Corvette Z06 Takes Its Ferrari-Inspired V8 Seriously, Drags and Thrashes 812 Superfast

The C8 Z06 owes plenty of its uncharacteristically-American performance to the Prancing Horse company. Corvette engineers dived deep into the secrets of a Ferrari V8 (from a 458 Italia) to learn how to turn America’s sportscar into America’s supercar.

That is all in the past now, and the piston-rubbing love story came to an end when the Z06 came out and began punching noses around the block with absolutely zero respect for its opponents. Ferrari is not particularly fond of this American do-or-die attitude.

In great part, this is due to a 1966 event that buried the Italian prestige under the Le Mans finish line. Since that day, Ferrari has yet to win the French endurance race. So it’s understandable that the famed supercars don’t rub elbows with the boys from Detroit.

However, until the C8 Z06, no Corvette was seen as a real threat to a Ferrari. Things change, and Chevrolet’s newest track weapon doesn’t back down from any fight. Especially when it has a quarter-mile tradition to defend.

Sure, Europe has plenty of sportscars and supercars to shame the United States of Automobile. Then again, America has always been a devoted observer of the genius philosophy “Make one thing but make it the best.”

The principle works flawlessly every time, and the following video is solid proof. A Corvette C8 Z06 drags an aging Ferrari 812 Superfast just to prove a point. It beats it badly, winning all three rounds. The race is documented by Brooks Weisblat, the YouTubing car vlogger going by the dragstrip name of DragTimes.

The sprint occurred at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida, leaving mixed feelings among the video’s viewers. Some argue that the V8 weight over the rear axle allowed the Z06 to launch better. From a mechanical standpoint, their theory holds water – the front-engined Ferrari seems unable to put the power down just as well as the Chevrolet.

A rapid comparison reveals that, on paper, the Corvette is outnumbered and outgunned in every critical aspect. The 812 Superfast has a 6.5-liter V12 that puts out 789 hp and 530 lb-ft (800 PS and 718 Nm), revs to 8,900 RPM and weighs 1.63 tons. The only apparent drawback would be the driveline layout – engine in the front, traction at the back.

The Z06 'Vette has a high-speed V8 (thanks to its flat-plane crank design – courtesy of Ferrari), but it’s low when ranked against the Superfast. 5.5 liters, 670 hp and 460 lb-ft (679 PS and 624 Nm), 8,600 RPM redline, 1.59 tons. However, the C8 is the first regular production Corvette in 70 years to carry the powerplant behind the driver.

More weight on the rear wheels means more grip, better acceleration, and quicker runs overall. As one comment correctly pointed out, the Ferrari 812 is Superfast, not Superquick. That’s not to say the Rampaging Stallion is a slug – the 132.96-mph (213.93 kph) trap speed at the finish line is a strong argument for its potency.

And, if you look closely at the first race, you will see how hard the 812 reeled in the Z06 toward the end of the 10.595-second sprint. The subsequent rounds were an all-Z06 affair because the Ferrari had appalling launches and posed no threat to the impressive Chevy.