GM Product Chief Mark Reuss reveals the Corvette Z06 at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.
We’ve always been told to “err on the safe side,” a good mantra for automakers who have, over the years, had a habit of over-promising and under-delivering when it comes to performance numbers.
The folks at Chevrolet clearly wanted to under-promise and over-deliver, it turns out, when they suggested the new Corvette Z06 would deliver “at least 625 horsepower” during the sports car’s Detroit Auto Show debut last January. It turns out that the newly released numbers for the Z06’s LT4 engine stretch all the way up to 650 hp and a full 650 pound-feet of torque. To save you the effort of looking that up, this is the most powerful production car General Motors has ever delivered to the public.
“The LT4 Small Block sets a new benchmark for power and torque at GM,” said Steve Kiefer, vice president, GM Powertrain Engineering. “The engine also puts the new Corvette Z06 on par with the most powerful supercars offered in America, while delivering performance with impeccable manners that make it suitable for daily driving.”
By comparison, the “base” 2014 Corvette Stingray makes “only” 450 horsepower – boosting that to 460 hp with the Z51 performance package – and 465 lb-ft of torque.
The Z06’s LT4 6.2-liter V-8, we should point out, already is pumping out 457 lb-ft of torqe at idle, and various estimates suggest we’ll be looking at 0 to 60 times in the 3-second range. Oh, and that’s 40% more torque than the previous-generation Z06, with its 7.0-liter LS7 engine. In fact, it’s got 7.5% more torque than the 2013 Covette ZR1, while the new LT4 makes 12 hp more than the old ZR1’s LS9 engine.
The heart of the new 2015 Corvette Z06: it's supercharged LT4 engine.
How does that stack up against the competition? The 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will turn out 90 more horsepower and 134 lb-ft more than the Porsche 911 Turbo S. And while the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta makes 12% more horsepower, it lags the Z06’s torque by 28%.
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“The new LT4 engine builds on the design strengths of our previous supercharged engine and leverages the technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray – direct injection, cylinder deactivation and continuously variable valve timing – to take Corvette performance to an all-new plateau,” said Jordan Lee, Chevy’s chief engineer for Small Block engines. “Our new, very compact supercharger also helps the engine make power more quickly, and perhaps more importantly, it helps produce more torque earlier in the rpm band.”
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The LT4 engine is roughly the same size as the Stingray’s LT1, and the two share the same block, but where the Stingray relies on natural aspiration, the Z06 gets a helping hand from a supercharger – as well as unique Rotocast aluminum cylinder heads, lightweight titanium intake valves, forged powder metal steel connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, and a standard dry-sump oiling system.
The 2015 Z06 gets some major aerodynamic enhancements to handle that power at high speeds.
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That supercharger is designed to spin up to its maximum 20,000 RPMs much faster than many older designs, which translates into more power at lower speeds, GM engineers explain.
Z06 buyers will have a choice of a 7-speed manual gearbox or a new 8-speed automatic – the latter being added to the Stingray checklist, as well, for 2015.
Start saving pennies. The Corvette Z06 won’t go on sale until the summer of 2015. Prices will be revealed closer to launch, GM says.
Wish I could afford one of the best looking machines GM has on the road. Wouldn’t it be nice if GM gave me one to drive back and forth to work which takes me an average of 35 minutes each way everyday along straight a ways and curves. This will put it to the test for the average car driver (buyer) and also excellent advertising.
Just a thought but how true it would be.
Sincerely – Ed
I’ve always liked the Z06 models as they are top notch. I prefer the C6 styling however over the C7.
While it’s great to claim high HP and torque numbers, looking at the displacement and the fact that this engine uses a supercharger, is a little disingenuous. Try making the same power from a 4 liter engine for the street and then you might have some real bragging rights. This is a great engine/package but don’t exaggerate it’s performance compared to other cars.
Why was GM allowed to rob its old stock owners, file bankruptcy, then declare themselves a successfull new company. Not to mention millions of yukons they sold with faulty odometers/instrument clusters that they knew were bad. The governmnet should not have allowed GM
Jose, the bankruptcy process has been used by countless companies, and individuals, to escape crushing debt. Whether the settlement was fair in this case is a separate matter,
Paul E.
Yep, just what we need, a 650 hp car that seats 2 people when gas prices are high, most states limit highway speeds to 65, and GM recalling millions of vehicles due to faulty production. Why don’t these car makers wake up to finding more economical ways of transport and quit bragging about how much HP a vehicle has. I want a dependable vehicle that is economical to use since I’m on limited income (retiree). Meanwhile, Honda and Toyota are looking to have cars that will operate on hydrogen and the only emission would be water vapor… to me that’s more impressive than a 2-seater with 650 hp… why don’t Americans grow up and be more adult???
Leon, We see somewhat like you do but when you were young you probably had a big v8 with a four barrel carb, lots of power! Now the tables have changed cars make more power account of evolution. If my son can afford one of these, he can have one. It’s absolutely so cool and gets laid, remember getting laid Leon?
I would much rather add maybe another 100,000 to buy this car besides another piece of shit Toyota which costs 50,000 and what do you think is gonna happen to hydrogen prices when these cars come out. because there will be a demand there gonna sky rocket. just like gas and oh yeah LP. dumbass. and high gas prices and lp are because of are damn government. this corvette is another beautiful design by gm and bad ass car which may I describe cylinder deactivation which means, for you foregin people who may not understand or possible cant read. gm means on an 8 cylinder car when you not using all the horsepower in the motor 4 cylinders shut down which thus means better fuel mileage ding bat. May I also mention Toyota who failed to recall there vehicles all the back from the 1980″s. Let me refresh your memory. People would go to hit there breaks and the wouldn’t work. What do you do kneel down behind your Toyota and suck in the fumes from your rice burner. is that what makes you people so stupid.
Kenny, many of my family members work at GM here in Michigan and while I can appreciate your patriotic enthusiasm, you’re not helping yourself or other Americans with demeaning comments when you can’t write better then a 3rd grade student. My foreign friends can write much better then your rant on this board. Competition can improve everyone’s performance and all automakers have and will continue to have some type of recall. You obviously don’t understand economics. Besides, what difference are you going to notice if hydrogen prices increase? Driving down demand for petroleum products will have much greater affect on your personal pocket book. Petroleum products are in most consumer goods that we all use everyday including plastic. Your ignorance makes me cringe when it is posted on a public forum because you make all of us look bad. Do yourself and other Americans a favor and just keep to yourself and hope you use protection forever, we don’t need ignorance breeding ignorance.
Some folks always have to find a way to tear down something that others have produced(by the sweat of their hands) just to make themselves feel important. Grow up and get a life!!
If you don’t have anything nice to say, then DON’T SAY IT. Please allow others to enjoy the moment and appreciate the efforts by GM.
My kudos to GM for producing a great work of art and precision..
Best Regards,
Angelo
MORE GM LIES! HAHAHA! “Most powerful ever” BS! Even the current GT500 is higher. More desperate lies as the ship is sinking. Nothing new for them.
Reading comprehension is not your friend.