Motor News

For 2023 Audi will offer 333 special-edition RWD R8 GTs. The Audi R8 GT RWD gets a bump in power for its 5.2-liter V-10, from 562 to 602 hp. To better manage wheel slip from the rear axle, the electronic stability control now offers seven settings, from minimum to maximum slide. Until now, if you wanted the big power from an Audi R8, you had to step up to an all-wheel-drive model. For 2023, Audi will offer a special-edition R8 GT, a rear-wheel-drive coupe with the more powerful version of the 5.2-liter V-10 with 602 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque that was previously only available in the Quattro. Audi says the GT will get to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds and have a top speed of 199 mph.The R8’s shifts will be faster too, with new gearing for the 7-speed dual-clutch transmission to allow for the increased top speed, and quicker gear changes along the way. What’s Special about the Special EditionThere will only be 333 special-edition R8 GT RWD coupes available, distinguishable from other R8s through black badges including a new R8 GT emblem. For wind-tunnel-tested stability and increased car-show cred, the GT comes with a glossy carbon-fiber front splitter, side spats, rear scoops, a diffuser, and a high gooseneck rear wing. Not only are the badges and aero elements menacingly midnighted, but should you peer through the rear hatch at the V-10 engine, even the intake manifold on the GT is black. Basically, it looks like the ZL1 1LE of R8s.Inside, it reflects the first-generation R8 GT with a black and red interior, including red seatbelts. Floor mats and seats declare the GT’s special status, and owners can figure out their place in the order line with a sequential special edition build number embedded in the carbon-fiber center console. Rear Drive, Now with More Slip-N-SlideWe’ve liked the RWD R8 for its more playful driving characteristics, and Audi is leaning into that with the R8 GT. The rear axle now offers Torque Rear Mode which allows the traction- and stability-control system to be set in one of seven different programmed curves, from more to less slippage. This is controlled by a knob on the steering wheel, for those last-minute drift decisions. Jokes aside, the customizability of the stability controls means that the R8 can adjust for different drivers, or increasing track confidence. Lighter SideThe GT will weigh 44 pounds less than the R8 Coupe Performance RWD. This is partially due to lightweight forged 20-inch wheels, wrapped in Michelin Sport Cup 2 rubber. Ceramic brakes are standard in the GT, as are sports seats and the performance sport suspension with a carbon-fiber-reinforced-plastic anti-roll bar. The lightweight bar and aluminum suspension components also help the GT achieve its weight loss. More on the R8The real loss here is what Audi only hints at with a header in its press release that reads, “Goodbye to the V-10 Engine.” It’s no real surprise that the V-10’s days are numbered, but if this is the start of Audi’s last year festivities, can we expect some additional special R8s for 2023? This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The lack of high-performance-sports-car plans is glaring at Audi, but Car and Driver has learned that an EV replacement for the R8 is in the works.Don’t get too anxious, though: the launch date for this new model, currently called the Rnext, has been pushed back to 2029. Whether Audi will design its own platform or use a Porsche matrix is still unclear, but if Ingolstadt can have things its way, Lamborghini and Bentley are likely to get bespoke spinoffs.Imagine Audi competing in Formula 1 in 2026 without a high-performance sports car in its portfolio to reap the motorsports rub-off. How silly would that be? And yet, at the moment, the brand’s future road map has no successor to the TT, no replacement for the R8, or in fact any other ultrafast, high-visibility, big-margin, image-building product.While elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group, Lamborghini has the next Aventador and Huracán pretty much cast in stone, Rimac is preparing a follow-up to the Bugatti Chiron fitted with an awesome 1800-hp hybrid V-8, and Porsche is seriously contemplating an electric supercar and hypercar, Audi’s think tank harbors plenty of great ideas but not enough hard plans.To date, the duel between Markus Duesmann (wearing the four-rings livery as Audi chairman) and Oliver Blume (with Porsche embossed in his armor as the brand’s CEO) has ended in a dead heat, but now that Blume has stepped into the hot seat recently vacated by Herbert Diess, the young CEO is calling the shots. Will he let the Audi CTO Oliver Hoffmann develop his own bespoke sports-car architecture as planned? Or is he going to urge the group’s Bavarian satellite to use the SSP6 componentry being compiled exclusively for Porsche? “A decision won’t be made before next spring,” claims one insider. “Blume will keep the brands on a long leash to stimulate creativity and differentiation,” believes another. “In the end, the bottom line is all that matters,” quips a third.Let’s assume for a moment that Audi has free rein and can push ahead with AU634/0, which is the code name for Rnext. While the car at this point does not share a single item with the Huracán replacement, the high-voltage effort is destined to spawn a Lamborghini model late in the decade and a Bentley offspring in the early 2030s. There is still a long way to go, but that’s the plan. We expect three body styles to make it into production: a two-seat coupe and spyder as well as a roomier 2+2, the latter perhaps as a shooting brake. Porsche Batteries, Slim PackagingModularity and scalability are key to keeping the costs down, which is why all models allegedly will use Porsche-sourced high-performance batteries. Will the construction be aluminum or carbon fiber? Perhaps a bit of both, with a synthetic weave for the tub and lightweight metal for the suspension. A cell-to-chassis concept, where the battery pack is a stressed component, promises even fewer calories, slimmer packaging, and extra rigidity.What we have so far is yet another electric supercar to be positioned in the $250,000-to-$300,000 range that may be eaten for breakfast by the less pricey Tesla Roadster, if that ever comes. In all likelihood, not even breathtaking design, extraordinary efficiency, and superb quality will make the Rnext a sure-fire success guaranteed to eclipse the competition. True, admits Audi’s Hoffmann. What defines the difference between greatness and mere competence is how such a car drives. No, we’re not talking 1000 watts of power here, because 1000 horsepower can already be taken for granted when the next RS6 e-tron bows. Instead, the vehicle dynamics specialists are waxing lyrical about their breakthrough neuronal Quattro system that shares its massive brain power with the steering, brakes, and suspension for, to quote Hoffmann, “total control and absolute excitement.”Branding Is EverythingThat’s the good news. The bad news is that AU634/0 is conspicuous by its absence from the latest cycle plan, which does show the next-gen e-tron GT with a Porsche SSP6 platform moniker and a 2029 release date. We asked around and were told that the Rnext will appear in the not yet finalized Planning Round 72 in early 2023. So, at this point, it seems anything is possible. Porsche still could allow Audi to use the Cayman/Boxster platform for a 2027 TT replacement. And it could design the dramatically different electric future 911, code-named PO998, around a component set flexible enough to also accommodate the Rnext. Porsche could, but we wouldn’t bet on it. Brand identity is key when a premium nameplate trades on the stock exchange. And let’s face it: After three years of fierce good cop/bad cop rivalry, isn’t it about time for the new King of Wolfsburg to show some leniency and tolerance towards the Duke of Ingolstadt?This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The 2023 Fisker Ocean is almost ready for production, with 95 prototypes built so far by assembly partner Magna Steyr in Austria.Fisker is aiming to begin building the Ocean SUV on November 17.The top trim will cost nearly $70,000 and travel 350 miles on a charge, according to Fisker, while the base model will start under $40,000 and have a 250 mile range. Tesla has spawned a surge of electric startups with flashy designs, bold performance claims, and ambitious production dates. Most of these EVs never move beyond renderings, but Fisker appears poised to take the plunge into full-scale production. A revival of the brand that built the range-extender Karma sedan in the early 2010s, Fisker announced late last week that its Ocean SUV remains on track for production in November and that the company has already cranked out 95 prototypes of its electric crossover.FiskerThe 2023 Ocean was fully revealed at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show, when Fisker pledged production would start by November of 2022. The Ocean will be assembled by Magna Steyr in Austria, where the 95 prototypes were already built. Outsourcing production could help Fisker avoid the “production hell” that companies such as Tesla and Rivian have experienced at their own proprietary manufacturing facilities. Fisker says the prototype Oceans are being utilized for testing, training for service employees, and to display the vehicle in the nine markets the automaker will launch in. More on FiskerFour versions of the electric crossover will be available: Extreme, Ultra, and Sport trim levels accompany the limited-edition Ocean One launch model. The One, Extreme, and Ultra all feature a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup, with the One and Extreme capable of 350 miles of range and a claimed 60-mph sprint of 3.6 seconds. The Ultra still can run a respectable 340 miles on a charge and hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, while the single-motor, front-wheel-drive Sport’s battery can last 250 miles, and its 60-mph sprint should be closer to seven seconds. These numbers are still all unverified claims by Fisker, with the Ocean yet to receive an official rating from the EPA.Fisker says the Ocean Extreme will start at $68,999 before destination fees, while the base Sport model will cost just $37,499, and Fisker is aiming to begin production on November 17. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Subaru has announced updated pricing for the 2023 Forester, which now starts at $27,620.Other than the jump in price, the Forester is not gaining any additional features over the refreshed 2022 model. The new base price is $1300 more than the 2022 Forester was at the start of the model year, but only $550 more than its $27,070 base price after a midyear price hike.Adding another to the growing list of vehicles that keep getting more expensive, the 2023 Subaru Forester is the latest model on the market to see a noticeable price increase. Despite no changes or added equipment for the new model year, the 2023 Forester will cost $1300 more than the 2022 version did when it originally went on sale. Midway through 2022, Subaru increased pricing of the refreshed Forester by $750, so the 2023 is actually only $550 more than the current 2022’s base price. The base price for 2023 is now $27,620, ranging up to $37,720 for the top Touring trim.Subaru gave the Forester a comprehensive refresh for 2022, reworking the front end and updating the interior. The 2022 model year also saw the addition of a more rugged Wilderness trim level that, like the Outback Wilderness, adds ground clearance over other trim levels. Subaru StoriesRegardless of trim, each Forester is powered by the same 2.5-liter flat-four engine which makes 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, paired to a continuously variable automatic (CVT). We managed 28 mpg in our 75-mph highway driving test, but that number fell to an observed fuel economy of 22 mpg through our testing of the 2022 version. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06 is the fifth iteration of the track-focused trim, and while it’s the most exotic, it’s still streetable.In 1963, the Z06 moniker first appeared as an optional equipment package for Corvette owners wanting to race their cars. Since the C5 Corvette, every generation has had a Z06 version, with each raising the bar on its race-bred pedigree. Who’s ready for a history lesson? Any fan of the Chevy Corvette is almost certainly familiar with the track-focused Z06 version, especially after the arrival of the exotic mid-engine 2023 Corvette Z06. However, not every fan knows the car’s origin story, which can be traced back nearly 60 years to 1963, when legendary Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov first developed it as an option package dedicated to customers who wanted to race their cars at the track. Thus, an icon was born. The rest is history. Sort of. The Z06 moniker would sit in the pits for about four decades until it returned to glory on the 2001 Corvette. Chevy has since offered a Z06 model with every generation, and each has raised the bar on its race-bred pedigree. Here’s a look at the five installments of the Chevy Corvette Z06. 1963: The OG Z06If you haven’t heard of Zora Arkus-Duntov, do yourself a favor and read his story. You don’t have to thank us, but you can thank big Z for contributing to the Corvette’s greatness. As we mentioned, he was responsible for creating the original Z06 in 1963. Zora was a racing advocate, and he convinced GM’s brass to commission an option package for Corvette customers in the racing community. This led to the then little-known Regular Production Option (RPO) Z06 box on the car’s order sheet. Chevy only sold 199 Corvettes equipped with the Z06 package in ’63.ChevyVirtually all were coupes with a 360-hp 327-cubic-inch V-8, four-speed manual transmission, and Positraction rear axle. As an option within an option, the Z06 package could be paired with a larger 36.5-gallon fiberglass fuel tank that enabled longer track sessions. This led to nicknames like “tanker” and “big tank” Corvettes. Also, along with aluminum wheels and a race-ready suspension (thicker front anti-roll bar, larger dampers, stiffer springs), Z06s featured upgraded brake components that included power drum brakes with sintered metallic brake linings, a vacuum booster, and a dual master cylinder.2001: Return of the Z06 You won’t find a Z06-badged Corvette from the C3 or C4 generation because, well, there weren’t any. In fact, after the 1963 model year, Chevy wouldn’t produce another Z06 for about 40 years. Thankfully, the brand resurrected the race-car-inspired moniker on the 2001 Corvette (a.k.a C5). Following a similar formula as its forebear, the reborn Z06 put performance above all else, and it would go on to be one of the first production cars to lap the famous Nürburgring in under eight minutes (7:56, for those who are curious). The C5 Z06 also introduced trademark details such as cooling ducts for the rear brakes that were integrated into the back fender.All C5 Corvette Z06s (2001–2004) were based on the limited-production hardtop coupe that saved weight and improved rigidity compared with the regular hatchback coupe. That and other diet restrictions helped the Z06 cut about 100 pounds through thinner glass, lighter wheels, less sound-deadening materials, adopting a lightweight titanium exhaust, and more. Most notably, the C5 Z06 benefited from an exclusive LS6 engine, basically an enhanced version of the Vette’s standard LS1 5.7-liter V-8. The LS6 featured a hotter cam, a higher compression ratio, redesigned intake and exhaust manifolds, and other internal enhancements. It initially produced 385 horses and 385 pound-feet of torque, but those figures rose to 405 and 400, respectively, in 2002. Every Z06 from this era had a six-speed manual and specific gearing. 2006: Z06 Meets Z07 Once Corvette customers got a taste of the awesome sauce that was the C5 Z06, Chevy was only too keen to follow it up with an even tastier one. It arrived in 2006—one year after the sixth generation debuted—and the C6 Z06 (2006–2013) promptly took the Corvette’s track capability up another notch. Not only did it have a unique aluminum frame that Chevy claimed to be 136 pounds lighter than the standard version’s steel structure, but it also featured an exclusive high-revving 505-hp 7.0-liter V-8, dubbed the LS7. At the time, it was the most powerful Corvette ever, and it used technology from the corporating racing program (titanium connecting rods, dry-sump lubrication system).The 2006 Corvette Z06 didn’t just have loads of performance equipment such as the usual brake, suspension, and wheel-and-tire upgrades, it was also the first version to really visually differentiate itself. The C6 Z06 (again hardtop only) had wider front and rear fenders, front and rear brake-cooling ducts, and distinct aero add-ons. This iteration also introduced a Z07 package in 2012 that unlocked even higher racetrack limits courtesy of parts from the almighty 638-hp supercharged Corvette ZR1. With the Z07 package, the Z06 gained even more carbon-fiber addenda, MagneRide adaptive dampers, carbon-ceramic rotors, and sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires. The result? It helped the 2012 C6 Z06 lap the Nürburgring in 7:22.68—about an amazing 34 seconds quicker than its predecessor.2015: The Mightiest Z06 Despite the pressure to keep raising the performance bar with every new Z06, Chevy didn’t let off the throttle. When the fourth iteration of the Z06 arrived in 2015, following the debut of the seventh generation one year earlier, it came packing a monstrous 650-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V-8. For those keeping track, that’s mightier than the mill in the previous-gen ZR1. The C7 Z06 (2015–2019) also marked a series of firsts, including the first with an optional automatic transmission as well as the first to offer targa and convertible body styles. The latter two were due to the Vette’s stiffer aluminum frame.This era of Z06 also brought a boatload of carbon-fiber equipment, specifically an optional aero package with splitters, winglets, rocker panels, and spoilers made of lightweight material. The Z07 Performance package returned, too, adding adjustable aero bits, carbon-ceramic brake rotors, and grippier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. For further proof of the C7 Z06’s incredibleness, check out our comparison test, where it beat the vaunted Porsche 911 Turbo S. Sure, the Vette’s incredible value played a big role in its victory, but we also touted its ability to be civil or ferocious at a moment’s notice. It was also the last front-engine Corvette Z06.2023: Z06 Zenith Here we are. It has all led up to this. A mid-engine Corvette Z06. At its heart is the most exotic mill ever dropped into a production Vette: a naturally aspirated flat-plane-crank 5.5-liter V-8 (engine code LT6). Per tradition, the C8 Z06 (2023–TBD) exceeds the power precedent set by its predecessor with 670 horsepower. Oh, and this V-8 sounds unlike any other Z06 engine, with an 8500-rpm redline that translates to authentic race-car noises. Unfortunately, this is the first Z06 without a manual gearbox. Instead, every version has an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic, and it’s once again offered in Targa or convertible body styles.The C8 Z06’s engine is undeniably special, but the rest of the car is special too—optimized for track duty just like its ancestors. Even with 20-inch front and 21-inch rear forged aluminum wheels (carbon-fiber versions are optional) and myriad chassis upgrades meant to help the wide-body C8 extract every millisecond from every lap, it’s never punishing, even when the more aggressive Z07 track package (more aero, higher spring rates, carbon-ceramic rotors, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, etc.) is added to the mix.The Ultimate Corvette Z06While we’ll likely see more powerful Corvettes—heck, even electric ones—the latest Z06 looks to be the zenith of the gas-powered bunch. Big Z would be proud. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

It’s no secret that Chevrolet looked closely at the Ferrari 458 Italia while developing the latest Corvette Z06. Prototypes of the high-powered ‘Vette were spotted testing alongside the Ferrari, and engineers admitted to taking apart the 458’s engine to learn its secrets. The two share their mid-engine layouts, naturally aspirated flat-plane-crank engines, and high-revving demeanors. So, as with any benchmarking exercise, this all begs the question: did Chevy do its homework?Now that we’ve strapped our test gear to the new Z06, it’s high time to see how it stacks up against this exotic, Italian benchmark in terms of performance. We’re using our test numbers of a 458 Italia from a 2011 comparison against the McLaren MP4-12C and a Porsche 911 GT2 RS that was conducted in the U.K. And our Z06 numbers are from our recent test of a coupe equipped with the Z07 package.Engine and PerformanceMarc Urbano|Car and DriverIn the grand tradition of the American way, the Z06 offers more of everything: 5.5 liters of displacement versus the Ferrari’s 4.5; 670 horsepower to the Ferrari’s 562 hp; and 460 pound-feet of torque to the Ferrari’s 398 pound-feet. But the Ferrari’s engine does scream higher, with a redline of 9000 rpm compared with the Z06’s 8500 rpm redline. Both use dual-clutch automatic transmissions, a seven-speed unit in the Ferrari and an eight-speed gearbox in the Corvette.It’s no surprise that the significantly more powerful Z06 beats the 458 in a straight line, with a 2.6-second run to 60 mph and a quarter-mile run of 10.5 seconds at 131 mph. But the Ferrari isn’t far behind, as it reached the same trap speed in the quarter mile and was only 0.4 second behind in the run to 60 mph. (The Ferrari’s numbers were generated using our old correction method, before we introduced the industry-standard 1-foot rollout into our acceleration testing.)More on the Z06The difference in tires between the two cars likely explains the disparities in skidpad and braking results. Despite its extra heft, the Z06’s Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber helped it stop from 70 mph in 139 feet and pull 1.16 g on the skidpad. The Ferrari stopped in 146 feet and gripped to the tune of 1.01 g; it wore less aggressive Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverCHARLIE MAGEE|Car and DriverSize and PriceThe Z06 is a significantly larger car, weighing in at 3666 pounds, 341 pounds more than the 458. The Corvette is also longer, wider, and taller than the Ferrari. Predictably enough, it offers more cargo space thanks to its front and rear trunks that combine to provide 13 cubic feet of room to the Ferrari’s 8 cubic feet.Price isn’t the easiest comparison to make, as the 458 ended production years ago and was succeeded first by the turbocharged Ferrari 488 and then the F8 Tributo that currently serves as Ferrari’s mid-engine V-8 supercar. But the 458 we tested more than a decade ago stickered for $332,032, or almost exactly double our 2023 Corvette Z06’s as-tested price of $166,205. Factor in inflation, and the Ferrari’s price would be well over $400,000 today, although used examples are going for far less than that these days. No matter how you look at it, the Corvette Z06 is a dynamite value and a worthy foil to one of the last naturally aspirated Ferrari models.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The standard Chevrolet Corvette is an extremely capable sports car, with its 495-hp 6.2-liter V-8 shooting the coupe to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds. But for 2023 Chevy has upped the ante by bringing back the Z06 badge on an even more focused Corvette. We have finally driven and tested the 2023 Corvette Z06, and it’s just as incredible as we had hoped. Not only does its naturally aspirated flat-plane-crank 5.5-liter V-8 produce a soul-stirring howl, but its whopping 670 horsepower helps the Z06 rocket to 60 mph in a mere 2.6 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 10.5 seconds. After being blown away by the Z06’s performance, four of our editors decided to spec our ideal Z06s using Chevy’s online configurator, just in case we ever hit the jackpot. Here’s how we would build the Z06s of our dreams: Greg Fink’s $109,295 Chevrolet Corvette Z06ChevroletChevroletI’m a simple man, so it’s no surprise, then, that my 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 reflects this. Rather than spending extra coin on the likes of the 2LZ or 3LZ trims or the Z07 Performance package, I’m sticking to a bottom-of-the-barrel 1LZ model. Given that the entry-level Z06 includes niceties such as head-up display, power seats and steering column, and leather insides, there’s no real reason to spend the extra coin for the small, but largely insignificant, niceties the higher trims add to the mix. Admittedly, I was tempted to spring for the $8995 Z07 kit, but in the end, I really fail to see the point of the kit’s additional bits for a car that I would track only occasionally. Or I guess I ought to amend that by writing “a car that I’d plan to take to the track only occasionally if I actually had the means to afford a new Z06.”As is, the standard brakes, suspension setup, and tires offer plentiful performance for tearing up the twisting tarmac of some of the country’s most legendary public roads. Plus, I think the Z07’s additional carbon-fiber bits, especially its big rear wing, are a tad over the top for my taste. I much prefer the lower key looks of the Z06 sans the Z07 package. Not every option on the Z06 comes at a cost, though, and to better match my Z06 to my tastes I’d outfit it in a coat of Arctic White paint (replete with a body-color roof). Add in Adrenaline Red seats and interior decor, and my 670-hp Z06 coupe is both a looker and a relative bargain at $109,295 (which includes a $2600 gas-guzzler tax). —Greg FinkDavid Beard’s $142,175 Chevrolet Corvette Z06ChevroletChevroletGood things come to those who wait. We’ve patiently waited for the eighth-generation Corvette Z06, and now we can tell you: It’s not good, it’s great. My build focuses on all-out canyon-destroying and racetrack-slaying performance. The foundation for my Z06 begins with the $109,295 1LZ trim, as the creature comforts of heated seats, wireless device charging, and driver safety systems will not be needed.From there, it’s all business. The Z07 package’s carbon-ceramic rotors, gooey Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, specific suspension calibration, and massive rear wing are a must for $8995. Going Z07 also requires the aggressive carbon-fiber aero package, and for that I’ll spend extra to get the exposed carbon pieces. There goes another $10,495. The money saved by sticking with the base trim will fund the exposed carbon-fiber wheels for $11,995. Add the torso-holding Competition Sport seats for $995 and the no-cost Ceramic Matrix Gray paint, and my ultimate time-attack Corvette Z06 comes in at $142,175, the cheapest way to get the highest level of performance. —David BeardJack Fitzgerald’s $144,080 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 ConvertibleChevroletChevroletI know what you’re thinking: “$144,000 for a Corvette? This guy has lost his mind.” To you I say—go experience the Z06 achieving its 8600-rpm redline and get back to me. I’ll wait. Having windows and a roof won’t exactly cut out the howl sent forth from the Z06’s newfangled flat-plane V-8, but it will do it the disservice of hindering even a single decibel. For that reason, I would have my Z06 in the admittedly expensive but entirely justifiable convertible format.As a proud Wisconsinite, I’ll have my Z06 finished in the superb Elkhart Lake Blue Metallic paint, please and thanks. After careful deliberation I chose not to option the $12,000 carbon wheels and instead stuck with the standard setup. Instead, I would happily shell out the additional cash required for the $8995 Z07 Performance package, which in turn requires the addition of carbon flash-painted components for an additional $2995. Moving inside the Vette, I opted for the $8700 2LZ trim level for extra creature comforts like heated and cooled seats. Since flashy is sort of the name of the game here, I would spend the $695 needed to replace the standard black interior with Adrenaline Red leather. Even at its eye-watering $144,080 price, my Z06 still comes in well below what you’d pay for a used Ferrari 458—with the bonus of a full extra liter of displacement to boot. —Jack FitzgeraldCaleb Miller’s $149,515 Chevrolet Corvette Z06ChevroletChevroletThe new 2023 Corvette Z06 is a beast when it comes to performance, so I wanted my Vette to look the part. I started off with the $119,150 top-spec 3LZ trim, which includes a steering wheel with carbon-fiber trim and shift paddles, a leather-wrapped instrument panel and doors, a suede microfiber headliner, and the more track-focused GT2 seats. The seats are also heated and ventilated—critical for life in Michigan—and there’s a 14-speaker Bose sound system from the 2LZ trim.I then had my Z06 painted in the eye-catching Red Mist Metallic tintcoat for $995, and spent a further $995 on a transparent roof panel to help the Z06’s cabin feel a bit airier. I don’t want passersby to mistake my Z06 for a “normal” Corvette, so I added the $8995 Z07 Performance package, which brings carbon-ceramic brakes, grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, and more extreme aero with a chunky rear wing and dive planes above the front splitter. These add-ons would be crucial for the occasional track day, and the package also necessitates spending an extra $10,495 to get the exposed-carbon-fiber look that lets everyone know just how extreme my Z06 is. I also added showy bronze wheels for $3795 and matched them with a Natural tan-colored leather interior. All told, my Z06 cost a whopping $149,515, but given just how sharp and satisfying the Z06 is to drive, it would be well worth the money. —Caleb MillerThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Most days, when the weather cooperates, you can find members of our testing team at one or another of our test facilities running all manner of vehicles through our extensive test regimen. One of the tests that we subject almost all vehicles to is skidpad cornering performance, which ascertains maximum lateral acceleration—the maximum steady state cornering gs that a vehicle can attain, an average of an entire lap while turning both left and right. Our testers do hundreds of skidpad tests each year, they’re experts at it, and they virtually always match or exceed any claims provided to us by manufacturers about how hard their vehicles will corner. Which is why we were puzzled when we couldn’t come close to the Corvette engineering group’s max-lat claims for the Z06 with the Z07 track package, which includes the latest gummy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R ZP tires.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverThe Corvette engineers told us that the new Z07-equipped Z06 would hold on to the tarmac up to 1.22 g on a 300-foot-diameter skidpad like we typically use, and we had no reason to doubt their number as they are, like us, meticulous testers. But we only saw 1.16 g—a significant difference and well below the company’s estimate. It was an even worse cornering number than we measured on the previous-generation front-engine C7 Z06/Z07, which hung on for 1.19 g. What’s more, we’d just also run a 2023 Z06 convertible without the Z07 package on the skidpad, and its Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires had hung on up to 1.12 g, a big improvement over the base C8 Stingray’s 1.03-g performance, one you can feel in your neck muscles. What was going on here? All the Latest DetailsOnly after the Z07 Vette left our possession did Chevy tell us the secret sauce that unlocks its full cornering capability. For all of our performance testing, which includes skidpad runs, we adjust tire pressure according to the manufacturer’s recommendations that are printed on the placard located on the door jamb or B-pillar, or in the owner’s manual. If there are multiple choices, we’ll use the high-speed, low-load specification. Oddly, the Z07’s placard required the Cup 2s to be set at 35 psi cold, some 5 psi higher than the base Z06’s tire pressure. Since the tires on the two versions of the Z06 are the same size, we wondered if something was off. That had us digging deep into the Z06 owner’s manual where we discovered a well-hidden suggestion: owners should lower the Cup 2 R’s tire pressure all the way down to 24 psi for maximum cornering on the track. Huh? It took discussions with both the Corvette engineers and engineers from tire-maker Michelin to fully explain the situation. The reason the Cup 2 tires are supposed to be run on the street at 35 psi instead of the base tires’ 30 psi has nothing to do with handling, ride, or fuel economy but rather wet-weather traction. The Cup 2s have so little tread depth—the outboard half of their tread is essentially slick, like a full-on racing tire—that they have trouble shedding water. Pumping the tire up that extra 5 psi crowns the tread enough to make a significant improvement in their grip when the road is wet according to the Vette engineers. But it turns out that, counterintuitively, these newest Cup 2 Rs deliver maximum dry road grip at the lower 24-psi pressure. These Cup 2 Rs are the latest iteration of Michelin’s hottest street-legal track rubber. The Michelin man on site at the Z06 track event showed us a cutaway Cup 2R carcass, which revealed a recent discovery by the company. Previously, the radial belts that undergird the tread rubber were laid-on flat and straight across from one of the tires’ shoulders to the other. But Michelin discovered that putting a slight wave into the belts acts like the corrugations in cardboard, stiffening the tire’s tread area that contacts the road and keeping it flatter in cornering. That change and some revisions to the tread compound not only enables the tire to potentially provide slightly more grip, but also dramatically different performance over the course of a track session. The grip of previous Cup 2s was well known for dropping off from its lofty peak after only a couple of laps; these new ones are said to be able to maintain their grip, and hence constant lap times, through session after session. We will no doubt appreciate that capability when we run the Z06 with the latest Cup 2 Rs at our annual Lightning Lap event. But we wish we had been tipped off about the inflation-pressure information hidden in the Z06’s owner’s manual, so that we could have delivered representative cornering test results for the Z07 track-pack model. After all, cornering grip numbers are not only important on the track; they’re a proof point for ultra-high-performance carmakers and enthusiasts alike. We’ll just have to get another Z07 back in the office as soon as possible to rerun our skidpad test. We could think of much worse ways to spend an afternoon. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More