The new 2023 Corvette Z06 caused a stir during the 2021 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. It’s the most potent naturally aspirated V8 in series production, elevating it to Ferrari and Lamborghini territory. The Z06 is an absolute screamer, with a grumpy demeanor claiming a spot for American engineering on a European-dominated supercar scene.
Jay Leno is the first person outside GM to drive the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Having taken a whiff of McLaren territory, the new 2023 Z06 is looking to bully more than a few supercar owners on track day. With its engine neatly tucked at the back, the Corvette Z06 comes with a new supercar-inspired exterior signature. It’s chunkier, with bigger intakes, and a newly designed rear wing.
Thanks to a new engine, the Z06 has a new roar that’s throaty enough to make the raging Italian bull steal a glance. It comes with a bespoke naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission making 670 hp.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 features a flat-plane crank revving up to 8,600 rpm with the grunt of a Ferrari. While idling, the Z06 sounds like a small block V8 but switches to an exotic tone once the revs start building. It can do a quarter mile in 10.6 seconds and zero to 60 miles per hour in 2.6 seconds.
Leno feels the new Z06 is the very best America has to offer and competes with the best in Europe for a third of the price.
According to Aaron Link, Lead Development Engineer, the Z06 is 6.8-inches wider than the C8 and comes with 345 mm tires that are the widest ever put on a Corvette.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 is hand-built at the Performance Build Center. Each unit comes with a plack on top of the intake manifold signed by the builder. The unit Leno was driving is a prototype vehicle, but Link confirmed it's production-ready.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 will turn things around for American motorsports. It’s a good shot at having a supercar without breaking the bank.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
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