GM rages against end of combustion age with new 500kW Corvette Z06

27 October 2021 - 07:50 By Reuters
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
The 5.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 in the new Z06 makes 500kW at 8,400rpm and 623Nm at 6,300rpm.
The 5.5-litre naturally aspirated V8 in the new Z06 makes 500kW at 8,400rpm and 623Nm at 6,300rpm.
Image: GM

General Motors Co on Tuesday revved up the drive to expand its Corvette sports car brand globally  with a roar from a 500kW/623Nm, eight-cylinder combustion motor, challenging the likes of Ferrari NV, Porsche and McLaren.

The latest Chevrolet Corvette Z06, a high-performance, racetrack-ready version of the Detroit automaker's sports car, is leading the marque's growth outside the US, company officials told Reuters.

Corvettes will come with steering wheels on the right side for drivers in the UK, Europe, Australia and Japan.

"There's a lot of upside," said Corvette executive chief engineer Tadge Juechter.

The Z06 sports specific suspension tuning, including Magnetic Ride Control 4.0, and larger brakes (six-piston front) than the standard Stingray.
The Z06 sports specific suspension tuning, including Magnetic Ride Control 4.0, and larger brakes (six-piston front) than the standard Stingray.
Image: GM

The Bowling Green, Kentucky, factory that assembles Corvettes can build more than 40,000 cars a year, but has been hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions, said Steve Majoros, vice president for marketing at GM's Chevrolet division which makes the Corvette.

GM said it sold 23,858 Corvettes worldwide in 2020, and 27,376 in the first nine months of 2021. US customers bought more than 24,000 new Corvettes this year.

The latest-generation Corvette has transformed into a mid-engined sports car that looks and runs more like a Ferrari supercar.

But while Ferrari has introduced petrol-electric hybrid and turbocharged engines, the 2023 Corvette Z06 is designed for fans of an earlier era's cars, wrapped in a modern skin. It features a hand-built, 5.5-litre V8 engine capable of roaring at 8,600rpm without using a turbocharger or a battery-booster.

Elevated cockpit surrounds the driver with rich materials and textures, including more carbon fibre trim and new options.
Elevated cockpit surrounds the driver with rich materials and textures, including more carbon fibre trim and new options.
Image: GM

GM has not disclosed pricing for the latest Z06, which will go into production next summer. The current Corvette starts at just under $61,000 (roughly R905,813), and past Z06 models have been priced about $25,000 (roughly R371,235) above the least expensive model.

Like other car makers, GM is working on the challenges of engineering fully battery electric supercars — an imperative as regulators in major markets propose banning sales of petrol-fueled vehicles as soon as 2030.

Battery packs and motors capable of propelling a vehicle to racetrack speeds are heavy and do not deliver much range.

"We'll be slower to the party," said Juechter.

"We won't do it until the battery technology is ready." 


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now