2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Episode 3423 , Episode 3440
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

The all-new 7th generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is a terrific sports car. But, it’s just the beginning to the latest Corvette chapter. No sooner did we drive the Stingray then Chevy started teasing us with their next installment: the Z06! It’s been a year of waiting. But, now the wait is over.

Truth be told, we would have done just about anything to get some track time in the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06. Turns out all we had to do was say yes to Chevrolet’s invitation and hop on a plane to Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch near Las Vegas, Nevada. 

What awaited us there was 650–horsepower worth of torqued up Corvette ready to romp and roll. 

Easing up to speed on the track, this Z06 has a familiar feel that any Corvette owner would quickly recognize. As we became more attuned with the track and the car, lap times started falling, tires started protesting, and smiles became perma-blasted on our faces.

There’s certainly a nasty streak within’ this heavily tweaked Stingray that’s more than willing to be unleashed. 

The Z06’s aluminum chassis is, for the first time, produced in house at Bowling Green Corvette Central. And, due to its extremely stiff nature, no further updates are needed for the C7.R race car.

The short/long arm, double wishbone, transverse composite spring suspension design carries over from the Stingray, but gets recalibrated; and standard Magnetic Ride Control takes care of the rest. 

For those more interested in track time than cruise time, a Z07 performance package elevates things to a whole new level. It includes additional and adjustable aero-elements for greater downforce, carbon-ceramic brake rotors, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. Helping maintain that unreasonable amount of grip is Performance Track Management and a multi-mode electronic limited slip differential.

Giving power to these random acts of performance is a 6.2-liter LT4 V8 with plenty of extra massaging done by the powertrain professionals at GM’s Tonawanda engine shop. And thanks to a first ever in a Z06 supercharger, output is 650–horsepower and 650 lb-ft. of torque. Expect 0-60 times to be under 3-seconds, of course.  You can stick with the standard rev-matching 7-speed manual transmission, or opt for a paddle shifted 8-speed automatic. 

You’ll have no problem picking this smooth criminal out of a line-up, as Chevrolet has tacked on a wealth of add-ons in the name of ultimate down-force creation. If you like your performance cars to be a little subtle, look elsewhere. Meanwhile we’ll be taking a 2nd and 3rd look at this ‘vette’s wacked out lines and performance enhancements.

There are new fascias front and rear, a front splitter, unique hood, and rear spoiler. And of course all of those aero elements; some standard, some part of the carbon-fiber aero package, and some part of the Z07 package. 

The fenders are extended 2-inches in front, 3-inches in the rear; to cover the wheels wearing 285/30/19 rubber in the fore, and 335/25/20 aft. If you don’t opt for the Z07 Performance Package, you’ll still be happy with the standard 14-inch steel Brembos. 

Unlike before, the body is not hardtop only, rather the customary removable roof panel arrangement of the standard Stingray, and even a convertible is available this time around. 

Inside, there are the unique colors, carbon fiber treatment, and the flat-bottomed steering wheel embellishments that you might expect; but what you might not be prepared for is the available luxury type amenities like high-end leather, 8-inch MyLink with navigation, and Bose audio. 

And by now you’ve probably heard of the available onboard Performance Data Recorder developed by Cosworth. Which consists of a high-def. camera in the windshield header, a telemetry recorder with GPS, and an SD recorder. Essentially, it provides you with motorsports-level telemetry and allows you to record your exploits for bragging rights, or perhaps for evidence. 

But even with all of the Z06’s capabilities and track-ready tech, street time is almost equally as rewarding as track time. Ride quality can be smoothed out with a turn of the dial, and seats offer enough comfort to seek out car shows at distant locals. 

The 7-speed manual’s Government Fuel Economy Ratings of 15-City, 22-Highway, and 18-Combined will allow you to eat up plenty of miles or laps before pit stops are necessary. The 8-speed auto however, at 13-City, 21-Highway, and 16-Combined will get you a Gas Guzzler tax. 

Still, base pricing of $78,995 clearly puts the Z06 in a class of its own, well below its purely exotic rivals. Convertibles sticker for 5-grand more. No other car on the road can even come close to matching this car’s level of performance for the price. 

So while the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 may have been the ride we were eagerly looking forward to the most, and Chevrolet was gracious enough to oblige, AND it was everything we hoped it would be; it did get us thinking a bit… how awesome would a new ZR1 be?

Specifications

  • Engine: 6.2 liter
  • Horsepower: 650
  • Torque: 650 lb-ft.
  • 0-60 mph: 2.9 seconds
  • EPA: 15 mpg city/ 22 mpg highway
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance 1

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance

Up For Grand Touring Around A Racetrack

Episode 4329
Auto Value and Bumper to BumperTire Rack "The Way Tire Buying Should Be"

In recent years, Audi has done an increasingly better job at merging luxury, high tech and sportiness equally into all of their vehicles, but that doesn’t mean they all have the same priorities. So, if you’re wondering what this car is all about… well, it’s right there in the name, the Audi RS 7 Performance!

First and foremost, the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance is absolutely fantastic looking. A gorgeous car from all angles. But this posh performer is a lot more than just a visual treat. Under its silky skin lies a menacing sounding V8 that delivers insane amounts of power and, as we discovered, a gloriously intoxicating driving experience.

RS elements added to Audi’s S7 five-door coupe include new aero treatments with a matte gray finish and silver 21-inch Audi Sport wheels. Those silver wheels are wrapped with 275 Continental summer performance tires and allow for seeing plenty of the enormous brake rotors with black-painted calipers. Up front, there’s a wide grille inhaling all kinds of air and headlights with uniqueness that’s pure Audi. This five-door coupe with frameless door windows speaks a true hardtop design.

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Now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, time to hit the corners of Savannah’s Roebling Road Raceway, and it’s been quite some time since we’ve had anything here or on any road course that exhibited this much body roll. It didn’t matter what drive mode we had dialed in, it just liked to roll. You could sense that soft suspension in our acceleration runs too. Bystanders got a clear view of a lot of its hardware, thanks to major rear-end squatting as it exploded off the line. Those explosions resulted in a quick 3.7-second trip to 60 miles-per-hour and full quarter-mile runs of 11.9 seconds at 118 miles-per-hour. Fast indeed, though we’re sure both times would improve in warmer temps than our 40-degree test day.

Drive modes have been recalibrated and shifts by the eight-speed Tiptronic in Dynamic Mode are quick. Indeed, noticeably quicker and firmer than in the RS6 wagon we tested just a few months ago without the “performance” treatment. Quattro all-wheel drive is standard.

We’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners.

The driving force for that acceleration is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cranking out an additional 30 horsepower from the standard RS 7 thanks to installing bigger turbos. That makes for a 621-horsepower rating, with an even more impressive boost in torque from 590 to 627 lb-ft. And Audi was kind enough to remove a little sound deadening material so we can appreciate it even more through the optional RS sport exhaust system.

For what is really a Grand Tourer built for blasting you away on luxurious adventures, the RS 7 performance is amazingly track capable. Steering is very direct with great feel, and all four wheels are engaged in the process. They’re connected to a new mechanical self-locking center differential that is not only capable of handling the additional power but is lighter and quicker to respond. Chassis software has been recalibrated to make it all work together seamlessly. There must be some serious engineering wizardry happening in the RS-tuned air suspension as we’ve never experienced a car that can feel this soft yet was absolutely point-and-shoot through corners. Brakes were truly phenomenal too; there was some significant nosedive happening, but no wandering or fading no matter how hard we worked them.

And yes, it’s hard to call this actual work, considering this work environment is far from hostile. Absolutely nothing has been compromised when it comes to delivering the luxury car experience you expect from a six-figure Audi. Whether it’s the fabulous real metal, leather, and detailed woven carbon-fiber materials or the fine stitch-work and the always impressive comprehensive digital gauge display, the RS 7 performance feels truly special inside.

2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine
2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Dash2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Shifter2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Seat2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Trunk2024 Audi RS 7 Performance Engine

The front seats were supremely comfortable and were only mildly bolstered yet held us in place just fine out on the track. Plenty of room for rear seat passengers too, and there’s even a great 24.6 cubic-feet of cargo space with hatchback versatility. Less practical is all touchscreen all the time for just about every cockpit control.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 14 City, 22 Highway, and 17 Combined. That’s a below average Energy Impact Score of 17.5 barrels of yearly oil use with 8.8 tons of CO2 emissions.

Pricing starts at $129,490, and Audi knows they have a good thing going with the RS 7 performance; so much so, it’s now the only RS 7.

So, could they have just made the RS 7 better instead of tacking “performance” onto the name? Sure, but there’s just something about adding performance to a car name that draws people in. And when it backs it up by delivering more actual performance, well, that’s what we call a win-win. We’d be happy to run some victory laps in the 2024 Audi RS 7 Performance anytime.

Specifications

  • Engine: 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8
  • Horsepower: 621
  • 0-60 mph: 3.7 seconds
  • EPA: 14 City | 22 Highway | 17 Combined
  • Transmission: 8-speed automatic
  • Torque: 627 lb-ft.
  • 1/4 Mile: 11.9 seconds at 118 mph
  • Starting Price: $129,490