‘Corvette Academy’ Returns With a Closer Look at the 2023 Corvette Z06
The long-running Corvette Academy series returns with an explanation of what the new Z06 is all about.
In an attempt to explain the then-new 2020 Corvette to the masses, General Motors rolled out a 23-part YouTube video series dubbed “Corvette Academy” that covered a wide variety of topics, including basic maintenance and how-to clips related to the mid-engine marvel’s many features. Now, the automaker has revived the Corvette Academy series with a new video dubbed “Purpose and Promise,” which explains its goals when developing the 2023 Corvette Z06, as well as the promise it’s making to those that purchase the car.
The first and perhaps most interesting thing this video reveals about that new model is that is isn’t just some gussied-up Stingray with a fancy motor. “Z06 is not an afterthought,” explained Corvette chief engineer Josh Holder. “In fact, the architecture of the mid-engine design was done with the Z06 in mind. They knew that they had to put something special as the heartbeat, which meant that it was time to give it its own engine.”
That engine is, of course, the high-revving, flat-plane crank-equipped 5.5-liter LT6 V8, which produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. “The amount of freedom we were given to design this engine was a unique opportunity,” Holder said. “We make no apologies with these cars – we can take on anything in the world. We are mentioned in the same breath as true exotic supercars that you never, ever associated the Corvette with before.”
Holder notes that the C8 Z06 was designed from the start to be a “street-legal race car,” for the customer that “enjoys the thrill of driving.” However, it isn’t quite as harsh as some of the more hardcore competition already on the market, he says. “It’s super capable, but it doesn’t punish the driver with a harsh ride. It’s just as comfortable taking a high-speed turn on a racetrack as it is taking a leisurely drive down the road to go out to dinner.”
It certainly sounds great, and makes us even more antsy to drive the 2023 Corvette Z06 than we already were. As much as GM is hyping up its latest and greatest creation, we’re betting it’ll be worth the wait.
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