rx7boricua

Is the ZR1 an awesome car? We all know it is. When it comes time for me to purchase a Corvette when I return to the states, what will I choose? Well friends, I will go with a Z06. After several years spent as a military contractor working overseas, I will have the ability to afford either one, but to me the Z06 is far superior. You're probably reading this wondering why I dislike the ZR1. Well, I'm going to tell you. I feel cheated. GM has done a great job putting together a world-class supercar for a bargain price, but I still feel cheated. I was hoping for a lot more from GM.

Let's rewind back to the release of the C6 a few years ago. At the time, I was just coming out to the Middle East, and I told myself that I would be getting a C5 Z06 upon my return. To me it was the epitome of performance for dollar. The C6 was released after lots of waiting, rumors, spy shots, etc. When I first saw it, I wasn't impressed. It was kind of plain looking, and I decided that I still wanted the C5 Z06. Right after the C6 dropped, we all began hearing about the new Z06 that was coming out for MY06. The rumors began, the spyshots rolled in, little bits of information began trickling in from everywhere.

Finally, GM released it. There it was, in all its glory. Bred from the C6R. 505hp. Handbuilt 427ci LS7 race engine. Dry sump oil system. Aluminum frame. Wider carbon fiber front fenders. Huge brakes. Wider wheels/tires. Magnesium components. The upgrades to the normal C6 were substantial and the car blew everyone away. Immediately I was smitten. The last time I felt such passion for a car was when Mazda released the 3rd generation RX-7 for MY93. I completely forgot about the C5 Z06. I wanted a C6 Z06, I needed one. I just had to have one. GM did everything right with the car, and to this day there is nothing at its price point that can compete with it.

Immediately after the release of the C6 Z06, we began hearing whispers of this new "super vette" that was being developed. We heard rumors of a mid-engined, carbon fiber-bodied supercar that was going to eat lightning, crap thunder, and chew up and spit out anything that dared challenge it. When we began seeing spyshots of the "Blue Devil/Corvette SS" cars running around, we all figured it was just a test mule for the new beast. GM pulled a fast one on us, it was the actual car. We just didn't know it. We were expecting something completely extraordinary.

Fast forward again to a few weeks ago. The ZR1 gets released. We all ogled it and individuals immediately started planning to take out second mortgages to purchase one. The first production car just sold for a cool million dollars. I for one was not impressed at all. I look at what GM did to the C6 to make it a Z06, and that impresses me. The ZR1 is nothing more than a Z06 with a supercharged version of the 6.2L from the C6. I feel no passion at all for this car. They just put bigger wheels/tires on it, a bunch of visual carbon fiber goodies on it (most of which don't help performance at all), and that godawful polycarbonate window in the hood. At first I thought that the carbon ceramic brakes and magnetic shocks were pretty cool, but after several discussions on this forum, I've come to realized they're really not much better than iron rotors, and I don't even want to know how much it will cost to replace them. The magnetic shocks don't really do anything for performance, the only thing they offer is a smoother, softer ride on the street to make the car easier to drive for the age demographic that will be able to afford the car. This is not the supercar that I was expecting at all. We've all been bamboozled and hoodwinked by GM. I'm disappointed that this is all they could come up with. On the other hand, I guess this goes to show that there wasn't really any room for improvement over our beloved Z06.

This is why I will be purchasing a Z06 and not a ZR1. GM has disappointed me with the ZR1, and I hope they learn from this mistake when they develop the C7 corvette.

I know this was quite long, and I thank you for reading.

Jose

Hawkeye2

Interesting opinion. I'll hold judgement till I see the performance
numbers. Not the magazine numbers, but the real ones from owners
on the street.

As for the looks, a little gimicky for me, but it could grow on you.

Sparky65

I respect your opinions and will regard them as such. But, as far as "GM learning from their mistake" goes, it is my opinion that the ZR1 will be a success if for no other reason than all the hype & hoopla that preceeded it! That will be all that matters in the end.

Leo the Lion

Opinions are like azz holes, everyone has one. Your thread is way to long, too many words and hard to read.

Hear's my opinion, if you don't have anything good to say about the Zr1then don't say anything at all about it. I do totally respect that you don't like it Sir however everyone of these cars will be sold so at least 2000 guys or girls will totally disagree with your opinion and that's all that matters to GM and the Chevy dealers.

Have a safe journey and I hope you return to the states safe and sound and make the Z06 purchase you mention.

Later

John Shiels

I think you have no clue what the performance will be like and I doubt GM will let this be a let down.

Dizz

So maybe someone has A.D.D. and can't comprehend more than a balloon over a comic frame, or perhaps feels that one can't express his opinions if they have something negative to say. Last time I checked, I was living in the USA.

iw172

rx7boricua

I'm sure it will be a success, as there are people out there that would buy it even if MSRP was 200-250K. I'm sure people will be paying that much for the first few cars. I'm sure the performance will be awesome, but so is the Z06's. I doubt, however, that the ZR1's performance will be less improved over the Z06's than the Z06's is over the C6.

Leo, I'm sorry that my post was too long for you. I had a lot of information that I wanted to convey. Imagine the poopstorm that would've developed had I simply gone the way of other posters here and said, "Z06s RULE, ZR1s SUCK! WOOOO!!!" without any reasoning to back up my feelings. Why should I keep my mouth shut if I have nothing good to say? I did say that the ZR1 will be a beast, that's a good thing to say. I think you're missing my original point. GM took a shortcut when developing the ZR1. They didn't go completely nuts with the car like they did with the Z06. The Z06 was developed by car nuts like us. The ZR1 was developed by a bunch of guys who thought we wanted a hood window and a carbon fiber roof. It just doesn't trigger those special feelings in me that the Z06 did when it came out.

I have never put the car's performance down. We all know it will be absolutely sick. I just think GM was lazy with this car, that's all.

Jose

outnumbered

I have no problem with you speaking your opinions here. That's is what a free country and an open forum is all about.

What? Are we suppose to only talk about how great a car is.

IMO the problem with the ZR1 is going to be the price tag. It appears to be a cool car and very fast which is great. Using the Z06 platform only makes sense. It would be insane to make an entirely different car.

Most manufactures use existing platforms for up scaled versions.

Back to the price. At 100k plus, (yet to be announced), is a huge price for an American car IMO. The overall build quality just doesn't cut it. This price level is approaching many great and exotic cars. Speed is great but it's not everything.

skudlw

What a dork! Is he some commi or what? This is a forum and if this guy doesn't like opinions, perhaps he should move on and not participate.

rx7boricua

I completely agree with you. I just feel that GM skimped on the car. Take a look at the Callaway C16 Coupe. While I don't completely agree with Callaway's style in the looks department, it shows that it would not be at all difficult for GM to change the front and rear of the car in order to give it an entirely new look using the existing Z06 platform. Regarding the price, I'm totally with you. For the price GM wants to fetch for the ZR1, I would expect a bit more inside the car than some new embroidery and a boost gauge. No matter how hard I try to like the ZR1, it just does nothing for me. It's still a great car, and will sell very well. I guess I'll just have to settle for my lowly Z06.

Jose

hulksdaddy

I agree with much of what the OP said. The ZR1 is going to be a great car, no doubt. I think this is just a case of reality not living up to the hype.

One of the things that bothers me is losing the Z06's 50/50 balance. Wonder what that will do to it's track times.

hulksdaddy

One other thing. For those who, for some bizarre reason, believe the OP should not be allowed to express his opinion in his thread, why did you read it? The title told you what it was about. You should have just ignored it and went to a ZR1 lovefest thread. Plenty of those.

rx7boricua

Thank you hulksdaddy. Those are a few other issues that I neglected to bring up. 200lbs heavier than a Z06, loss of 50/50 weight distribution. They definitely stepped backwards in some areas, things that are an integral part of making a sports car what it is: lightweight, well balanced, nimble. While the weight issue isn't that big of a deal to many, it is to me. My RX7 currently weighs 2550 with a 1/4 tank of gas in it without driver, down from 2800lbs stock. I yanked the AC, PS, and rear bin assembly out in the interest of saving weight. I do admit that I started becoming a bit obsessed at one point.

Jose

Poor-sha

The ZR1 is nice and I'm interested to see how it performs. I'm not sure that the C7 is going to be a step forward - more like sideways - but who knows.

http://www.leftlanenews.com/corvette...gulations.html

Corvette to downsize due to new CAFE regulations

The next-generation Corvette — scheduled to bow in 2012 — could be lighter and less powerful than the current model, thanks to stricter CAFE regulations. The current Corvette lineup includes the 430 horsepower base car and the 505 horsepower Z06. Chevrolet also took the wraps off of its 620 horsepower 2009 Corvette ZR1 at the Detroit Auto Show last week.

The new CAFE regulations have Chevrolet engineers thinking more about an environmentally friendly Corvette than a 700 horsepower one. "What's going to be more important is fuel economy, carbon footprint and green," Tom Wallace, vehicle line executive for the Corvette, told Automotive News. "We have already paid a lot of attention to those areas. Where we can pay more attention is pounds per horsepower."

Wallace added: "I don't think we're going to design a 700 horsepower Corvette."

Instead, Wallace says the next Corvette will have a heavy emphasis on pounds per horsepower. Although no figures are set, Wallace said that if the C7 Corvette were to shed 300 or 400 pounds, it could use a 4.7L V8 with 150 less horsepower than found in the 2008 models and still maintain the same performance. Lighter weight would also translate into better handling.

No word on how the new CAFE regulations have impacted the possibility of a mid-engine C7.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

Jose, I read your post, found it easy to read, with paragraphs seperated and well thought out ideas and points.

I agree with much of what you say in your post. Especially the parts about the interior in a car at a 6 figure price point. And I have also read a few of the posts on the practicality/cost of these brakes for people who plan on tracking the car.

I look at the car, and appearance wise, I see a C6 with a body kit and different hood on it. Thats all I see.

The 620HP, certainly nice to have for bragging rights, but I wonder how much of it can actually be used on most road courses, or on most drag strips without a tire change.

Finally, I wonder how many of these we are actually going to see at the track. Be it a road course or dragstrip.

I go to my local course and I see Porsches galore, Lotus Exiges, Elises, Evos, WRX STi, Coopers, M3s, Vipers, C5 Z06s, C6 Z06s and C6s.

By far, I see more Porsches and C5 Z06s at the track/road course than anything else.

At the drag strip, the demographic is a bit different.

So I wonder how many "real world track/drag strip reports" about this thing we are really going to get.

Who is going to put on a set of R compound tires and run it. Who is going to put on a set of drag radials and run it?

I think it will be awhile before we see anything than magazine numbers and "estimates".

That said, I am very excited about the ZR1. But I am immensely glad that I have my Z06.

Another point I'd make is this: I think the Z06 is more practical/cost effective for the track, and people who like to do 3-5 HPDEs per year and an occasional trip to the drag strip. The Z51 C6, or C5 Z06, is probably even more practical still for such purposes. They are relatively cheap to run and parts are plentiful if needed and they are relatively inexpensive to repair. I don't know if the same will be true for the ZR1.

DSOM Z06

Valid points made. To me supercharging an LS3 is not superior to an LS7. Forge the LS7 and it too can make crazy boosted power. The other touches aside, at the price point the ZR1 will command there are other choices out there. Yes certain Corvette people would blindly buy the "greatest" Corvette of them all so I'm sure that GM isn't worried about sales. Like the OP states the differences between the ZR1 and Z06 do not excite me to immediately dump my Z for a ZR1. Most parts will be available as direct bolt-ons for the Z06 in time anyway. If you are strictlt buying as an investment well then that is a different story.

augydog

Excellent writeup, you told it like it is

I always wanted a 427, but couldn't afford one back in the '60's, finally got one in 2007.

I'm keeping my Z06 until something that blows my socks off comes out.

augydog

ileed

The entire thread is good reading, with excellent comments.

I agree with the "no big deal" thing.

My thing is I like my 427. Jim Hall told them to use a 427, and for some reason they did. But I like my 427. I want my LS7. So the others can wait. I like my 427.

back 40

^^^^^^What he said.