Thud

http://www.graciano.com/mt





The car IS a fixed roof coupe. I say this because:

1) The car is a coupe
2) The roof is fixed in place (not removable)



Thus "fixed roof coupe." Perhaps some people are getting that confused with "notchback."

Mostly just repeating info that we already know, but there's some additional info on the engine block, as well as a good shot of the new steering wheel.

I don't know why some people are complaining that this car does not somehow look totally different from a base coupe. What do you want, a huge wing on the back?

Marine

The article even calls it a hatchback. The "hatchback" just looks to much like my Iroc. Or a firebird even. The "hatchback" probably wouldn't be so ugly if they didn't shave so much off the back. It just aint as pretty as a C5 Z06. I said it before, it looks like a fat girl.
Very nice article though. Interesting sticker price too. Very informative.
I'm going to go pick up that issue now so I can read the whole thing.
Thanks.

TheDVS1

Thanks for the post, Thud. Veeeeeery interesting car, but the new Z seems to have grown needlessly complex. Aluminum frame, carbon fiber fenders, magnesium roof and engine cradle to offset the weight of all the racy stuff? Just doesn't add up to me. What went wrong here? My unsophisticated '04 Z weighs LESS than the new one, and I have a stronger steel frame, and according to MT I'm prolly only about 2 or 3 tenths slower to sixty. And I saved about 30 grand in the process?

I dunno, it seems Chevy has turned an antelope into an elephant in a shameless attempt to out-gee-whiz! the other guys. It will be very interesting to see how all the high-tech bits hold up over time. I sure as heck wouldn't want to be the first kid on the block with one of these!

With all that said, of course I'd love to own one, but my sleek '04 notchback is lookin' better all the time.

AFVETTE

Two things stand out for me. I see a great looking 3 spoke steering wheel (just hope the base C6 get's it) and the suggested MSRP of $75K. I've purchased 4 vette's in the last 6 years; I won't be buying a new Z.

Looks like it'll be a Z51 6-speed (man or auto) coupe. With current discounts one can be had for around $48K. That's a lot of mod money.

What a shame, they took one of the most affordable supercars ever offered obtainable by the vast majority of vette enthusiasts and priced it out of reach.

The 01-04 Z are going to be remembered as a fantastic bargain. But even though I won't be able to afford one, I still think it's a fantastic achievement and a worthy successor to the Z06 legacy.

Tom

AFVETTE

Two things stand out for me. I see a great looking 3 spoke steering wheel (just hope the base C6 get's it) and the suggested MSRP of $75K. I've purchased 4 vette's in the last 6 years; I won't be buying a new Z.

Looks like it'll be a Z51 6-speed (man or auto) coupe. With current discounts one can be had for around $48K. That's a lot of mod money.

What a shame, they took one of the most affordable supercars ever offered obtainable by the vast majority of vette enthusiasts and priced it out of reach.

The 01-04 Z are going to be remembered as a fantastic bargain. But even though I won't be able to afford one, I still think it's a fantastic achievement and a worthy successor to the Z06 legacy.

Tom
__________________

quimbo

I still cant get use to the C6 and the new Z is slightly different than the regular C6 but I cant see an MSRP of $75000.00 way to much. Th new C6 isnt selling now do they really think the new Z will warrant that kind of MSRP?



QUIMBO SEEYAAAH

weendoggy

It definately priced me out of a newer Z06. I don't think the cars worth that much comparing what I have now for the extra $$$. Some of the lines look better than the stock C6. I don't like the two-tone interior myself. I just happened to get my '04 at the right time. I payed less than a stock '05 model loaded and feel I got more car. However, if I had $$$ to throw at a car (instead of putting it away for retirement), I guess I could afford a new one. Nah!

72Shark

What $75,000 says to me is: Go buy a nice C5 Z06, add supercharger and exhaust mods, have $20K left over (below 75K) and romp on the new Z06 all day long. For that much of an MSRP, I'm not sure who will take their C6 Z06 to the track? I'm keeping my 2002 Z06 now, just turned 8500 miles today!!!!

JimmyZ06

$75,000 FOR THAT I will keep what i have Also have a great new year and be safe.

smokeyburnouts

the c6 Z is sweet. the sticker price is reminicent of the ZR1 days. i love the look of the c5 Z. and i love the value even more.

Morzoff

Thanks for the Great Post

LuS1fer

Maybe GM aren't wholly interested in Vette owners, maybe they're just out to wipe out Viper sales with a car with similar-ish looks, a nearer capacity engine, same power and better handling plus that essential slice of profit. However you look at it, it's far better value than the Viper and no doubt the forthcoming Ford GT replacement. My guess is that's why they made the C6 a 400bhp car to keep most Vette owners happy and leave the Z06 to move upmarket.

hoogbest

This C6 Z06 is one ugly auto. The designers simply stole design areas from various autos.....heck you can see a Viper, RX8, Solara and many others. They took away all of its masculinity and made it into a woman's car....... it might as well have 200 HP and race with Miatas. Rejoice folks we all own the last of the true Corvettes...... from now on it looks like the future Corvettes will be nothing more but high priced copy cats! Mod up to 500 and man up friends the C5 Z06 is now a Legacy automobile.

rbartick

I love the new car but I have no plans to buy one in the near future. I bought my 2002 brand new, it only has 8000 miles and it is still in perfect shape. It still seems new to me. It runs pretty strong (see sig) and I really need to buy a new daily driver (Magnum R/T) before buying a new $70k weekend toy.

LTC Z06

The Zr1 was just an engine upgrade and in todays dollars would cost over 100K, the new Z06 is a totally new car even compared to the C6.

l2vette

Zoomin

It's all Dave Hill's fault. His Grandma comment sent expectations sky high, and when you couple that with the disappointment of the C6, I can see where there was a lot of hope the new Z06 would be something you wouldn't have to get used to - it would instantly be a desirable car. Plus, I'd like to see more of an obvious difference for $30K.

What I was hoping for was something that had a Tiger Shark type front end, anything other than the smiley face look. More agressive. The wheel flares are an agressive touch, but a wide body would have been more harmonious with the creased lines of the car.

There are some of us that remember how the Vette used to be stunningly different. The mid-years were unlike anything else in the market, and with the muscle to back it up. The early C3's were so stunning, that it was THE car for astronauts to be seen in.

The new C6, while a very nice car, simply does not set the pace for styling like the Vette used to.

Kschwamy

You got it.

barondw

[QUOTE=Zoomin]It's all Dave Hill's fault. His Grandma comment sent expectations sky high, and when you couple that with the disappointment of the C6, I can see where there was a lot of hope the new Z06 would be something you wouldn't have to get used to - it would instantly be a desirable car. Plus, I'd like to see more of an obvious difference for $30K.



Also wait until the comparative performance tests are done by the magazines that may be a bigger surprise in a negative way.

So far, if it's really $ 75,000 I don't see where the bucks were spent. It maybe that the Bowtie guys made a major miscalculation.

Alesnik-MD

Carbon fiber, Mg and squeezing 7 liters out of a small block