911 GT2 vs Vette Z06 (video)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 4,057
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From: NJ
2009 SL63 AMG
They likely walk past it because the price differential is not that big due to the huge tarrifs applied to the US imported car (and the Porsche is put together better using higher quality materials - just not enough to justify anything near the price differential here in the US or around the ROW (Rest Of World).
As for handling, track times are a huge indicator of a car's handling prowess.
If you wish to compare slalom speeds or lateral G's - 2 other indicators, the ZO6 meets or beats 99% of the sports cars available (look it up or do I need to list more figures for you
).
As for handling, track times are a huge indicator of a car's handling prowess.
If you wish to compare slalom speeds or lateral G's - 2 other indicators, the ZO6 meets or beats 99% of the sports cars available (look it up or do I need to list more figures for you).If the price gap is narrow, then of course an overwhelming majority of enthusiasts would be climbing into the GT2. The reason why Z06 is praised is that it offers world-class performance at a value previously unrivaled in the sports car world. Things will change now with the GTR thrown into the mix.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
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R35 GT-R, EvoX
Wow, seems Ash was 100% correct! Even MotorTrend calls the Z06 a flop! Check out this article!
Maybe I can crash the car and get insurance to write me a check for this overpriced POS?
2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06: Ugly. Tinny. Slow.
Posted Today 05:01 AM by Arthur St. Antoine
Filed under: Editorial, The Asphalt Jungle, Chevrolet, Sports Coupes
I hadn't driven a Corvette in far too long, so when a bright-orange Z06 arrived at Motor Trend headquarters last week, I elbowed my way to the front of the line for a test drive. Took the car home for the weekend, in fact. Big mistake. In some ways, I wish I hadn't driven the Vette; there goes another bubble burst, another legend dethroned. How anyone could actually like this so-called "sports car" baffles me.
For one thing, the Z06 is just plain ugly. Hideous, even. Just look at that mish-mash of curves, lines, and creases. I've seen more attractive dump trucks. For sure, the $1.9 million Ferrari FXX is way better-looking, a car I'd actually be happy to be seen in. And don't get me started on the oddball details. See the way the mirrors stick out -- why did Chevy do that? Can't they design a decent outside mirror, like the Japanese and Europeans do? Honda beats Chevy. Again.
Now look at the cockpit, pictured at left. Another disaster. My eyes have trouble seeing instrument lighting at night (unless it's soft blue), but Chevy has all the dials illuminated in bright yellow and red. Difficult to see during the daytime, impossible at night. Also, if you were designing the shift lever for a sports car, where do you think you'd put it? Close to your right hand, correct? But the Corvette's is so far over to the right you can hardly reach it (at least, I had trouble). Just shifting from first to second gear was painful. How do you Corvette "aficionados" manage? I didn't like the pedal placement, either. The gas pedal is too close to the floor, and the brake is too far in the middle. At least the clutch pedal is about right. While driving, my left foot was the happiest part of my body.
Not much of the rest of me was. No sooner had I started the big V-8 when I could hear a funny racket coming from near the exhaust pipes. Pressing on the gas only made it worse. There's that vaunted GM build quality again, I guess. Incredibly, I could also hear...the tachometer needle. That's right: As it moved up and down I could actually hear it whizzing. Really, really annoying. "Tinny" is a better word. The engineers at BMW, for instance, know how to make a good, quiet tachometer -- something Chevy evidently has yet to learn.
Most disappointing of all...the Vette just wasn't very fast. I know, I know -- it's supposed to pin your ears back, make all that glorious V-8 noise, humiliate the world's most expensive sports cars. Whatever. But now I'm actually beginning to wonder if the Z06s we've tested previously were specially tweaked. Ringers. True, I didn't have our official radar-based test gear with me this weekend, but using the stopwatch on my Casio Pathfinder (which, really, is accurate enough), the best time I could manage on an inclined entrance ramp was a 0-to-60-mph run of 5.3 seconds. That's way, way slower than what other Vettes have supposedly run, about on par with a base Ford Mustang GT.
Was my Z06 test car sick? I don't think so. I checked under the hood, and all the wires appeared to be connected. And the engine sounded in perfect health, with that deep, rumbling sound you get from big, powerful engines. So, for sure, my eyes and ears were satisfied, but the stopwatch wasn't. I think the truth is, Chevrolet may slowly be dialing back the horsepower on Corvettes to meet future EPA targets. Just a hunch, but it wouldn't surprise me if, instead of its claimed 505 horsepower, the Z06 was actually making more like 375. Maybe 350. Can you imagine a truly great automaker like Ferrari actually stretching the truth about an important stat pertaining to one of its cars?
By Monday, I was almost glad to give the Z06 back. So much for our star-spangled sports car. After driving this so-called "speed icon" for three days, it's patently clear why we Americans are getting our behinds kicked by the likes of Germany, China, India, Paraguay, and Estonia.
I know many of you love the Corvette -- you think the Z06 is fast and looks great and handles like a train on rails and all that. But I have to disagree with you. Sorry. I calls 'em as I sees 'em.
If you disagree with my Vette assessment, feel free to let me know. Just write to me here at Motor Trend. Department: April Fools.
http://blogs.motortrend.com/6238202/...low/index.html
Posted Today 05:01 AM by Arthur St. Antoine
Filed under: Editorial, The Asphalt Jungle, Chevrolet, Sports Coupes
I hadn't driven a Corvette in far too long, so when a bright-orange Z06 arrived at Motor Trend headquarters last week, I elbowed my way to the front of the line for a test drive. Took the car home for the weekend, in fact. Big mistake. In some ways, I wish I hadn't driven the Vette; there goes another bubble burst, another legend dethroned. How anyone could actually like this so-called "sports car" baffles me.
For one thing, the Z06 is just plain ugly. Hideous, even. Just look at that mish-mash of curves, lines, and creases. I've seen more attractive dump trucks. For sure, the $1.9 million Ferrari FXX is way better-looking, a car I'd actually be happy to be seen in. And don't get me started on the oddball details. See the way the mirrors stick out -- why did Chevy do that? Can't they design a decent outside mirror, like the Japanese and Europeans do? Honda beats Chevy. Again.
Now look at the cockpit, pictured at left. Another disaster. My eyes have trouble seeing instrument lighting at night (unless it's soft blue), but Chevy has all the dials illuminated in bright yellow and red. Difficult to see during the daytime, impossible at night. Also, if you were designing the shift lever for a sports car, where do you think you'd put it? Close to your right hand, correct? But the Corvette's is so far over to the right you can hardly reach it (at least, I had trouble). Just shifting from first to second gear was painful. How do you Corvette "aficionados" manage? I didn't like the pedal placement, either. The gas pedal is too close to the floor, and the brake is too far in the middle. At least the clutch pedal is about right. While driving, my left foot was the happiest part of my body.
Not much of the rest of me was. No sooner had I started the big V-8 when I could hear a funny racket coming from near the exhaust pipes. Pressing on the gas only made it worse. There's that vaunted GM build quality again, I guess. Incredibly, I could also hear...the tachometer needle. That's right: As it moved up and down I could actually hear it whizzing. Really, really annoying. "Tinny" is a better word. The engineers at BMW, for instance, know how to make a good, quiet tachometer -- something Chevy evidently has yet to learn.
Most disappointing of all...the Vette just wasn't very fast. I know, I know -- it's supposed to pin your ears back, make all that glorious V-8 noise, humiliate the world's most expensive sports cars. Whatever. But now I'm actually beginning to wonder if the Z06s we've tested previously were specially tweaked. Ringers. True, I didn't have our official radar-based test gear with me this weekend, but using the stopwatch on my Casio Pathfinder (which, really, is accurate enough), the best time I could manage on an inclined entrance ramp was a 0-to-60-mph run of 5.3 seconds. That's way, way slower than what other Vettes have supposedly run, about on par with a base Ford Mustang GT.
Was my Z06 test car sick? I don't think so. I checked under the hood, and all the wires appeared to be connected. And the engine sounded in perfect health, with that deep, rumbling sound you get from big, powerful engines. So, for sure, my eyes and ears were satisfied, but the stopwatch wasn't. I think the truth is, Chevrolet may slowly be dialing back the horsepower on Corvettes to meet future EPA targets. Just a hunch, but it wouldn't surprise me if, instead of its claimed 505 horsepower, the Z06 was actually making more like 375. Maybe 350. Can you imagine a truly great automaker like Ferrari actually stretching the truth about an important stat pertaining to one of its cars?
By Monday, I was almost glad to give the Z06 back. So much for our star-spangled sports car. After driving this so-called "speed icon" for three days, it's patently clear why we Americans are getting our behinds kicked by the likes of Germany, China, India, Paraguay, and Estonia.
I know many of you love the Corvette -- you think the Z06 is fast and looks great and handles like a train on rails and all that. But I have to disagree with you. Sorry. I calls 'em as I sees 'em.
If you disagree with my Vette assessment, feel free to let me know. Just write to me here at Motor Trend. Department: April Fools.
http://blogs.motortrend.com/6238202/...low/index.html
