It Is Official: 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Premiered In Detroit

2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was finally revealed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The most track-capable Corvette in the Chevrolet's has been presented in its full glory and the brand finally unveiled the official specifications of the car, and we must say it is extremely exciting!

What is new here is that the Z06 is equipped with a supercharged 6.2L engine which as expected will produce 625 horsepower (466 kW). There will be two options of transmissions offered: a seven-speed manual or a brand new high-performance eight-speed automatic one with paddle shifters for manual control. What is more, there will be also offered a track-focused Z07 Performance Package which will adds more aerodynamic downforce to the car and will feature Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires and Brembo carbon ceramic-matrix brake rotors.

To go further into details, under the hood of the Corvette sleeps the new LT4 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine. It produces 625 horsepower (466 kW) and 635 lb-ft of torque (861 Nm) and features Direct injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing in order to deliver enhanced fuel efficiency.

The higher output of the unit is supported via the following features:

Rotocast A356T6 aluminum cylinder heads
Lightweight titanium intake valves and machined connecting rods
High 10.0:1 compression ratio
Forged aluminum pistons with stronger structure
Stainless steel exhaust headers and an aluminum balancer
Standard dry-sump oiling system utilized with dual-pressure-control oil pump

Undoubtedly, the other major highlight here is the debut of the 8L90 eight-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission. It has been designed to improve both performance and efficiency. In fact, the transmission offers full manual control via steering wheel paddles for performance driving.

Seeing the pictures of the car, we must confirm that its design is more than striking. In order to deliver the levels of grip needed for the Z06's performance targets the car was equipped with large Michelin tires: at the front are in size P285/30ZR19 and at the rear – in size 335/25ZR20.

The fenders have also been extended, giving the Corvette Z06 a wider and lower appearance. This is also visible at the rear fascia. The tires are mounted on lightweight and spin-cast aluminum wheels and fitted with massive Brembo brakes.

The aerodynamic downforce of the Z06 was enhanced thanks to the addition of the following elements:

front splitter, spats around the front wheel openings, a unique carbon-fiber hood with a larger vent, and the rear spoiler from the Corvette Stingray's Z51 Performance Package
available carbon-fiber aero package - in either black or a visible carbon-fiber finish - adds a carbon fiber front splitter with aviation-style winglets, carbon fiber rocker panels, and a larger rear spoiler with a fixed wickerbill
available Z07 package add larger winglets to the front splitter, along with an adjustable, see-through center section on the rear spoiler for track use

The ravishing exterior of the car features also one-of-a-kind grille, complemented with a larger hood vent, which includes brake-cooling intakes and wider grille outlets on the bottom that serve as air diffusers. There are also additional cooling elements include larger front fender vents and air blades over the inlets on the rear fenders.

Inside, the car is fully wrapped with premium, soft-touch materials such as Napa leather, aluminum, carbon fiber and micro-suede. The focus of course is on the new flat-bottomed steering wheel. Z06 will be offered with two seating choices comprising of a GT seat and a Competition Sport seat.

2015 Corvette Z06 has been designed with extensive utilization of lightweight materials and features advanced driver technologies such as the SLA-type front and rear suspension, which has been uniquely calibrated for the higher performance threshold. Next, the third-generation Magnetic Selective Ride Control dampers which come as a standard can be adjusted for touring comfort or maximum track performance via the standard Driver Mode Selector, which offers the Launch control, Active handling (StabiliTrak electronic stability control), Traction control, Performance Traction Management and Electronic Limited Slip Differential (eLSD).

The latter helps make the most of the torque split between the rear wheels. It includes hydraulically actuated clutch and is fully integrated with Electronic Stability Control and Performance Traction Management systems. Its calibrations offer the following Modes:

Mode 1: default setting for normal driving and emphasizes vehicle stability
Mode 2: engaged when electronic stability control is turned off in the Sport or Track modes.
Mode 3: automatically selected when Performance Traction Management is engaged.

The performance data and pricing of the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will be announced closer to the start of production. The car is expected to be available in early 2015.

Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (2015)

Source: Chevrolet