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[Z06] C5 Z06 performance figures

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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 06:06 AM
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Default C5 Z06 performance figures

I have seen many different performance figures for stock C5 Z06.
Some were as low as mid 11s and some were in the high 12s.
I looked in different publications, magazines and webb sites included the Z06 fast list here and find it a little bit confusing.

I have a stock 2003 C5 Z06 that has never been touched or modded.
The car is in the exact shape that it left the factory in.
Assumed in complete original condition, no mods like filters, tires/slicks, exhaust or anything else.

How fast really is my car in the hands of the right driver?
What should it run?
I mean quartermile+Trapspeed, 0-60, top speed?
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 06:23 AM
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That's a difficult question to answer, because different reviews usually have different test drivers and some variation is to be expected; additionally not all cars (and Z's) are created equal. I believe that some might inherently be just a bit faster (or slower) than others.

With that being said, I've always put a lot of stock into Car and Driver's reviews, and they are pretty consistent with other major reviewers in most cases.

in the Z06 FAQ, I found this exerpt from the C&D article regarding the 2002 Z06 (which your 2003 Z is essentially identical to):

Originally Posted by C&D Article
A weird thing happened the first time we tested the newly fortified Z06 ("Supertuner Challenge," September 2001). The 405-hp 2002 Z06 was surprisingly less spry than the 385-hp 2001 Z06. We guessed that a slippery launch surface was to blame, so we acquired another example for more tests.
We were right. The updated Z06 obliterates the previous one. Zero to 60 mph your thing? The new car scampers there in four seconds flat, 0.3 second quicker than the quickest '01 Z06 we tested and only 0.1 behind the four-wheel-drive 911 Turbo.

In the quarter-mile there's an even bigger difference. The new car did it in 12.4 seconds at 116 mph, whereas the 385-hp car needed 12.7 seconds to hit 113 mph. For an only five-percent increase in power, the new Z06 certainly extracts quite a bit. For the record, both cars we're comparing here were tested by the same driver using the same test equipment.


A ringer? Perhaps, but Chevy claims the car will sprint to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds—0.1 second quicker than what we achieved. We couldn't match the company's times for the 2001 Z06, either, but this time we're much closer, exactly matching the time and speed predicted for the quarter-mile. During our "Supertuner Challenge," we learned that at least one GM guy, John Heinricy, can bang off clutchless upshifts. It's very possible our 60-mph time is a tick off simply because we use the clutch for every upshift.
That article did not mention top speed, however I believe I've read elsewhere that the top speed is about 171 mph, in 5th gear. 6th gear is not strong enough to hit the RPM's needed to exceed 171 mph.
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 09:24 AM
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The fastest magazine test for the 405 hp Z's was from GM High performance they had it at 11.80's or 11.90's in the quarter. Most other mags had it at 12.4 which is pretty normal. It depends a ton on the driver and how familiar he is with the car. So your car should be in the following ranges. 0-60 in the 3.9 to 4.1 area quarter in the 12.4-12.6, and the top speed is 175 ish. Some people claim more, but stock gearing and redline in 5th gear puts you in that ballpark. Enjoy the car!

Don
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 10:22 AM
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You will want to check the Sticky at the top of this section titled "C5 Z06 fast list"...... there is a bone stock catagory there, you can see real world results from drivers who have run the car, there is also some video and links to the actual slips from the track. Keep in mind that different locations in the country can produce different results since altitude and weather can be different...... these variables can have a signifigant effect
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 10:54 AM
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The fastest magazine test for the 405 hp Z's was from GM High performance they had it at 11.80's or 11.90's in the quarter.
QS!
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 11:02 AM
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It's great to watch the evolution of the term "supercar." Our completely stock Z06 times would have been almost unheard of 10-15+ years ago.
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by dwjz06
The fastest magazine test for the 405 hp Z's was from GM High performance they had it at 11.80's or 11.90's in the quarter. Most other mags had it at 12.4 which is pretty normal. It depends a ton on the driver and how familiar he is with the car. So your car should be in the following ranges. 0-60 in the 3.9 to 4.1 area quarter in the 12.4-12.6, and the top speed is 175 ish. Some people claim more, but stock gearing and redline in 5th gear puts you in that ballpark. Enjoy the car!

Don
I have seen online some Videos how stock C5 Z06s hit 185mph in topspeed and I have a memory of seing that in one of the car magazines too, I think it was Road&Track or Car&Driver some years ago. Either way, it was one of the reputable car publications.

Is that possible?
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 04:02 PM
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Originally Posted by GTA-nitz
I have seen online some Videos how stock C5 Z06s hit 185mph in topspeed and I have a memory of seing that in one of the car magazines too, I think it was Road&Track or Car&Driver some years ago. Either way, it was one of the reputable car publications.

Is that possible?
I would like to see the video you speak of. Without some serious Aero help or some gearing changed I do not think it is possible. The math has been done many times. 5th gear 6500 redline=171-175 mph for the most part. If you see it again post it up. The C6 coupes and or the C6Z have no problems with 185 top end runs. Don
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by dwjz06
I would like to see the video you speak of. Without some serious Aero help or some gearing changed I do not think it is possible. The math has been done many times. 5th gear 6500 redline=171-175 mph for the most part. If you see it again post it up. The C6 coupes and or the C6Z have no problems with 185 top end runs. Don
I have seen these videos allover you-tube and other sources that i cant remember on top of my head right now.
There is one video that I remember very well when the car very slowly towards the end but surely finally gets to 185 mph.
Then I read about it in one of my magazines, I think it was a Road&Track when the car actually came out.
They did a coverige on the car and back then I couldnt even dream of having this car but I bought the magazine since I collect them so still have it somewhere in my car magazine stack.

Did you ever try the topspeed of your Z?
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 04:46 PM
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Back a few years ago, before threads were locked for talking about top speeds ... 179 MPH in 5th was quite common. When I dyno'd mine, red-line in 5th was 179 MPH, so I suspect that might be pretty close.
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Old Feb 7, 2008 | 05:03 PM
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At those type of speeds seeing ~5mph up or down variation on the speedo is very possible from one car to another.
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Old Feb 8, 2008 | 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by MVR 155
At those type of speeds seeing ~5mph up or down variation on the speedo is very possible from one car to another.
Someone mentioned that the Z06 doesnt have enough power to keep pulling in 6th due to gearing but comparing in to the ZR-1 that I almost got before I bought this, has a much lower rpms in 6th than the Z06 and still pulled some in 6th gear with the same amount of power.

6th in a ZR-1 was completely useless under 100 mph while im still cruising around in 6th in my Z06 at 50 mph,
and the Z06 is lighter.

Shouldn't the Z06 still pull some in 6th too?
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Old Feb 8, 2008 | 10:11 PM
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Actually that silver Z in GM High Tech was an 04, so it would be Machine Silver,sorry Quick Silver Z.
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 03:28 AM
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Default enviroment..............

Testing ( when talking tenths and thousants of a second) is also subject to the enviroment i.e. altitude, air density, humidity, ambient air temp, track surface, ect.. Here at 3800 ft elevation I lose 30 hp but because of the forest I would like to think that I have good oxygen content LOL
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 09:05 AM
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Actually that silver Z in GM High Tech was an 04, so it would be Machine Silver,sorry Quick Silver Z.
Could be I have to check my laptop to see if I still have the article. What else is wrong with that picture, eagle eye?
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 09:13 AM
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For a stock ZR-1 a high speed run would be done in 5th as well. I have run my ZR-1 to red line in 5th (~185mph) with 4:09 rear end. It took 1 mile from a dead stop to get there. After shifting to 6th gear it took probably another 2 miles to get it up to ~193mph. This is with 530 rwhp. I doubt a stock ZR-1 or Z06 would pull 6th gear at 180.

Originally Posted by GTA-nitz
Someone mentioned that the Z06 doesnt have enough power to keep pulling in 6th due to gearing but comparing in to the ZR-1 that I almost got before I bought this, has a much lower rpms in 6th than the Z06 and still pulled some in 6th gear with the same amount of power.

6th in a ZR-1 was completely useless under 100 mph while im still cruising around in 6th in my Z06 at 50 mph,
and the Z06 is lighter.

Shouldn't the Z06 still pull some in 6th too?
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 10:09 AM
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top speed = 5th gear.
i have footage somewhere of a stock z0 pulling to 174mph and holding it like a rock. it would NOT budge more.. Very much hp limited.
the same car with bolt ons and a cam (432 rwhp) would pull to 185 mph (7200 in 5th) with NO problem at all.. it was still pulling hard. it wouldnt pull 6th that high.

you might want to look at the " top speed" thread in this section
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 11:37 AM
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Originally Posted by GTA-nitz
I have seen many different performance figures for stock C5 Z06.
Some were as low as mid 11s and some were in the high 12s.
I looked in different publications, magazines and webb sites included the Z06 fast list here and find it a little bit confusing.

I have a stock 2003 C5 Z06 that has never been touched or modded.
The car is in the exact shape that it left the factory in.
Assumed in complete original condition, no mods like filters, tires/slicks, exhaust or anything else.

How fast really is my car in the hands of the right driver?
What should it run?
I mean quartermile+Trapspeed, 0-60, top speed?
11.7X- best recorded
119mph-best recorded
low 4's
175ish
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 03:06 PM
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Originally Posted by robz
11.7X- best recorded
119mph-best recorded
low 4's
175ish
Well said man of few words. As for our 0-60 mph, what would a 1.76 60' with a 93.12 mph 1/8 mile trap speed produce? I think it was in the mid 3's based on the racing calculators. I'm not sure how accurate they are. What do you think?
BTW- Hope to see you at Atco on 3/9.
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Old Feb 9, 2008 | 03:11 PM
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Originally Posted by GTA-nitz
I have seen many different performance figures for stock C5 Z06.
Some were as low as mid 11s and some were in the high 12s.
I don't think any bone stock C5 Z06 has ever been in the "low 11s". More like the low 12s and very high 11s from what I've seen.
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