Chevrolet Corvette Z07 (???)

[cawimmer430]

Are you ready for the Z07? The ultimate Corvette is due in 2009

The C6 Corvette is a phenomenon. Despite a substandard interior, its power, dynamics, and styling have given it international credibility the C5 struggled to achieve and the gold-chain-inspiring C3 and C4 could only dream of. Now it's talked of as a competitor for Porsche 911, Aston Martin V-8 Vantage, various BMW Ms, and Mercedes AMGs. That 505-horsepower Z06 (the 2007 Z06 is pictured) hasn't hurt.

But just before it's replaced by the all-new C7, the C6 will get one last shot at automotive immortality: around 700 horsepower and a new name. Word in Detroit is the long-awaited ber-Corvette, codenamed the Blue Devil after Rick Wagoner's alma mater's NCAA team, will now likely be called Z07. Purists at GM have balked at naming it the Corvette SS, after Zora Arkus-Duntov's definitive Chevy sport racer. Corvette Super Sport had been the expected name for the last year or so.

It's not coming as soon as you'd hoped: It'll be a 2009 model. And it'll essentially be a "build out" of C6 bits, combined with some powertrain parts that'll appear on the C7. As Jim Queen revealed in Motor Trend last month, General Motors is talking in the 700 horsepower neighborhood for its Top Gun C7, which jibes with the output predicted from the supercharged 7.0-liter V-8. Bet on the 505-horsepower Z06 becoming the standard C7 Corvette.

The C7 will launch in the 2010 calendar year. Just six model years for the C6? The C5 ran seven, but its predecessor was built for 13 model years, and the C3 dates back to the signing of the Magna Carta. This is a good sign: Corvette was considered for the chopping block during its 13-year C4 run.





Link: http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2007/112_0704_chevrolet_corvette_z07/index.html

[nickdrinkwater]

That looks awesome.  Especially the rear.  And I like that colour.

[giant_mtb]

That looks awesome.  Especially the rear.  And I like that colour.

"That 505-horsepower Z06 (the 2007 Z06 is pictured) hasn't hurt."

[TheIntrepid]

Interesting.

[Catman]

All's it needs is a world class interior.

[Lebowski]

ZO7 name doesn't surprise me.

No way a car built in Kentucky would have been named the Blue Devil.

[SVT666]

2009???  This is worse then the wait for the Camaro.  It should be called Sting Ray or SS.  They just sound better.

[FordSVT]

I'm beginning to understand what Mustang-haters talk about when they complain it's "same car, more power, who cares?"

As awesome as it appears to be, I just can't get too excited about yet another hp and brake upgrade to a car already too fast for public roads. Can it compete with cars 100,000 more expensive? Yes, bravo GM.

I'd still rather have a 460, even if it had 200 less hp.
-FordSVT-

[SVT666]

I'm beginning to understand what Mustang-haters talk about when they complain it's "same car, more power, who cares?"

As awesome as it appears to be, I just can't get too excited about yet another hp and brake upgrade to a car already too fast for public roads. Can it compete with cars 100,000 more expensive? Yes, bravo GM.

I'd still rather have a 460, even if it had 200 less hp.
-FordSVT-

Not me.  I'd be afraid to drive a Ferrari on the roads in Calgary whereas the Vette is just a Chevy.

[southdiver1]

Didn't Corvette have a "Blue Devil" in the late 60s or early 70s?
They also had the "Mako Shark"

Personally, I would like the stingray name to come back.

[SVT666]

Didn't Corvette have a "Blue Devil" in the late 60s or early 70s?
They also had the "Mako Shark"

Personally, I would like the stingray name to come back.

IIRC, Mako Shark was a concept car.

[GoCougs]

Holy Moses 700hp is a lot of power.

[SVT666]

Holy Moses 700hp is a lot of power.

It won't be 700 hp.  I read an interview with Lutz and he said 700 hp is too much, but they won't settle for "matching" the Viper.  I'm guessing it will be 625-650.

[Tave]

Bet on the 505-horsepower Z06 becoming the standard C7 Corvette.

I hope not. I'd like to own a Corvette someday, but there's no way I'm buying a beast like that just to drive around.

And how much is a base Z06 going to cost? The Corvette is supposed to be the affordable American sports car.

400 hp is enough for a base car. How is the average American going to be able to handle more?

I'd like Chevy to hold off on the power and focus on making other aspects of the car better, while keeping the price low.

[FordSVT]

Not me.? I'd be afraid to drive a Ferrari on the roads in Calgary whereas the Vette is just a Chevy.

Well, the Z06 costs about $100,000, and this thing will probably hit $130-150,000, are you so sure? 
-FordSVT-

[SVT666]

Well, the Z06 costs about $100,000, and this thing will probably hit $130-150,000, are you so sure??
-FordSVT-

I was being sarcastic.  I was hoping the fan boys would run with it, but instead a Mustang fan did.

[VTEC_Inside]

I hope not. I'd like to own a Corvette someday, but there's no way I'm buying a beast like that just to drive around.

And how much is a base Z06 going to cost? The Corvette is supposed to be the affordable American sports car.

400 hp is enough for a base car. How is the average American going to be able to handle more?

I'd like Chevy to hold off on the power and focus on making other aspects of the car better, while keeping the price low.

Basically summed up my thoughts.

Power is definitely not the cars problem at the moment. Continuing to up the refinement level should be the more important goal, as that is about the only area the car gets criticized on now.

[Soup DeVille]

IIRC, Mako Shark was a concept car.

Yep, the Mako Shark was the concept car that largely inspired the '68 Stingray.

(BTW, Sting Ray - two words was the phrase used on the '63 to '67 Vettes, and Stingray - one word was used on the '68 to '82 Vettes.)

[GoCougs]

I hope not. I'd like to own a Corvette someday, but there's no way I'm buying a beast like that just to drive around.

And how much is a base Z06 going to cost? The Corvette is supposed to be the affordable American sports car.

400 hp is enough for a base car. How is the average American going to be able to handle more?

I'd like Chevy to hold off on the power and focus on making other aspects of the car better, while keeping the price low.

The average American can't afford a Corvette, so by extension, I'd say it's not for them to really worry about.

[Minpin]

Well, the Z06 costs about $100,000, and this thing will probably hit $130-150,000, are you so sure? 
-FordSVT-

The Z06 costs about 70,000 IIRC. I'm expecting this thing to be 110,000 tops.

[nickdrinkwater]

"That 505-horsepower Z06 (the 2007 Z06 is pictured) hasn't hurt."

Still looks awesome!

[Raza]

The Z06 costs about 70,000 IIRC. I'm expecting this thing to be 110,000 tops.

(They're talking Canadian dollars.)

[Minpin]

(They're talking Canadian dollars.)

pff..stupid funny money. 

[Soup DeVille]

The average American can't afford a Corvette, so by extension, I'd say it's not for them to really worry about.

Well...

GM hasn't made money on the vette for some time now.

They do, however, gain a lot of halo effect for it, and I'm sure the existence of the Vette helps sell a lot of cars. (I.e i'm sure you've heard people brag about how car A or car B has the "Vette motor" in it).

So, you could make a case that the average buyer sees the Vette as 'possibly affordable someday,' and in the meantime likes to get as close as they can within their budget and practical needs.

By contrast, the Ford GT is such a high-end car that the halo effect is too far removed from reality to really impact sales.

[the Teuton]

I really doubt that GM doesn't make a profit on the Corvette.

[Soup DeVille]

I really doubt that GM doesn't make a profit on the Corvette.

I am willing to be corrected, but nothing I've heard leads me to believe its a money maker. Its a relatively low volume (by GM standards) car that has a lot of technology and research dumped into it constantly that sells way below what any competitor can offer a comparable car for. Bespoke tranny, sodium filled valves, many, many unique and expensive parts. Its own assembly plant.

I just don't see it being very profitable.

[Lebowski]

I am willing to be corrected, but nothing I've heard leads me to believe its a money maker. Its a relatively low volume (by GM standards) car that has a lot of technology and research dumped into it constantly that sells way below what any competitor can offer a comparable car for. Bespoke tranny, sodium filled valves, many, many unique and expensive parts. Its own assembly plant.

I just don't see it being very profitable.

There's really no way for an outside analyst to break down profitability for a single model, so who knows.

However, whether it's profitable or not, the dramatic decline in unit volume that would result in making the ZO6 the base model would be decidedly NOT profitable.  As you said, the Vette has its own factory and factories need to be filled w/ unit volume in order to be profitable (or remotely close to profitable).

They would not make the ZO6 the base model, the base car needs to be affordable enough to generate unit volumes in the same ballpark as it does currently.

[GoCougs]

I think the article is a bit over-reaching. The current Z06 can't be the base C7, as the C7 will be an entirely different platform.

I think they intended to state the the LS7 will be the base C7 engine. I have heard/read though that a slightly warmed-over 6.2L seeing duty in GM trucks will be the C7's base engine.

I'm skeptical too that GM makes a profit on the Corvette. A company that big devoting all those resources to a low-volume model that can't be leveraged anywhere else? I see profit being very difficult.

EDIT: I forgot about the leverage of the XLR, but that's so low volume I don't think it lends much to the profit notion.

[SVT_Power]

GM hasn't made money on the vette for some time now.

I just don't see it being very profitable.

Which side you taking?

[the Teuton]

Remember, a lot of the engine technology from the Vette finds its way over to other cars like the Buick LaCrosse Ultra and the Holden Commadore.  There's more than meets the eye with the Corvette.