From a front-engine layout over the course of seven generations, the Corvette has switched to a midship because this design has a number of advantages in high-performance applications. Though the front end may feel understeery at times, you can correct that understeer by trail braking into the corner.
Having driven the C8 Corvette with the Z51 Performance Package at Willow Springs Raceway in Southern California, a YouTuber by the name of Austin is much obliged to report that “the back end feels very solid.” Prepped with the alignment recommended by Chevy for tracking the car, the C8 Stingray Z51 is pretty good at keeping up with the Porsche 911 GT3 RS as well as passing it, eventually.
Bear in mind the Z51 costs less than $70k while the 991 in track-focused spec will set you back $188,500 before options. It’s also worth highlighting that Speed Phenom and the Porsche’s driver weren’t giving their all on the track, enjoying the cars and Willow Springs rather than pushing themselves to their limits.
Speaking of which, there’s no denying the guy in the 991 is driving a lot smoother, taking cleaner lines for most of the battle. On the other hand, gaining ground in the C8 looks astoundingly easy thanks to the swiftness of the dual-clutch transmission and the improved traction over the rear end compared to the C7.
When comparing the C7 to the C8, seasoned racer Randy Pobst said the eighth generation is “2 to 3 seconds faster” than the seventh generation in Grand Sport flavor, “with less fall-off and better grip on a long run.” Don’t think for a minute the C8 can’t smoke its rear tires, however, because it surely can!
Moving forward, General Motors prepares to duke it out with Ford Performance by adopting a flat-plane crankshaft V8 engine design for the Z06. Codenamed LT6, the high-revving powerplant is expected to debut for the 2021 model year without any sort of forced induction… for the time being.
The LT6-engined 2021 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, therefore, should serve as an alternative to the GT350 and GT350R because both Shelbys will be dropped from the Mustang lineup at the end of the 2020 model year.
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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