One of the more attention-grabbing changes that GM applied to the 2023 Corvette Z06 to help further differentiate it from the standard Stingray is the quad-tip, center-exit exhaust. This exhaust setup not only looks great, but ensures the Z06 has the kind of refined, exotic exhaust note to back up its world-beating performance.
Corvette chief engineer Josh Holder offered up some more information on the 2023 Corvette Z06 center-exit exhaust during a recent presentation at the National Corvette Museum Bash in Bowling Green, Kentucky. A key feature of this system, according to Holder, is the unique exhaust pipe architecture that accentuates the sound of the flat-plane crank engine. These exhaust pipes are also quite large in diameter to maximize flow and reduce engine backpressure.
Additionally, the Corvette Z06’s center-exit exhaust system features continually variable valves. These valves can be moved in two-degree increments, giving them more adjustability than the two-mode valves used on previous Corvette models and allowing Chevy to fine-tune the exhaust note in each of the Z06’s drive modes. As an added bonus, this exhaust system is a full 20 pounds lighter than the optional Performance Exhaust for the C8 Corvette Stingray, despite being more sophisticated.
Holder said the exhaust system was a focus of the C8 Corvette Z06 program from the very beginning and became a source of great pride for the engineering team during the development process.
“The team spent a lot of time focused on the sound of the Z06, that was one of the missions of the car from the very beginning,” Holder said. “As we first got our integration vehicles out on the road, our early prototypes, a number of us would stand by and take turns getting into the car and drive by with the engine running at full fury and just giggle.”
While this exhaust system will come standard on the 2023 Corvette Z06 here in North America, customers in Europe and certain other global markets will have to make do with a Stingray-style outboard setup. This is because these markets require cars to have a gas particulate filter, which cannot be integrated into the unique center-exit setup due to the tight rear packaging on the mid-engine Corvette.
2023 Corvette Z06 with outboard exhaust setup
Power the 2023 Corvette Z06 comes from a naturally aspirated 5.5L V8 LT6 gasoline engine, which is rated at 670 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Output is routed to the rear wheels through the revised GM eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission co-developed with Tremec.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 will enter production at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky later this year. Pricing has yet to be announced.
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Comments
Might well call these Dragons, as in mythical, seen, but never captured.
I still suspect wealthy A list customers are being shipped Z06′ , the rest of us are
just not worthy.
I have a 22 HTC, great car and waiting on the Z06..I don’t understand why GM doesn’t post the pricing info on the car…enough HYPE is out there.. Why the big delay on price, we all understand the parts problems and the delay it has caused in getting the car on line.
Maybe inflation??? the new C8 base price just went up
it is still months from production(Z06) and the economy is changing quickly right now
so many prices are adjusting for inflation and there may be more to come
I purchased a 2022 Denali 6.2 truck
Getting 13 mpg highway, dealer laughed at me and said that was normal
Congratulations?
I bought a new blender and I am not happy with the margarita’s it makes, so I know where you are coming from
Will be interesting to see what the reliability of this system is considering all the moving parts in an EXHAUST system
As a retired GM employee of over38 years, I can tell you that this exhaust system (as in other developed systems expressly for the Corvette over the years) is about as good as it gets from an engineering/ factory designed level and yet, there will be those who will attempt to “improve” this exhaust system by (ready for this) replacing it with some over the counter system that will cost them many thousands of dollars and not produce the results that this stock system will produce. While it is a “given” (tradition?) that folks will always try new products in their Corvette’s (and it is welcomed in many instances, trust me Corvette Engineering doesn’t know everything, but they come damn close in many instances spending lots of time and money to make it as good as it can) and in some instances (like with this Z06 exhaust) you might just be better off “leaving this part alone” and not spending thousands more to make it less effective, but then again, some will try to improve this part and if they can improve it, the results will be miniscule at best, but may be touted as being “an improvement” anyway…I’ll wait to pass judgement when I can see this for myself. In the meantime, I’m sure that there will be other “Z06 parts” that’ll be removed and many attempt’s made to improve those particular and expressly designed, engineered, and manufactured Z06 parts. Like I said, it’s a “Tradition” to try and improve the breed among Corvette Hot Rodders.
Have fun spending large amounts of cash trying to “improve the breed” with over the counter parts, if you can make any sort of an improvement, it’ll be so minuscule that you might be embarrassed by the results as GM has spent so much time and money to “get it right just for their Corvette customers” and this particular Z06 part is a perfect example of GM spending a crazy amount of time and money (along with the whole Z06 project ) for their Corvette customers.
Anyway, if and when (sic) these new C8 Z06’s actually make it into the hands of waiting customers, I’m sure there will be those folks that have already contacted outside muffler manufactures in an attempt to “make this part better” (read: LOUDER!) than what comes with the new Z06 package. I can hardly wait for the “Tuners” to get ahold of this car and tear it all apart seeking to “make it better handling and faster”…should be interesting, I’m sure the “Corvette Engineering Gang” is excited about someone tearing apart their “Baby” and attempting to improve it. For those “Tuners” who do this for a living, remember to video your results and to take notes and publish those notes along with the time and money you’ve spent, along with the actual end results of your venture…enquiring minds want to know!
Rick, I agree 100% with your comments. I’m a retired exhaust system Development Engineer who worked for a supplier of these systems for my entire career and there is so much more that goes into product validation than most realize. Enjoyed your comments, well said.
Thanks
I worked at GM for 35 years and I can tell you, the exhaust system is important
I also worked at Disneyland for 25 years, boy is the Matterhorn fun
The there was my time at NASA rockets system exhaust design engineer.
Making rockets louder was our mission statement
Oh and that Z06 package on the exhaust is cool too
bending tubing is cool,
I mean Exhaust System Development Engineer……..
I can’t say that with a straight face. ROFLMAO
I wonder if the center exit exhaust system could be purchased and installed on the Stingray model, providing a new rear fascia was designed to accept the center positioned exhaust tips and have it also designed to the narrower body width.
I would love a center exhaust for my C8. I don’t know why Chevy abandoned it on The C8 Stingray.
I own a 16. Zo6. I will never modify a car. Its a wast of money and time. Just like these guys that raise pickup trucks Waist of money and stupidity. A car is designed to handle a certain way. Not for some num skull to try to redesign it!! Hands down to you guys that engineer and designed the corvette. My 1985 Monte Carlo is all original. 20k miles On both cars I get a lot of guys that say—
Well you kept it original and didn’t screw it up!!!!
The exhaust system with flap exhaust is simply constructed and certainly extremely loud! You can certainly say noise with a V8 FlatPlan N/A!
In my opinion, the Corvette team has developed a “marketing noise exhaust” here that will surely have to be corrected soon!
For countries with particle filters, the exhaust will certainly be much quieter and the C8 ZO6 is then also “socially compatible”!
It’s a pity that KRACH is still allowed to be, although deadly for humans and animals in the long term.
Working for GM (now retired) was a hoot and yes we knew that there were always “ways” to improve what we engineered but we had “guidelines” both in material and government guidelines too that had to be met, so of course an outside “Tuner” could have some fun making things that we could not possibly get passed by our restrictive government regs.
However, be aware…we ran so many test using all sorts of “Tuner” type additions, from suspensions to engine components and on the dyno’s the results were usually miniscule and very costly but if that’s what you’re looking for and have the cash to just go out and add whatever you think will improve the breed, then by all means go for it.
But lets be honest here…”speed does cost money, how fast can you afford to go” will always be the mantra that follows every “Tuner” out there, so of course those with the bucks up, can improve their vehicles overall performance but at what cost? I hardly ever see accurate true cost and results figures of “Tuner” parts…oh sure if you were to add a Supercharger or twin turbo’s and rebuild the engine to within an inch of it’s reliable life, you can double the horsepower and torque figures, but then you’re playing with fire…the reliability of all of the other components becomes a problem that you’ll have to learn to deal with…and possibly have to write big check amounts when you damage or destroy an expensive part.
I’m not saying to not do whatever you think will improve your Corvette’s overall performance, but at GM we spent a whole lot of time and money bringing out the most reliable product and at a reasonable price to the customer, where as those “Tuners” can take their time and because they don’t have all of the regulations that we had to conform to, it stands to reason that they could produce an end result that showed a higher figure of overall performance, sometimes.
The truth is…”The Devil is In The Details”, so that’s why I always say after you’ve spent an inordinate amount of your hard earned money on something that promises a higher level of performance, please do write the overall cost, the overall results and then…”PUBLISH THOSE TEST RESULTS FOR EVERYONE TO SEE”!
Lets see if the end results of your spending spree actually brings the results you’re expecting or have been told to expect.
My thoughts are…can you actually “feel the difference” and can you actually say “it was worth the added cost” of using “Tuners” to improve your overall performance of your Corvette. If you can say that it has been “money well spent” then by all means…let everyone know and share in your good fortune, but by the same token, if spending many of thousands of dollars to gain a tenth or two of a second and one or two MPH in the quarter mile or a split second a lap time isn’t worth the time & money you’ve spent (keeping things reliable too) then please let us all know if it was all worth the added cost!
I too am “in line” to order a Z06/ Z07 pack. Car.
I also have a new Denali truck and have been
Averaging 17 mpg with the 6.2 liter engine. I think
Driving style has much to do with one’s mpg. I also have a lead foot so go figure.