The eighth-generation Corvette in Z06 attire is – without a shadow of a doubt – the sportiest 'Vette of all time. From the ginormously wide rubber to the StabiliTrak ESC performance traction management and carbon-fiber goodies of the Z07 package, there's a lot to like about the most trackable Corvette entitled to wear a license plate. The single biggest improvement over its predecessors is the switch from good ol' small-block muscle to a flat-plane crankshaft V8 that would make a midship Ferrari such as the F8 Tributo blush in awe.
The peeps at Hennessey Performance Engineering recently got their hands on a Z07-equipped Z06. Before starting development of performance-oriented upgrades, HPE obviously took the 670-horsepower sports car to the track. 188 miles per hour (302.557 kilometers per hour) is the maximum Hennessey Performance Engineering squeezed out of this example of the breed, which may seem rather disappointing at first glance.
That's not exactly the case, though. The Z07 package flaunts ground effects and a large rear wing, additions that result in extra drag over the base specification. Chief engineer Josh Holder made it clear that the Z06 tops 195 miles per hour (313.822 kilometers per hour), whereas the Z07 can't do better than 188 due to its aerodynamic upgrades. There's no denying older 'Vettes are faster than the eighth-gen Corvette Z06, but on the other hand, those cars don't hold a candle to the aural pleasure offered by the hand-built LT6 engine of this fellow.
One of the most powerful V8s currently in production, the LT6 – also known as the Gemini – also happens to be the largest flat-plane crankshaft V8 used in a series-production automobile. Dearborn's favorite son deserves a shout-out as well for the 5.2-liter Voodoo in the Shelby GT350, an engine that's much obliged to redline at 8,250 spinnies. Derived from the C8.R's powerplant, the LT6 revs to an ear-piercing 8,600 revolutions per minute.
Engineering significance goes beyond the 5.5-liter displacement and flat-plane crank, though. From the butterfly valves of the intake plenums to the Y-shaped manifolds of every two cylinders, four-cam valvetrain, and shorter stroke than the Stingray's LT2 small block, the LT6 definitely plays in a wholly different league.
General Motors also modified the final drive of the Tremec-supplied transaxle for this application. The Z06 sports 5.56:1 for better acceleration to the detriment of top speed as opposed to 5.17:1 for the Stingray Z51 and 4.89:1 for the Stingray. Had it featured different gearing, the Z06 could easily crack 200 mph (321.869 kph).
That, however, is probably going to happen for the 2025 model year with the return of the ZR1. Rather than a free-breathing motor, the LT7 of the next 'Vette in the C8 family is rocking a couple of spinny lads for 800-plus horsepower and heaven knows how much torque.
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
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News