The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2022 - Issue 32

bitecars On the Outside This dynamic muscle car is 3.6 inches wider than the Stingray accommodating massive 345-series tyres and circulating more airflow through the side air vents. The front fascia is designed to optimise its cooling needs, including channelling air to a central heat exchanger, one of five for maximum cooling performance. The rear spoiler with adjustable wickerbill elements improves high-speed stability and cornering capability on the racetrack. The Z06 has standard 20-inch front, and 21-inch rear forged aluminium ‘spider’ wheels (with five available finishes), deemed the largest wheels available on a production Corvette. The fenders thus accommodate larger, wider wheels and tyres for more grip. It also has lightweight and rigid carbon fibre wheels that deliver a 41-pound reduction in unsprung mass, contributing to more agile and responsive handling. Final Word As Chevrolet quoted, “The Z06 is the next chapter in a very long book” after breaking its decades-old convention of mid-engines since 1963; having presented the naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 mid-engine in the 2020 Corvette Stingray and the bespoke 5.5-litre DOHC (Dual Overhead Camshaft) LT6 engine in the 2023 Corvette Z06. The latter is relatively lightweight at 3,500 lbs contributing to its fast acceleration and lightning-quick perfor- mance. Praised by Top Gear’s Ollie Marriage, the car connoisseur de- scribed the Corvette as America’s Porsche 911, with the standard Z06 likened to the Porsche GT3 and the Z07 packaged Z06 to the GT3 RS. The Z06 has a retractable roof or removable hard top; the latter can be manually stored in the boot. Don’t worry about luggage or accessories space; this can be utilised under the bonnet at the front. You can see the engine through the back glass, but this is only visible if you opt for the removable roof. Like the CB.R track beast, the Z06’s engine comes alive with a few specific steps. After engaging the Start/Stop button, put it into ‘D-Auto’ gear, press the ‘Manual’ key, pull both paddles for- ward on the steering wheel and then rev it to hear that elevating roaring musical tone. Ollie describes the sound as a guttural American V8 low down with a pure Italian anger at the top end. General Motors says its refined purr (rather than the traditional small block roar) sounds more like a high-priced foreign exotic. The Corvette Z06 can adjust its exhaust sound on the fly thanks to its intake manifold and variable exhaust valves at two-degree increments. This is a significant improvement on the previous Corvette models, which only had open or closed settings on the exhaust valves. Another change is the quad-tip, centre-exit exhaust that differentiates it from the standard Stingray. It ensures a refined, exotic exhaust note that backs up its world-beating per- formance whilst accentuating the sound of the flat-plane crank engine. The Z07 Performance Package, which takes the C8 Corvette per- formance “to its zenith” is for drivers who crave more oomph and features a front splitter, dive planes, a massive rear wing, light- weight 41-pound carbon fibre wheels and stickier Michelin Sport Cup 2R ZP tyres. It has a more robust performance braking set- up with larger carbon-ceramic 15.7-inch diameter front rotors, 15.4-inch-diameter rear motors and FE7 suspension with specific calibrations for the Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 dampers. Orders for the new 2023 Corvette Z06 in coupé and convertible body styles that opened last July were bound to fill up quickly with Corvette car enthusiasts wishing to conquer the road. www.chevrolet.com/upcoming-vehicles/2023-corvette-z06