CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06 2015





























CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

The Z06 rejoins the Corvette lineup for 2015 as the most capable model in the iconic car's 62-year history. It stretches the performance envelope for Corvette with unprecedented levels of aerodynamic downforce - and it is the first Corvette Z06 to offer a supercharged engine, an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel.

The new LT4 supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine is SAE-certified at 650 horsepower (485 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 650 lb-ft of torque (881 Nm) at 3,600 rpm - making the 2015 Corvette Z06 the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of the most powerful production cars available in the United States.

For the first time since 1963, the Z06 is also offered in coupe and convertible models. In fact, building a modern Z06 Convertible was only enabled by recent technological advancements, according to Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter: "Simply put, until recently it was not possible to create an open-roof structure strong enough to meet Corvette's highest performance levels. It required advancements in computer-aided engineering, metallurgy and manufacturing - many of which did not exist five years ago - to make a frame strong enough for a Z06 Convertible."

The aluminum structure is 20 percent stiffer than the previous, fixed-roof Z06. As there are no structural reinforcements needed for the Z06 Convertible, it has a nearly identical curb weight as the Z06 Coupe. They also share the same chassis tuning, powertrain output, driver technologies and equipment options - including a track-focused Z07 Performance Package.

The Z07 package adds adjustable front and rear aero components for unprecedented aerodynamic downforce, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip, and Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors that improve braking performance and contribute to greater handling through reduced unsprung weight.

"The Corvette Z06 is a great example of the technology transfer between racing and production Corvettes," said Juechter. "First, we took what we learned on the Corvette Racing C6.R and applied that to the all-new Corvette Stingray. Then, using the Stingray as a foundation, the Z06 and C7.R were developed to push the envelope of performance on the street and the track."

The all-new, industry-leading Performance Data Recorder enables users to record high-definition video, with telemetry overlays, of their driving experiences on and off the track. It was named Best Automotive Electronics Product at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show, by Engadget.

Designed for downforce

The performance targets of the Z06 also posed a challenge for the design team, which had to create a striking design that also contributed to increased capabilities. The design changes began not with the exterior panels, but the tires.

To deliver the levels of grip needed for the Z06's performance targets, the car was fitted with larger Michelin tires (Pilot Super Sport tires for the Z06; Sport Cup 2 tires with the Z07 package). The P285/30ZR19 front tires are 1.5 inches wider than the tires on the Stingray, while the 335/25ZR20 rear tires are two inches wider.

And to cover the wider tire tread, the fenders of the Z06 were extended by 2.2 inches (56 mm) at the front, and 3.15 inches (80 mm) at the rear. These extensions give the Corvette Z06 a wider, lower appearance further emphasized by a unique rear fascia. It incorporates the same taillamp assemblies as the Stingray, but on the Z06 the taillamps are pushed approximately three inches farther apart, toward the edges of the body.

"Practically every exterior change served a functional purpose, as this beast needed more of everything," said Tom Peters, Corvette design director. "The flared fenders accommodate larger, wider wheels and tires for more grip. The larger vents provide more cooling air to the engine, brakes, transmission and differential for increased track capability. The more aggressive aerodynamic package generates true downforce for more cornering grip and high-speed stability."

The tires are mounted on lightweight, spin-cast aluminum wheels that are also wider than the Stingray (19 x 10 inches in front and 20 x 12 inches in the rear). Their open, ultralight design showcases the massive Brembo brakes, which are part of the design aesthetic:

  • The Z06 features two-piece steel rotors, measuring 14.6 x 1.3-inch (371 x 33 mm) front and 14.4 x 1-inch (365 x 25 mm) rear, with aluminum six-piston and four-piston fixed calipers, respectively
  • The Z07 package adds larger, 15.5 x 1.4-inch (394 x 36 mm) front and 15.3 x 1.3-inch (388 x 33 mm) carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors for consistent performance lap after lap, and collectively save 23 pounds over the standard Z06 rotors.

To harness the cornering and braking grip afforded by the larger tires and brakes, the exterior of the Corvette Z06 is tailored to produce aerodynamic downforce that presses the tires to the ground at high speeds.

The Z06 offers three increasing levels of aerodynamic downforce:

  • The standard Z06 features a front splitter, spats around the front wheel openings, a unique carbon-fiber hood with a larger vent, and a rear spoiler
  • An available carbon-fiber aero package - in either black or a visible carbon-fiber finish - adds a carbon fiber front splitter with aviation-style winglets, carbon fiber rocker panels, and a larger rear spoiler with a fixed wickerbill, which combine to create true aerodynamic downforce
  • The available Z07 package add larger winglets to the front splitter, along with an adjustable, see-through center section on the rear spoiler for track use. With this package, the Corvette Z06 delivers the most aerodynamic downforce of any production car GM has tested.

The exterior design also reflects the increased cooling required for the new Corvette Z06. For example, the mesh pattern on the front fascia was painstakingly designed to deliver the most possible airflow to the supercharger's intercooler heat exchanger, so much so that the mesh grill directs more air into the engine bay than if the grille was removed.

The unique grille also features dedicated brake-cooling intakes and wider grille outlets on the bottom serve as air diffusers. The grille is complemented with a larger hood vent, which vents hot air from the engine compartment and contributes to downforce by allowing air driven through the grille to exit through the hood rather than being forced under the car, which could create lift.

Additional cooling elements include larger front fender vents and unique air blades over the inlets on the rear fenders of Coupe models, which force about 50 percent more air into the cooling ducts for the transmission and differential coolers than those on the Stingray. Convertible models feature under-body inlets. To cope with the additional airflow, Z06 Coupe and Convertible also have larger rear-fascia openings than the Stingray.

Standard front and rear brake-cooling ducts, including Z06-signature rear ducts integrated in front of the rear fender openings, are also part of the functional design changes over Stingray models.

Ten exterior colors are offered: Laguna Blue Tintcoat, Daytona Sunrise Orange Metallic, Velocity Yellow Tintcoat, Arctic White, Blade Silver Metallic, Black, Shark Gray Metallic, Crystal Red Tintcoat, Torch Red and Night Race Blue Metallic.

 


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