Corvette Racing drivers Jordan Taylor and Antonio Garcia recently had the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the 2023 Corvette Z06 during the IMSA race weekend at Road America, allowing the two racers to sample Chevy’s latest track-bred supercar and see how it stacks up to their Corvette C8.R racecar.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 is essentially a road-legal version of the Corvette C8.R that Taylor and Garcia race in the IMSA WeatherTech Series. The road car features the same 5.5L LT6 V8 engine as the C8.R and is offered with a race-bred aero package that includes front dive planes, underbody strakes, a massive rear wing, and other components that are typically found on GT race cars. That means Taylor and Garcia felt right at home as they hopped behind the wheel of the road-going 2023 Corvette Z06 at Road America, even though it was one of the first times they had driven the car.
“Driving around here in Elkhart Lake at Road America, it’s a track where you can really open up the engine and just accelerate,” Taylor said of the new Z06 after his tour of the 4.048-mile circuit in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. “The power is impressive, the handling is impressive, the brakes…I mean, yeah I’ve got a huge smile on my face. I’m going to be leaving here and planning to negotiate to get my own one back at home.”
“You can surely feel everything we actually feel in the race car,” added Garcia. “Power, grip, everywhere.”
🔊🔊What happens when you give two #Corvette racers the 2023 #Z06 to sample at Road America? Absolute magic… 🎶🎶 @jordan10taylor @AntonioGarcia_3 @TeamChevy @Chevrolet @IMSA @RoadAmerica pic.twitter.com/unSWGofBNk
— Corvette Racing (@CorvetteRacing) August 17, 2022
In addition to Taylor and Garcia’s commentary, this video allows the viewer to hear the Corvette Z06’s naturally aspirated, flat-plane crank 5.5 LT6 V8 engine sing as it approaches its 8,600 RPM redline. As a reminder, this engine produces 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque in the mid-engine supercar, with power sent to the rear wheels through an upgraded version of GM’s dual-clutch eight-speed automatic transmission. The automaker claims the Z06 can hustle from zero to 60 mph in roughly 2.6 seconds.
The 2023 Corvette Z06 will enter production at the GM Bowling Green Assembly plant this year. Pricing for the Coupe body style in the entry-level 1LZ trim starts at $106,395, including the mandatory destination freight charge, while pricing for the Convertible in this same base trim starts at $113,895.
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Comments
what is the power rating of the race car?
I think it is 500hp. I believe that is the limit for the class. The race engine is a retuned version of the street motor with just one throttle body instead of two and I’m sure many other changes.
I could be wrong about this but I believe that is what I seen somewhere
Boy watch the Corvette sales Fall when they go all electric in the future what a following they’re going to lose electric motors haha and they’re still going to pollute even more charging them and making the batteries how about giving us options like hydrogen it would work with the current reciprocating engine technology with modification of course it’s all going to be about the money
Don’t quote me but in GTD PRO, the hp is rated at 500, GTLM was 525hp.
670hp would feel very different.
When Corvette goes full electric is when the rest of the automotive industry goes full electric. I prefer ICE over BEV too, but when ICE cars are banned by the government and we only have BEV I would still rather have a Corvette or Camaro over any other electric sports car. Going electric isn’t a GM thing, it’s an everyone thing… Many states have already banned the sales of all ICE vehicles by the year 2035.
LOL! They ALL had BIG SMILES!!! Sounds GOOD!!
Taylor said he would negotiate to get one for himself when he got back home. I wonder if he has to get on the waiting list and how long it will take him to get one. I am sure he will get it at MSRP or cost as well. I am sure that’s one of the perks of being a driver. Good for him if it happens.
They will just drop one off just like they did his CTS-V
Unfortunately, I was unable to see the video and hear this engine… No link shown allowed me access.
And just like the real C8.R – you can’t get the Z06 either
Thanks GM, another teaser video with a very slim small chance of actually obtaining one without waiting years to get!
Lap times?