2023 Z07 Package - Worth $9,000?

In our last testing deep-dive on the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, we concluded with this: "Will Z06 + Z07 Solve All? There's so much more this chassis could handle that we feel like we're only nibbling at the possibilities of this car. Time will tell." Well, that time is now.

The first 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 we tested was a convertible and part of our 2023 Car of the Year program, where it earned finalist status. Shortly thereafter, Chevrolet sent us a Corvette Z06 coupe equipped with the Z07 performance pack, plus optional carbon wheels and upgraded aerodynamics. This car proved just 88 pounds lighter than the non-Z07 drop-top we previously tested. The Z07 pack features revised aero said to provide 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes (an option on lesser Z06s, including the convertible we've already evaluated), stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R ZP tires (versus mere Pilot Sport 4S ZPs), and recalibrated magneto-rheological suspension. The Z07 also came fitted with an optional Carbon Fiber Aero package, adding even more downforce-and drag. So, what impacts do these Z07 upgrades have on the Corvette Z06's performance?

The Z06 convertible got the holeshot on this Z07 coupe, launching harder from a stop and never giving up its 0.2-second lead throughout the quarter-mile. The convertible punched through 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds, yet the Z07-equipped coupe needed 2.8 seconds. The Z07 model cleared the quarter-mile in 10.8 seconds at 128.2 mph, and the standard Z06 did the deed in 10.6 seconds at 131.6 mph. Why? We can only surmise that the additional grip afforded by the Z07's Cup 2R tires didn't allow for the optimal 5-to-8-percent wheel slip on the launch. On some launches, our Z07-equipped Vette even bogged a bit.

And might the added drag from the Z07's aero pieces explain its 3.4-mph deficit at the quarter-mile trap? You bet. That's always the tradeoff for downforce enhancement. Having the same 15.7-inch front and 15.4-inch rear vented and drilled carbon-ceramic brake rotors as the Z06 convertible, the Z07's same-size-but-stickier tires managed to shave 4 feet from a stop from 60 mph, with an impressive 95-foot best.

At this point, you may be asking yourself, "So what's all the fuss about?" The real payoff for buying the go-fast version of this go-fast car shows up in our figure-eight test. Our vehicle-dynamics stress-test combines two 200-foot-diameter skidpads separated by 500 feet on center to combine elements of acceleration, braking, and handling in one tightly controlled 0.33-mile lap.

Here, there's no question which Z06 Vette is king. The Z07-equipped coupe beats the standard Z06 convertible by nearly a full second at 21.9 seconds versus 22.7. Data analysis shows that both cars hit Vmax near 86 or 87 mph with the gains coming from braking, cornering, and exiting. During the skidpad sections at either end of the course, the Z07 car averaged 1.16 g of lateral grip-a big improvement over the convertible's 1.10 g. And when we look at both lateral and longitudinal forces, the Z06 with Z07 package averaged 0.99 g for the entire lap. That's 21.9 seconds of constantly being pushed-forward, sideways, backwards-with nearly the same force that's pinning you to this planet right now.

The differences felt in the driver's butt, hands, and inner ear are harder to measure but just as monumental. This is what I always thought the mid-engine Corvette would be like! It is absolutely world-class on the figure-eight. Like a Porsche, you can choose your brake zones- early, mid, or late-and it doesn't care. The carbon-fiber wheels utterly transform the feel and behavior of the Z06. Turn-in is incredibly crisp, and I found myself nicking the second cone because it was so quick. And the way it explodes off the skidpad is only outdone by something with a turbocharger. Mind blown.

By the way, the naturally aspirated Corvette Z06 with the Z07 kit tied our all-time figure-eight record alongside some really expensive, twin-turbocharged heavy-hitters: the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series, the McLaren Senna, and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS (991.2). That big brag was short-lived, though. Later that day, a $400,000-plus supercar dethroned all four of those vehicles to establish a new high-water mark.

Where did the Z07 find so much pace? Braking, cornering, and exiting. We'd add that the carbon wheels that reportedly reduce unsprung mass by 10 pounds at each corner also contributed to the Z07's fierce lap time. From my test notes: "This is what I always thought the mid-engine Corvette would be like! It is absolutely world-class on the figure-eight. Like a Porsche, you can choose your brake zones early, mid, or late, and it doesn't care. The carbon-fiber wheels utterly transform the feel and behavior of the Z06. Turn-in is incredibly crisp, and I found myself nicking the second cone because it was so quick. And the way it explodes off the skidpad is only outdone by something with a turbo charger. Mind blown."

Is this as good as the mid-engine C8 Corvette gets? Possibly. Probably. If in the future the Z06 or a derivative gets a bump in output courtesy of a set of turbochargers, would that improve drivability or harm it? Hard to say. Adding a battery and a set of electric motors to the front axle might tame oversteer but alter the weight/distribution and add complexity. This iteration of the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette really does seem like the Goldilocks "just right" version, even if it is the maximal iteration you can buy for the moment. For us, this level of supercar performance at this price is the sweet spot.

Find out more

Source: Chris Walton - MotorTrend

Posted 11/25/22