The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is the most powerful and technologically advanced model in the iconic car's 62-year history. The Z06 rejoins the Corvette lineup in 2015 with a strong aluminum frame, an aero package designed to produce performance-enhancing downforce and an all-new, supercharged 6.2L V-8 engine producing 659 horsepower (485 kW) and 881 Nm of torque. The all-new Corvette Z06 is the most powerful production car ever from General Motors and one of a few production cars available in the United States that delivers more than 600 horsepower. With the available Z07 package, the supercar accelerates from 0-100 in 3.4* seconds with the eight-speed automatic and in 3.8* seconds with the seven-speed manual transmission.

To balance performance and efficiency, the Z06 leverages the same trio of advanced technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray – direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing – and leverages them with a new, more efficient supercharger. Combined with the fuel-efficient transmissions, aerodynamic design and lightweight construction, they help make the new Z06 surprisingly frugal.

"The new Corvette Z06's performance and technical capabilities makes it one of today's most desirable supercars," said Thomas Sedran, President and Managing Director, Chevrolet and Cadillac Europe. "It is the first Z06 to offer an eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission and, thanks to a stronger aluminum frame, a removable roof panel. In addition, it is the first time since 1963 that the Z06 is available as a convertible," Sedran added.

First deliveries in Europe this spring

The Z06 coupe will be offered at a suggested retail price of €109,500 while the convertible model will start at €114,500 (retail prices for Germany). The first deliveries to European customers of the Corvette Z06 with manual transmission are expected in spring of 2015 and for the automatic transmission variant in early summer.

The Corvette Z06 is built at GM’s Bowling Green, Kentucky, assembly plant in the U.S.A.

Track-proven structure and technologies

Learnings from the Corvette Racing program were applied directly to the Corvette production version. “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 optional Z07 Performance Package adds even more track capability to the Z06. GM engineers have performed extensive testing at race tracks around the world, including the fabled Nürburgring, to ensure the Z07 package delivers an unparalleled track focused driving experience. The Z07 Performance Package is available for €16,500, adding Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors that improve braking performance and contribute to better handling through reduced unsprung weight. The package adds adjustable front and rear aerodynamic components for unprecedented aerodynamic downforce and Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires for enhanced grip.

The Corvette Z06 also leverages other technologies introduced on the Corvette Stingray, including the strategic use of lightweight materials and advanced driver technologies, with calibrations tailored for its capabilities. The aluminum frame structure, for example, is 20 percent stiffer than the previous, fixed-roof Z06.

Additional technologies support the car's tremendous performance capabilities and enhance the driving experience, including:

Third-generation Magnetic Selective Ride Control dampers are standard and can be adjusted for touring comfort or maximum track performance via the standard Driver Mode Selector;

Performance Traction Management is available in the Track mode of the Drive Mode Selector and offers five settings of torque reduction and brake intervention for track driving;

Launch control is available in Track mode for manual and automatic transmissions, providing maximum off-the-line acceleration;

An electronic limited-slip differential, also standard equipment on Z06, adjusts the rate at which the differential engages, to balance between steering response and stability in different driving conditions with more aggressive performance in Sport and Track modes.

Drivers can monitor the Z06's performance without taking their eyes off the road via a standard color head-up display that, among the range of performance readouts, displays a g-meter in Track mode.

Supercharged performance

The heart of the 2015 Corvette Z06 is the all-new LT4 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine, delivering an SAE-certified 659 horsepower (485 kW) and 881 Nm of torque.

To maintain the Z06’s mass and performance targets, the LT4 engine was designed with a more-efficient, more-compact supercharger. Even with its integrated supercharger/intercooler assembly mounted in the valley between the cylinder heads, the engine is only about one inch (25 mm) taller than the Corvette Stingray’s LT1 engine – while delivering nearly 37 percent more horsepower and 40 percent more torque.

A new 1.7L supercharger spins at up to 20,000 rpm – 5,000 rpm more than the supercharger on the Corvette ZR1’s engine. The rotors are smaller in diameter, which contributes to their higher-rpm capability – and enables them to produce power-enhancing boost earlier in the rpm band. That boost is achieved more efficiently via a more direct discharge port that creates less turbulence, reducing heat and speeding airflow into the engine.

The LT4 engine also has several unique features designed to support its higher output and the greater cylinder pressures created by forced induction, including:

Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads that are stronger and handle heat better than conventional aluminum heads;

Lightweight titanium intake valves;

Machined, forged powder metal steel connecting rods for reduced reciprocating mass
High 10.0:1 compression ratio – for a forced-induction engine – enhances performance and efficiency and is enabled by direct injection;

Forged aluminum pistons with unique, stronger structure to ensure strength under high cylinder pressures;

Stainless steel exhaust manifolds that offer greater structure at higher temperatures
Lightweight aluminum balancer;

Standard dry-sump oiling system with a dual-pressure-control oil pump.

Seven-speed manual and new eight-speed automatic transmissions.

The supercharged LT4 is offered with a standard seven-speed manual transmission with Active Rev Match, or an all-new 8L90 eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission designed to enhance both performance and efficiency.

The seven-speed manual incorporates rev-matching technology for upshifts and downshifts. This driver-selectable feature can be easily engaged or disengaged via paddles on the steering wheel. The seven-speed is used with a new dual-mass flywheel and dual-disc clutch, which deliver greater shift quality and feel through lower inertia.

The eight-speed automatic is tuned for world-class shift-response times, and smaller steps between gears keep the LT4 within the sweet spot of the rpm band, making the most of the output of the supercharged engine for exhilarating performance and greater efficiency.

For performance driving, the transmission offers full manual control via steering wheel paddles, and unique algorithms to deliver shift performance that rivals the dual-clutch/semi-automatic transmissions found in many supercars – but with the smoothness and refinement that come with a conventional automatic fitted with a torque converter.

In fact, the 8L90’s controller analyzes and executes commands 160 times per second, and wide-open throttle upshifts are executed up to eight-hundredths of a second quicker than those of the dual-clutch transmission offered in the Porsche 911.

Featuring four gearsets and five clutches, creative packaging enables the GM-developed eight-speed automatic to fit the same space as the six-speed automatic in the Corvette Stingray. Extensive use of aluminum and magnesium make it more than eight pounds (4 kg) lighter than the six-speed. Along with design features that reduce friction, the 8L90 is expected to contribute up to 5-percent greater efficiency, when compared with a six-speed automatic.

Award-winning Performance Data Recorder

The Z06 also offers the award-winning, industry-first Performance Data Recorder** – or PDR – which enables users to record high-definition video, with telemetry overlays, of their driving experiences on the track.

Introduced in 2014, the Corvette Valet Mode is turned on through the settings menu and activated by entering a unique four-digit code. A confirmation entry of the code simultaneously locks the storage bin behind the center stack display, the glove box and disables the radio and infotainment system.

"The Performance Data Recorder was initially designed as a tool for track days, allowing drivers to record their laps and improve their driving skills," said Harlan Charles, Corvette product manager. "We soon realized the system could have many more applications, such as recording a scenic drive, or recording when the Valet Mode is activated."

With the introduction of the industry-first Performance Data Recorder for 2015, Corvette drivers can now record HD video, in-car audio, and vehicle data – including speed, engine RPM, gear position and g-force – when Valet Mode is active.

The video can be viewed instantly on the Corvette's eight-inch color touchscreen when the car is parked, or downloaded to a computer.

The Performance Data Recorder – or PDR – system was developed with Cosworth, the British motorsports-engineering company that supplies the Corvette Racing team's data acquisition and telemetry electronics systems.

The system includes three major components. First is a 720p, high-definition camera mounted within the windshield header trim, which records the driver's point-of-view through the window. Audio is recorded via a dedicated microphone in the cabin.

Second is a self-contained telemetry recorder. The system utilizes a dedicated GPS receiver and is hardwired into the Stingray's Controller Area Network to access vehicle information.

Finally, the system features a dedicated SD-card slot in the glove box for recording and transferring video and vehicle data. An 8-gigabyte card can record approximately 200 minutes of driving time.

Owners of 2015 Chevrolet Corvettes will feel better about handing over the keys to their car because of the Performance Data Recorder including the Valet Mode with additional video monitoring.

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.”

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 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.

Convertible considerations

There are only minor design changes from the Z06 Coupe to Convertible. The convertible features a fully electronic top that can be lowered remotely using the car’s key fob. The top can also be opened or closed on the go, at speeds of up to 50 km/h.

With the top up, the Z06 Convertible is designed for a refined driving experience. A thick fabric top – offered in four colors – with sound-absorbing padding and a glass rear window contribute to a quiet cabin and premium appearance.

With the top down, the Corvette’s signature profile is further accentuated. Behind the seat backs, dual Carbon Flash-painted or available carbon fiber accent panels enhance the character lines of the tonneau cover. Corvette Stingray’s signature “waterfall” design originates in the valley between the nacelles, bringing the exterior color into the interior.

The power-operated tonneau cover necessitated moving the air intakes for the differential and transmission coolers, from the rear quarter panels on the Z06 Coupe to the underbody of the Z06 Convertible. Otherwise, both models share the same, performance-driven aesthetic.

Interior features

Inside, the Corvette Z06 is distinguished from the Corvette Stingray by unique color schemes that emphasize the driver-focused cockpit, and a unique, flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Like the Stingray, the Z06 will be offered with two seating choices: a GT seat, for all-around comfort, and a Competition Sport seat with more aggressive side bolstering, which provides greater support on the track. The frame structure for both seats is made of magnesium, for greater strength. They’re also more rigid, contributing to the enhanced feeling of support during performance driving.

All models feature a fully-wrapped interior, where every surface is covered with premium, soft-touch materials. Available materials, depending on the trim level, include Nappa leather, aluminum, carbon fiber and micro-suede. There’s even a micro-LED screen for the passenger’s climate control placed below the vent on the dash, away from the performance features on the instrument panel.

The Z06 also benefits from interior details designed for high-performance driving, first introduced on the Stingray, including a steel-reinforced grab bar on the center console for the passenger and soft-touch materials on the edge of the console, where the driver naturally braces during high-load cornering.