Can a F430 beat the new Z06?

Guys, you should hear a Corvette with Long-Tube 1 3/4 to 1 7/8" Headers with race cats and a Corsa Exhaust and an X-Pipe. Aboslutely amazing.

No high pitch revs like a 360 with Tubi's, but amazingly mean across the RPM range. Sounds worlds better than a Mustang exhaust. Was unreal.

Am afraid my Turbos will quite my future Z06 too much.
But Corvette exhaust can be fine tuned to a mixed Indy/Muscle car hybrid sound. Not like a Ferrari, but amazing none-the-less.

 

The F 430 styling and exclusivity is superior.
Nothing is worse than seeing another Corvette at every stop light.

But if you are looking for performance, nothing compares to 680rwhp and not everyone can afford an Enzo. Even if you could afford an Enzo, to put 60k miles on a raw performance car like this and deal with the maintenance and depreciation is a complete other story.

You must drive a car with this much power to understand.

 

I hope that is NOT what most of us are saying. But let me ask you this:
According to your profile you own a 348 Ferrari as well as the 06 Z06. Why do you own the 348, considering the superior performance of your Z06?

Your answer just might be what some of us driving inferior performing Ferraris are trying to say.

 

Funny but there are just as many ferraris in my home town as corvette Z06's!

Guess I have the rare car around town makes my car better to own?

All kidding aside I like the fact that I can drive my corvette Z06 anywhere I like and not concern myself with the fact it will be safe etc..

Add in the fact that the parts are inexpensive and again many can see the beauty in driving americas favorite sports car.

The performance is amazing..

The price is inexpensive and in my opinion the styling is favorable..

That said...the ferrari f430 is a hell of a sports car!

I wave to owners of both.

 

I think the F430 and Z06 are close in performance. The Z06 has better bottom end, the F1 430 has a faster transmission. Call it a draw on performance.

The main point that is missing from this thread is the Aftermarket for the Z06 and what can easily be done to the Z06 to bring it from 505bhp to 600-800bhp.

The above heavy mods you just never would consider doing to a Ferrari. As well as how hard you can drive the car and the cost of replacement parts due to the peripheral GM and high volume Corvette part availability.

For all out performace I think a mod'd Z06 is the way to go. But the styling and exclusivity of an F430 makes me reconsider...

Huge driving difference between 500 and 800bhp.

 

Heya JB,

Are you the Purple Vortech C5 from Cali?

I went with a low mileage 575M since there are just too many Modena's around here also. I see them every day and wanted something rarely seen. I have only seen 2 Maranellos in the last 5 years.

The 430 looks markedly different that the 360 tho.
The 360 looks great, just too many of them around here.

 

High redlines are more fun. The 430 gets my vote.

 

regarding sound a SBC sounds fantanstic with minimal exhaust restriction, different than a ferrari scream or lambo, but no worse, just different and equally awesome. If you want to know the sound i mean, find a shelby cobra....i realize thats a ford, but a big pushrod american motor sounds goooood.

 

Having driven both the F430 and the new Z06, I have to say the Z06, both the C5 and C6 are awesome cars when viewed in the full context including cost. Yes in some respects the F430 is a better car- better interior, more unique, but you pay a lot extra for that.

To look at it another, way if you stripped the interior out of both cars and painted them both primer gray with rattle can graffiti, you'd buy the Z06 over the F430 because other than price they'd be identical cars.

If you're being intellectually honest and intelligent, you don't have to like the new Z06 or own one, but you have to respect it for what it is- The fastest and most capable handling car in the under $100K catergory, maybe even under $200K.

I do have to admit that there is a certain irony in Ferrari/Italian car people smacking on GM and Corvette build quiality. LOL

 

I'm sorry, but that is ridiculous. There is a huge difference in chassis dynamics, mentioned by virtually every road tester and everyone who has driven both, including steering feel and driver confidence in fast corners, not to mention engine sound, gearbox sophisitication, etc, etc.

The new Z06 is a great performer at its price point, but if you think it's "identical" to an F430, or any other modern Ferrari, well...the less said the better.

Gary

 

That's a great one....LOL.

 

Casino, I couldn't agree with you more.

I saw a black one on the road a few weeks ago and actually had to turn my head to watch it roll by. It is the most attractive Vette since the first model Stingrays. It has presence, looks solid and well-built, and most importantly looks very fast even when traveling at normal hwy speeds.

GM, specifically the Chevrolet team who put this together, should take a bow. You'd have to spend considerably more money to buy a better car.

Now why can't you see the lines on the 599 if you can see the beauty of the Vette? LOL.


Forza,


Cavallini

 

Come now, you can't honestly think that Ferrari's engineering, custom interior, and aluminum spaceframe means nothing in the cost.

Maybe the quality with past models, such as the 355 and 456, wasn't very different from current GM products but from the 360 forward, Ferrari's are world-class in build and engineering quality.

There's a reason why Florsheim's cost $150 and Bruno Magli's cost $600.


Forza,


Cavallini

 

What impresses me most about the Z06 is not the massive V-8, the handsome looking exterior or its extremely attractive price point. No, what really impresses me is the way the Corvette team shaved weight off of the Z06. In an age where additional weight as written off by adding more power, it is a great achievement to see a team add horsepower, but also to whittle away every unnecessary pound. It shows true dedication to the craft of sports car making, and with the Z06, it shows.

 

dunno, should we ask OJ?

 

I don't disagree, but those unfortunately are not assets that will make for a faster lap time. A qualfied driver will feel as confident in a Z06 as a F430, talk to anyone with any Ferrari racing experience and they will tell you that Ferrari's aren't exactly know for the ability to inspire confidence in drivers, especially novice performance drivers.

 

Every magazine journalist so far (that I have read) has negatively commented on the Z06 chassis dynamics, and raved about the 430.

Gary

 

That also, the Chevy looks kinda lame, at least my opinion, PLUS, nice rip off of the headlight design from the 360 / 430.....

 

all i can say is that at 1/4 the price and able to get a car in ones lifetime you cant beat the z06. give chevy its due for bringing out a great american sports car at a great price. also at about 6.2 lbs per hp its better than the 430 and has alot more torque. but they are both great cars, different yes , but dont knock the vette. if you dont like it fine, dont buy one, but i can tell you having bought one and also being a ferrari guy, its a great car. would i give up my f360cs for one , no way. but i still love the z06.

 

Gary, no disrespect to the 430, we all know it's a fantastic machine and the Z06 is really not in the same league, but 'automotive journalists' are useless sacks of **** when it comes to evaluating such vehicle dynamics. Ask them to accelerate and brake in a straight line, no problem. Ask them to evaluate a car like the Z06 or 430 on a race track and, well, they're in a little over their heads.

 

I know it's popular to say that, but many of these guys have at least amateur racing experience. I believe they are qualified to evaluate handling balance, etc, and I put more credence on their words than those of "Joe Average".

Gary

 

Cavallini.

I have been looking at the new photos from the Geneva Auto Show. I will admit that I am starting to like the design more than I did. I think that it will prove to be quite attractive in the flesh. I feel that my opinion has been a bit jaded by the 612, which I do not like at all. Some of the details, like the flying butresses and the back end are quite interesting, and perhaps I will warm up to it when I get to see one in person.

 

An M5 rolled with a Gallardo on the m5boards, it was dead even. The M5 rolled with a 430 in a vid recently posted on this site, and got destroyed. So I guess the zo6 vs 430 would be close when you consider that the Gallardo vs Zo6 race was close until 3rd gear.

 

Ive seen vids of a Gallardo walking a M5.