings on the regular z06 I dont know, probably chev has figured it out because the regular z06 is the one that can be ordered with "competition" seats and hiogh downforce. the z07 has leather more comfort seats.

Its an eps steering, its either direct and works or it dosent, yeah there might be some small calibration difference but alignments etc are going to alter things a lot more than the eps calibrations. Im assuming if chevy sells the regular z06 with big wings and cloth "competition" seats they've worked something out.
From what ive read unless you're a race team carbon brakes dont work out on track as theyre fragile and dont last too long with agressive track pads.

I run the glenn mostly and there is no way anything other than proper race fluid and right pads will work out let alone last there regardless of car. Throw in a 3700lbs car that can probably hit 160 on the straight and its going to need fluid and pads.

on a lighter car ;like my elise 1800lbs 190 hp I can run ferodo 2500 and endles race fluid with no issues, the pads will last 10 -15 days and the rotors more like 60. Were talkign aoight car that does not really exceed 125mph.
On the exige 2400 lbs 400hp carbotech xp4's work great with the right fluid, but those are pads that would put you through the windsheild on the street and overcome a street tire. On track with slicks those same pads are just all there all the time and with a smooth release, they last 5 days.. The AP rotors on the exige after maybe 50 days are developing some serious surface cracks but are not yet too thin.

I dont know of any vette that has pads that last 3 days at the glenn, and those are track pads, the weight and velocity simply eats them.
Whats the benefit of carbon brakes is it supposed to be weight or they last longer. If steel rotors handle the heat and are a fraction of the cost then thats the way to go, its what all the proche guys with Gt3s do.. For racing yeah those lighter rotors maybe make sense.

of course one can just dial it back to 8/9/10ths and the car will last fine, but after enough laps the pace always quickens.

 

You can get the wheels as a standalone option on any spec z06.

 

Must have. Just because.

 

Must have is always a good reason, probably the best reason for many things including 1911 45's. Must have is why they make cars like aventadors.
To me the vette is interesting both because its an exotic (must have) , but also trackable, which we cant really say for the aventador, not to mention price.
In the absence of an autobhan, or the big non policed roads i grew up with in South Africa I like an exotic that can go to the track for excecise.

I bought new and still have a e46 m3. In stock form its way to soft and underbraked for the track and also probably overkill for the road most of the time.
It didnt seem worth it to convert that car to a track spec and loose the roadability. Very few cars can do both road and track well., its actualy a really short list. Porche Gt3s for a price famously can. Lotus can, a mustang pp2 and mach1 can and the c7 Gs certainly could. Im thinking thec8 z06 should within the context of still being a road car be good on track as a Gt3 is but not a 911 turbo..

 

Chevy’s New Corvette Z06 Debuts With a 670 HP Flat-Plane Crank V-8—and It’s Freaking People Out

https://robbreport.com/motors/cars/chevys-new-corvette-z06-debuts-with-a-670-hp-flat-plane-crank-v-8-and-its-freaking-people-out-1234644119

"For true ‘Vette lovers, that could turn out to be a relatively small price to pay. But you you best start now—at least one dealer already has a waiting list 1,000 people."

 

Here is my (hopeful) guess…Ferrari will take note of the tremendous success and passion this car is gonna create and it will force them to bring back a high strung 9,000rpm NA engine in their mid engine line around 750+Hp. Until then, they can keep their batteries and turbos and v6 mid engine cars IMHO.

eta: and they would break the automotive world if they did this AND offered it in a 6 speed manual. One can dream…

 

WOW! You aren't joking.

 

After half a dozen Ferrari's rife with stickies, detaching leather, crappy radios, weak interior bits, ridiculous maintenance costs, I wouldn't go back even if they decided to do me a favor and build a NA 700hp Tributo for the low low price of a $.25M. I started down the path with Italians because they offered something domestic cars didn't have. Now Ferrari gets the asterisk for cheap construction and price gouging and Corvette is the real deal now. That'll sink in across the world over time.