AWDman

i was at my local chevy dealer asking to be put on a list but he was clueless. told me 700hp and $90K. then told me if he does get a list and there were more people than cars the he would charge >MSRP. i flat out told him that if found some idiots to give over msrp that would be great but he should not count as part of the group. i'd like one spring 2006 anyway may need to get on a list later in the yr.

it's a very impressive car. i never cared for vettes but this car is constructed like an exotic for 1/2 price. the kicker for me is what autoweek said- (remains to be confirmed) chevey will not void warrant if car is used on track (occasionally)

hardtop is the way to go.... there is talk of a vert on the vette forums.

500hp. 475 ft/lbs torque 4800rpm, 3300 lbs with me in car......i imagine myself in 2nd gear at 4500 rpm then hammering to redline....

good luck, enjoy, ressurect this thread in sept with photos and driving impressions.

05C55

First off, good move, I believe the new ZO6 will humble a lot of very expensive EU products and more importantly do so at an attainable price point, at least for some of us.

I had an 01' C5 Roadster that with minor mods had 335hp/343tq at the wheels and it never creaked at all. It is common knowledge that the hydrofromed frame rails are super rigid, and in fact during early crash testing they actually had to reduce the strength of the frame rails to improve crash testing results. They are well built cars, but they are also a volume car at 35K units per year and stuff slips through the cracks. My C55 has a few issues, rattling rear deck, misaligned headlights, seat back not properly attached so no one is perfect, well maybe my pickup LOL.

Anyway, look forward to more news on the ZO6. Looks great and should put the hurt on virtually everything it comes across. Hope Chevy continues to race as the C5R has been a huge success.

c2jones

Unfortunately, far too many dealerships for all makes can be quite clueless. I have NEVER found any dealership (from sales to GM!) who knew half as much as I did about the cars THEY sold. Their information was always woefully inept when it came to advanced details or specifics that pertained to anything beyond their brochures, and even at that, many don't have those things down either. I was ALWAYS educating THEM. They are accustomed to leaning on their showroom floor cars and chewing the fat about football games right up until the GM walks by, then they rush to their offices to pressure someone into a sale. Beyond this, especially when it comes to advanced information, don't count on too much.

I took a bet with a GM at a dealership once about the metal used for the wheels on one of their limited edition cars; he swore, and insisted upon a friendly bet in front of his whole staff that this seemingly knowledgeable man (me) was actually incorrect about what he was saying. He let his pride and ego speak for him. As you might expect where I'm going with this, he lost the bet and more than his share of dignity, too. (As well as the sale from me. Too incompetent.)

But this goes beyond dealerships. When I was shopping for my wife's C230 Sports Sedan in early 2003 (January - before it was popularly known), I called MBUSA to get advanced information on the car. The list totaled about 7 to 8 people who all said that "no such car exists and they're unaware of whether it ever will exist anytime soon." In truth, there were a few dealerships that already had them on their lots. My dealership was trying to get me to order one. I had to go to upper management to demonstrate how bad it was and she replied by saying that her employees were evidently failing to read company memos sent out the previous two weeks. Her employees, including several supervisors, were telling me that not only was there no such car, but that I should report my dealership to MBUSA officials and to the BBB for trying to pull fraud! (I retained all my communication, some electronic, for the record.)

All this because of glowing incompetence on their part. And this, was MBUSA!

So, the moral to the story? All dealerships (and sometimes even their corporate offices), not just Chevrolet, are very capable of gross oversights and perhaps even purposeful misinformation in order to shift the sales fat in their direction. With regard to Z06, the pricing has not been established by the GM brass yet, so ANY dealership that says they know how much it will cost and quotes pricing specifically is strictly posturing or probing for your price tolerances in relation to one's desire. Nothing more.

I stick with dealers that sponsor the various automotive forums. By-and-large, they have to stay educated to meet the demands of their constantly communicating online customer base less they lose out to another dealer whom is better informed. (Some forums have several sponsoring dealerships.)

But for a bone-fide supercar, as long as pricing did not get ridiculous, wouldn't it still be worth it? An exotic that can be driven everyday (including on the track) which retains warranty and has all the amenities of a luxury car per its options list for well under $100K is a deal in any translation. But you will not have to pay over MSRP if you go through the right dealerships.

By going through a forum sponsor, you can get the MSRP price (often even less) as they need to compete with other forums dealers and the pricing information makes its way around the forum via the members. Its an internal customer-base monopoly (for a change!). The dealers always make their money; we need not make them fat and us foolish in the process.

With Corvette, one can place their order through any dealership (without the dealership at all being local if the price is better elsewhere), then have the car delivered right to your home or a local dealership of your choice. In fact, what I'm going to do is take the Museum Delivery option (in Bowling Green, KY) by which (post ordering) you can actually come to the plant as the car is being built, for a special, straight from them to you, purchasing experience. (The Z06 is hand-built. You will see the name, perhaps meet the person, who built your car.) Then you can either drive or ship the car back home. This all happens at a great price with a memorable experience.

The car will be released (per most reports) in August of 2005 as a 2006 model.

5150_C32

I cannot believe you guys would diss the C5 like that. You statements should have said C5, NOT C6

The C5 regular and C5 Z06 are great cars that completely transformed the Vette, NOT the C6! The C6 has simply built on what the C5 did; completely transform this model car. This was never the case with previous itterations of the vette. Yes, power is way up on the C6, but the major transformation of the vette happened in 1997 with the C5 introduction.

Give credit where it is due....the C5 was a major change for the Vette and facilitated better things to come.

BTW, I have never owned a vette and my last few cars have all been German. Just giving credit where credit is due.

AWDman

"But for a bone-fide supercar, as long as pricing did not get ridiculous, wouldn't it still be worth it? An exotic that can be driven everyday (including on the track) which retains warranty and has all the amenities of a luxury car per its options list for well under $100K is a deal in any translation. "

i'm not denying that the car is a bargain even substantially above msrp it's just that i tend to change my cars often so if i tried to resell 2 yrs down the line in a stabilized market i would then be out depreciation plus the hit above msrp. that said i wonder if chevy's strategy is to move pricing upwards in sizable chunks in the subsequent yrs to get to gt3, viper etc $ levels????

yes I did call forum sponsor dealer and had a very intelligent enjoyable conversation. He's one of my options when i'm 100% ready. (911 gt3 still in consideration).

" we need not make them fat and us foolish in the process."...well said!

c2jones

Understood.

Good question. If this Z06 is a real seller (and industry analysts all agree it will be), then GM just may use this vital experiment as proving ground to compete in the growing supercar arena and get their portion of the current horsepower war. Few companies can built power more affordably than Chevrolet (besides Ford, Chevrolet has always had this market). The problem always was that their buying market always had the budget performance theme. If GM can break out of this mold a little here with Corvette Z06, this could get interesting.

At the very least, this could apply pressure on those overpriced exotics to get their pricing down to balance the market out, which is great news for buyers in this category of automobile. When Ferrari introduced the 360 (now followed by 430), then Lambo came out with Gallardo, and now Aston Martin is introducing their AMV8 Vantage (at a mere $100K!) this year, the exotic market is coming back to earth and Corvette looks to close that gap even more.

05C55

I would really enjoy the fact that a ZO6 was on par with such heavy weights as the GT3/TT, 360/430 and the Gallardo. Those are all awesome cars and to some degree art on wheels, but for sheer performance, assuming the ZO6 hits its numbers, you almost have to laugh at anyone who would pay twice as much and more for a cooler badge and a little more exclusivity.

LIONHEAD

Very True. I would wait though for the 2nd or 3rd year production of the C6 Z06. GM usually up the HP the 2nd or 3rd year (a'la 2001 Z06 versus 2002 Z06). I believe the Katech C6 Z06 engine is rated up to 550-600HP but they lower the HP the first year with all the hype and then raise the HP the next few years. Also, GM underrates them as I remember some C5 Z06 when dynoed was above GM HP Claimes. Vettes are fun to drive. Yes, they aren't built as solid but my C5 never had any creaks even with mine modded and dynoed at 434HP and 456TQ(although rattles from the windows when it's 1/2 way down). The interior is plastic but so is my 02' S500 and 04' E500 dash. :p With the C6 optional touchscreen Navigation, optoinal Heads Up Display, leather seats, dual climate, keyless start and some other gizmos and gadgets, it's not that bad. I do like the additional flared out fenders and air induction hood on the C6 Z06 but I'm leaning towards a C6 Roadster with paddle shifter (projected next year) and slap on a SC....LOL.

thuged_out

In the lates issue of Automobile Mag, there are couple of pics of Z06 and the car is clearly a targa. While there is no pic of the roof off, but you can see a line crossing the roof just before the back window. There are also some pictures of the Viper Coupe (GTS?), and between the two I would take the Viper, but it is more expensive at $82,000.

AWDman

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=100

JasonC32amg

The Viper roadster is also something to consider, dealers are giving smoking deals on them, well under msrp.

c2jones

This "line" is deceiving, unfortunately.

GM has spoken on the matter.

There will be no targa for Z06 for 2006.

Here's a link to Automobile Magazine's Z06 article:

http://automobilemag.com/auto_shows/..._corvette_z06/

The "crossing line" is not indication of a targa. I wish it were.

I am frequent to the various Corvette forums; if you have information different from what we all acknowledge to be true, please share it with us as this would be welcome news. But I think you will find that these photos, speculating journalists or rumors are misleading. The targa discussions are fairly mute now as a possible option in the Corvette forums.

Here is Corvette's official specifications listing for the car:

"The Z06 has a unique aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof body style."

http://www.corvettemuseum.com/specs/2006/index.shtml

Ryan Bell

Exactly. Anyone who knows *ANYTHING* about Vettes knows this to be true. The C5 was the "big step forward", not the C6. the C6 merely improved upon the LEAP forward the C5 was.

The C5 Z06 outperforms the C6 in nearly every catagory except top speed.

c2jones

Ah, but the '06 Z06... that has the edge in every way.

Its a true supercar!

5150_C32

another thing....

the C5 Z06 is really affordable right now because of the C6. Like Ryan said, it will outperform a C6 and cost a lot less. Excellent track car and very durable.

Ryan Bell

Well of course. Look at the pricetag. STILL though, nothing will be able to REMOTELY touch it for the money. But, it's not out yet. (Yes, I know it's coming, but it's not OUT yet).

Secondly, the C5 Z06 is a true supercar. When a $50k car can hang with a Murcielago and a 911 Turbo X50 around Nurburgring, I'd say that's a super car.

c2jones

I agree with you.

I've been trying to make these same points to other forum members, but some really are down on Corvette. But they understand very little and often act like kids in the process. Its terrible.

I'm going to put a deposit on a new Z06, and perhaps the new Aston Martin (Vantage) as well. (Vantage will price at $100K.) I'll then decide between the two when they're due, or get silly and take both!

Ryan Bell

That's because a lot of people act like babies and follow this stupid "imports are god" trend that's sweeping the US....like anything else sucks. The fact is that the Vette Z06 (the C5 version) can mop the floor with just about anything under $100k (save another American car...the Viper). If you're into the "import STYL3Z" thing, then be my guest, ya know? Just don't expect to beat a Z06 without SERIOUS modding.

BUT, I love imports too! I've come inches away from buying an Evo, and now I'm looking at a C32.

This whole prejudice thing toward domestics OR imports is just stupid to me. They all have their merits.

Ruling out a car because of simply where it was made or a subjective rumor about build quality is stupid to me. It's ignorance, and it makes you look stupid and short-sighted.

Cool of you to respect all kinds of cars!

AWDman

agree. i try to buy cars as if i were from another planet (!) ie assessing the machine and it's intended purpose in a totally unbiased manner.

i find it bewildering that folks buy vehicles then try modify them for a purpose 180 degrees from their raison d'etre.

this is what works for me:-

subtle speed, family hauler c32

intended track car s2000

if i ever cotton on drag racing will modify my 3000gt twin turbo all wheel drive.

emra or scca racing (hopefullly 2007) 94 suzuki swift gt

........i may shake things up this yr or next swopping c32 for e55 or depending how much i like time trialing i may let go c32 for m3 smg. then sell s2000 for z06.

like cjones i will keep tabs on the vantage but the z06 just keeps getting more and more appealing.......

here's an SAE article on the z06's engine....http://www.sae.org/automag/techbrief...1-113-1-20.pdf