[1]Hitting the hot sticky pavement soon, consumers will see a bangin 650 hp and fuel efficient Corvette Z06. With government mandates in place, the engineers over at Chevrolet [2] are locking things down and taking the upcoming all-new LT4 6.2L supercharged Z06 Vette to another level in performance.
[3]A high performance ride that will deliver better gas mileage, the new Z06 will also be the highest horsepower vehicle ever produced by General Motors. Combining direct injection, active fuel management, or cylinder deactivation, and continuously variable valve timing, these technologies make for a more fuel-efficient design. Trumping the lower powered 2013 Z06, which on average is getting a respectable 24 mpg, the latest edition of the Z06 will outdo this.
With a new eight-speed paddle shift automatic transmission, the Z06 will provide for a smoother ride on and off the track. Outdoing the dual-clutch automatic Porsche 911 Turbo S, what is even more attractive to ponder is the new Z06 will have an additional 90 hp and 134 lb-ft of torque more than the more expensive Porsche 911 according to Larry Nitz, GM’s chief engineer for transmissions.
[4]With the weight of the Z06 being around 220 pounds more than its Stingray counterpart, it will still weigh less than the 911 thanks to the new lightweight aluminum frame in place.
On the stranger side of news, there are rumors of a possible higher performing 10-speed Stingray that could be in the works. GM and Ford are collaborating on a new generation of nine and 10 speed automatic transmissions with one to make its debut in late 2015. Ford is engineering the 10-speeds to be used in rear-wheel-drive vehicles, while GM is working on the nine-speeds for front and all-wheel-drive vehicles. Keep in mind the Corvette is a rear-wheel drive car so it is looking hopeful that a 10-speed version will be hitting the streets in the future. An interesting concept– what are your thoughts on a Ford and Chevy collaboration?