Austin Everett, better known to the online community under the Speed Phenom handle, is often referred to as the first gentleman in the nation to take delivery of the C8 Z06. The truth of the matter is, he is the first to take R8C delivery of the C8 Z06 at the National Corvette Museum.
His car isn’t the first in the first customer vehicle in the United States either. The VIN ends in 34, whereas vehicle identification number 1 was auctioned for a mind-boggling $3.6 million to Rick Hendrick. The big kahuna of Hendrick Automotive Group and Motorsports also happens to be the owner of the first convertible Z06, which hammered for $1 million.
Turning our attention back to Austin, his ‘Vette isn’t exactly cheap either. Optioned with the Z07 Performance Package and carbon-fiber wheels, the mid-engine thriller is rocking the 3LZ equipment group, the best-equipped trim level of the brunch. The 3LZ coupe retails at $120,545 before freight charge, gas-guzzler tax, and extras (think $8,995 for the Z07 package and $11,995 for the visible carbon-fiber wheels, among other pricey options).
The corner-carving machine wasn’t developed with top speed in mind, yet it’s a seriously quick car to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour) and in the quarter mile. California-based car vlogger Emelia Hartford ran 10.51 seconds at 130.11 miles per hour (209.40 kilometers per hour) in less-than-ideal conditions. The Performance Data Recorder indicated 10.45 seconds in the quarter mile, with 60 mph dealt with in 2.2 seconds.
The first-ever ‘Vette to feature a flat-plane crankshaft is a different animal from the C7, a front-engined thriller with a supercharged cam-in-block V8 engine. Still, the C8 also happens to feature the largest FPC V8 ever fitted to a series-production vehicle, as well as the largest FPC V8 of the bunch.
It makes 670 horsepower at 8,400 revolutions per minute and 460 pound-feet (623 Nm) at 6,300 revolutions per minute. Speed Phenom dyno’d his Z06 to 610.83 horsepower and 419.84 pound-feet (569.22 Nm) at the rear wheels. Pretty impressive numbers for certain, but the question is, can this amazing vehicle show the 1,000-horsepower GMC Hummer EV a thing or two in the dash to 60 miles per hour? Speed Phenom is much obliged to answer that question as follows: 3.83 seconds for the all-electric pickup truck and 3.4 seconds for the Z07-equipped 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06.
Of course, the Hummer is an idea quicker off the line thanks to near-instant torque delivery and its three-motor powertrain. Once the ‘Vette properly hooks up between 30 to 40 miles per hour (50 to 65 kilometers per hour), the Hummer doesn’t have a choice but to eat some humble pie.
To be frank, the Hummer didn’t stand a chance. Not only does it feature off-road tires, but it’s also a rather porky vehicle at 9,063 pounds (4,111 kilograms) according to documents filed with the EPA. The lithium-ion battery alone weighs 2,923 pounds (1,325 kilograms). On that note, don’t believe the advertised peak torque figure because 11,500 pound-feet (15,592 Nm) is calculated using a non-standard way of reporting torque.
More specifically, it’s torque measured at the wheels, as in e-motor torque figures multiplied with the 13.4:1 front- and 10.1:1 rear-axle gear ratios.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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