GM is currently testing not one, but five prototypes of the Z06 with less camouflage than ever before. Captured on video by David Wesel for Corvette Blogger, these mules are benchmarked against a couple of exotics of European origin: a 991.2 GT2 RS and a Ferrari 458 Italia.
Why does General Motors benchmark the Z06 against European supercars? For starters, the flat-plane crankshaft is shared with the free-breathing Ferrari in terms of engine design. Secondly, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS from the 991.2 series features the same make and model as the Z06 in terms of rubber.
Fitted with road-legal Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, a 911 GT2 RS can blitz the Nurburgring Nordschleife in 6:47.3 in the hands of Porsche test driver Lars Kern. The most extreme variant of the 991.2 is rocking 325/30 by 21s out back while the C8 Z06 features 345/25 by 21-inch steamrollers.
GM engineers fire up the flat-plane crankshaft V8 engines at the 1:55 mark of the spy clip, revealing a higher-pitched idle than the Stingray’s cross-plane crankshaft V8 with classic pushrods instead of double overhead cams. At the 1:57 and 2:47 marks, you can hear the 5.5-liter powerplant a little better. Codenamed LT6, this engine is derived from the LT5 that Chevrolet utilizes in the C8.R endurance racer that took the 2020 IMSA GTLM title.
Expected to develop 617 horsepower, the LT6 can be taken beyond 8,000 revs because of the flat-plane crankshaft and DOHC valvetrain. For the sake of reference, the now-discontinued Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is much obliged to spin at 8,250 revolutions while the 458 Italia boasts 9,000 rpm.
Obviously wider than the Stingray, the Z06 will utilize a very similar transaxle as the Stingray. TR-9080 DCT is how Tremec refers to the dual-clutch transmission, which has a torque capacity of 800 Nm (590 pound-feet) in the small-block V8-engined Corvette. The only detail that needs to be improved for the Z06 is the maximum input speed of 7,500 revolutions.
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