teabagger

Does anyone know the actual rotor diameter?

Dick Guldstrand was back East last weekend and drove the new Z06; said it was absolutely unbeliveable and a monster....actually thought it was more race car than street car.

JM

BlaznZ06

EXCELLENT

bernrex

Those great testimonials keep coming. I've yet to hear a report of anyone that was disappointed with the new Z's performance/ride.

Its about time for some car mags to start giving us some first-hand test reports. Which mag will be first ? Certainly by late June ? My money is waiting for you.

teabagger

With 18" front rims, there's plenty of room for 14, even 15" rotors....someone has to know..
JM

Patrick McDaniel

Rotors Z06
Size weight(lbs)
Front 355x32 11.5-13.97634 inches
Rear 340x26 8.9-13.38579 inches

Close enough?

teabagger

Sure looks precise; too bad it's not 15" Front, 14" Rear.
JM

lateapex

It is obvious that the weight figures you supplied are not in lbs as indicated. Where did you obtain those figures? If it is Kg’s, then the front rotors are 25.3 lbs, and that is VERY heavy. C5/Z06 front rotors weigh 18.5 lbs. each.

teabagger

Looks to be LBs, not Kgs
JM

GrantG

That weight is in KG. 355mm x 32mm rotors are heavy! Porsche 996 GT3 has front rotors that are 330mm x 34mm and they weigh 27 lbs. My Porsche track car weighs 1,890 lbs and has 240hp - its rotors are 304mm x 32mm and weigh 14 lbs each (a little larger diameter means alot more area - the old A=pi*r squared - hence alot more mass). The GT2 has 350mm x 34mm rotor that are made of carbon-ceramic and they weigh 12 lbs.

Heat sink capability is largely proportional to brake disc mass (assuming steel rotors) and of course the volume of cool air which is applied to them...

A car as capable as the C6 Z06 requires massive brakes to reliably and repeatedly stop a 3300+ lb (including driver) 505hp with huge tires (for lots of braking friction) car going as fast as it will be going...

lateapex

I spent over 30 minutes measuring various dimensions on two C6 Z06 front rotors with my dial caliper. The rotor is still 1.26” thick (like the C5 front rotor), but the cheeks were much thicker (and therefore heavier) than the C5’s. It is 14” in diameter, rather than the C5’s 12.8”. I was unable to weigh a rotor, but it is not possible that the rotor weighs less than 20 lbs; they are still cast iron. The Toyota Corolla front rotor might weigh about 11.5 lbs, but not the new Z06. I would like to know the exact weight if anyone has it.

Patrick McDaniel

I have a habit of copy and pasting articles to a notepad file in case I want the info later. I don't have the link nor do I remember where I found it but it was some time ago.

Weight was in pounds. I have no idea why they crossed metric with english units. Must be NASA Mars engineers.

Patrick McDaniel

CORVETTE Z06: RACING SUCCESS HELPS BREED THE FASTEST, MOST POWERFUL PRODUCTION CORVETTE EVER BUILT


DETROIT ? By winning every race in the 2004 season, the Corvette C5-R racing team wrapped up the most successful era in Corvette?s 50-year racing history. In its five years, the C5-R racing program took 35 victories in 55 races, four American Le Mans Series championships and three double victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans .
The Z06 sparked the second half of the C5?s life span with a Corvette model for the extreme performance enthusiast. Now, Team Corvette combines the numerous attributes of the sixth-generation Corvette with the technology and winning determination from the C5-R program to take the new Z06 to the next level in total performance.
Chevrolet introduced the 2006 Corvette Z06 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the fastest, most powerful car ever offered by Chevrolet and General Motors. It is comprised of an unprecedented level of capability and technology, making it one of the greatest performance values on the market. And with an unmistakably muscular appearance, the ?06 Z06 has a visual attitude that always looks ready to demonstrate Corvette?s winning attitude to any challenger around the globe.
?The new Z06 is the dividend from competing so successfully in endurance racing,? said Dave Hill, Corvette?s chief engineer. ?It combines the strong attributes of the new, sixth-generation Corvette with the spirit, technology and know-how from the race program to form an American supercar with outstanding credentials.?
The new Z06 achieves 500 horsepower in an approximately 3130-pound (1419.7 kg) package and is expected to deliver 0-60 performance of less than 4 seconds, eclipse the quarter-mile in less than 12 seconds and deliver a top speed of more than 190 mph on a race track.
The links between racing and the production Z06 are both direct and indirect, as the vehicle was developed in conjunction with the forthcoming C6-R racecar, but they boil down to the application of lessons that could only have been learned after countless laps of endurance racing ? everything from suspension geometry to aerodynamics. What the engineers developed was a totally unique vehicle that has its own powertrain, body structure and chassis system which are distinct from other Corvette models.
Previous Z06 models, from the original 1963 model to the 2001-04 editions, incorporated suspension and/or engine upgrades that complemented existing Corvette systems. Not surprisingly, the specs for the ?06 read like the blueprint of a champion. They include:
? LS7 7.0-liter/427-cubic-inch Gen IV V-8 with lightweight reciprocating components
? 500 horsepower (373 kw) at6200 rpm
? 475 lb.-ft. of torque (657 Nm) at 4800 rpm
? 7000 rpm redline
? Titanium connecting rods and intake valves
? Dry-sump engine lubrication system
? Engine hand-built at GM?s new Performance Build Center
? Aluminum body structure with one-piece hydroformed perimeter rails frame and magnesium front cradle
? Fixed roof design optimizes body rigidity and aerodynamics
? Carbon-fiber composite front fenders and front wheelhouses
? Unique front fascia incorporating a larger grille, cold-air scoop and lower air splitter
? Wide-body rear fenders and a unique rear spoiler incorporated with the CHMSL
? Huge 14-inch (355-mm) cross-drilled front disc brakes with six-piston calipers and 13.4-inch (340-mm) cross-drilled rear rotors with four-piston calipers
? 18 x 9.5-inch front wheels with 275/35ZR18 tires and 19 x 12-inch rear wheels with 325/30ZR19 tires
? 3-inch-diameter exhaust with bi-mode mufflers and larger polished stainless steel tips
? Engine, transmission and differential oil coolers; and steering cooler
? Rear-mounted battery to improve weight distribution
? Unique interior features including revised gauge cluster and lightweight two-tone seats with more aggressive bolsters
? Curb weight of 3130 pounds / 1419.7 kg (estimated)
? 3 inches (76.2 mm) wider than other Corvette models
? Vehicle developed simultaneously with C6-R racecar.
The features above are merely the highline points of the comprehensively designed Z06. What follows is a closer look at the vehicle?s unique attributes.
LS7 engine
The all-new LS7 of the ?06 Z06 reintroduces the 427-cubic-inch engine to the Corvette lineup. Unlike the previous 427 engine, which was a big-block design, the new 7.0-liter LS7 is a small-block V-8 ? the largest-displacement small-block ever produced by GM and a tribute to its 50 years as a performance icon.
With 500 horsepower and 475 lb.-ft. of torque, it also is the most powerful passenger car engine ever produced by Chevrolet and GM. The LS7 is easily identified under the hood by red engine covers with black lettering.
The LS7 shares the same basic Gen IV V-8 architecture as the Corvette?s 6.0-liter LS2, but the LS7 uses a different cylinder block casting with pressed-in steel cylinder liners to accommodate the engine?s wide, 104.8-mm-wide cylinder bores; the LS2 has 101.6-mm bores. And when compared to the LS2, the LS7 also has a different front cover, oil pan, exhaust manifolds and cylinder heads.
Internally, the LS7?s reciprocating components make use of racing-derived lightweight technology, including titanium connecting rods and intake valves, to help boost horsepower and rpm capability. The rpm fuel shut-off limit is 7000 rpm.
The LS7?s specifications include:
? Unique cylinder block casting with large, 104.8-mm bores and pressed-in cylinder liners
? Forged steel main bearing caps
? Forged steel crankshaft
? Titanium connecting rods with 101.6-mm stroke
? Forged aluminum flat-top pistons
? 11.0:1 compression
? Dry-sump oiling system
? Camshaft with .591-inch lift
? Racing-derived CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads with titanium intake valves and sodium-filled exhaust valves
? Titanium pushrods and valve springs
? Low-restriction air intake system
? Hydroformed exhaust headers with unique ?quad flow? collector flanges.
?In many ways, the LS7 is a racing engine in a street car,? said Dave Muscaro, assistant chief engineer of small-block V-8 for passenger cars. ?We?ve taken much of what we?ve learned over the years from the 7.0-liter C5-R racing program and instilled it here. There really has been nothing else like it offered in a GM production vehicle.?
One of the clearest examples of the LS7?s race-bred technology is its use of titanium connecting rods. They weigh just 480 grams apiece, almost 30 percent less than the rods in the LS2 V-8. Besides being lightweight, which enhances high-rpm performance and rpm range, titanium makes the rods extremely durable.
The LS7?s CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads are all-new and designed to meet the high airflow demands of the engine?s 7.0-liter displacement, as it ingests approximately 100 cubic feet more air per minute than the Corvette?s 6.0-liter LS2 V-8 ? an 18-percent increase in airflow. Consequently, a hydraulic roller camshaft with .591/.591-inch valve lift is used to allow plenty of air to circulate in and out of the engine.
To ensure optimal, uninterrupted airflow, the LS7?s heads have straight, tunnel-like intake runners. Very large by production-vehicle standards ? even racing standards ? they are designed to maintain fast airflow velocity, providing excellent torque at low rpm and exhilarating horsepower at high rpm. The heads feature 70-cc combustion chambers which are fed by huge, 56-mm-diameter titanium intake valves. The lightweight titanium valves weigh 21grams less than the stainless steel valves used in the LS2, despite the valve head having 22 percent more area. They are complemented by 41-mm sodium-filled exhaust valves, vs. 39.4-mm valves in the LS2. To accommodate the large valve face diameters, the heads? valve seats are siamesed; and, taken from experience with the engines of C5-R racecars, the LS7?s valve angles are held at 12 degrees ? versus 15 degrees for the LS2 ? to enhance airflow through the ports.
All LS7 engines are assembled by hand at GM Powertrain?s new Performance Build Center in Wixom , Mich. The exacting standards to which they are built include deck-plate honing of the cylinders ? a procedure normally associated with the building of racing engines and almost unheard of in a production-vehicle engine.
Dry sump oiling system
The LS7 has a dry-sump oiling system designed to keep the engine fully lubricated during the high cornering loads the Corvette Z06 is capable of producing. An engine compartment-mounted 8-quart reservoir delivers oil at a constant pressure to a conventional-style oil pump pick-up at the bottom of the engine. The pressurized oil feed keeps the oil pick-up continually immersed in oil at cornering loads exceeding 1 g.
Oil circulates through the engine and down to the oil pan, where it is sent back to the reservoir via a scavenge pump. The large-capacity reservoir, combined with a high efficiency air-to-oil cooler, provides necessary engine oil cooling under the demands of the engine?s power output. With the dry-sump system, oil is added to the engine via the reservoir tank ? which includes the oil level dipstick.
The LS7?s dry-sump system was developed and tested on racetracks in the United States and Europe , including Germany ?s famed N?rburgring. And while common in racing cars, the Corvette Z06 is one of just a handful of production vehicles ? and the only production Corvette ? to ever incorporate such a high-performance oiling system.
Drivetrain
The Corvette Z06?s powertrain and drivetrain systems are matched to the LS7?s performance capability. The light, four-into-one headers discharge in to new, close-coupled catalytic converters and through to new ?bi-modal? mufflers. The mufflers each feature a vacuum-actuated outlet valve, which controls exhaust noise during low-load operation but opens for maximum power.
At the rear of the LS7 engine, a single-mass flywheel and lightweight, high-capacity clutch channel torque to the rear transaxle. The six-speed manual transmission has been strengthened to handle the LS7?s increased torque load. The transmission includes a pump which sends transmission fluid to the front radiator for cooling. Upon its return, the fluid removes additional heat from the differential lube before returning to the transmission.
The M6 transmission connects to a limited-slip differential, with enlarged ring and pinion gears. Stronger axle half-shafts with tougher universal joints transmit power to the rear wheels.
Body structure
The Z06 has a unique aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof bodystyle. Perimeter rails are one-piece hydroformed members featuring cast suspension nodes, which replace many welded steel components on other Corvette models. Other castings, stampings and extrusions are combined into the innovative structure with state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies.
Advanced structural composites featuring carbon fiber are bonded to the aluminum structure. The wider front wheelhouses, for example, are carbon composites and the passenger compartment floors combine carbon-fiber skins with an ultra-lightweight balsa wood core.
Chassis system
The 2006 Corvette Z06 has a new magnesium cradle that serves as the attachment point for the engine and some front suspension components. Magnesium is lighter than aluminum yet incredibly strong. The magnesium cradle helps improve the front-to-rear weight distribution, as do carbon-fiber front fenders and wheelhouses. Engineers also moved the battery from underhood to a position in the rear cargo area, behind one of the rear wheels.
?This is an instance where the street car uses more advanced material than the racecar,? said Hill. ?We?re constrained by rules to run the steel frame in the racecars, but we stretched to bring even more performance technology to the street for out customers.?
The mass reductions are offset by some added performance enablers, including dry-sump lubrication, 3-inch (76.2-mm) exhaust with outlet valves, larger wheels and tires, more power brake and stiffer roll stabilizers.
Suspension, brakes, wheels and tires
The Z06 retains the 106-inch (2686-mm) wheelbase of other Corvette models, as well as the short-long arm suspension and transverse leaf spring design, but it rides on all-new wheels, tires, brakes, as well as its own rear spring and roll stabilizer.
The firmer suspension works harmoniously with large 18 x 9.5-inch cast-spun aluminum wheels and 275/35ZR18 tires in the front, and 19 x 12-inch cast-spun aluminum wheels with 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear ? the largest wheel-and-tire combination ever offered on a Corvette. The tires use the latest extended-mobility technology from Goodyear to provide a satisfactory ride, but still allow the vehicle to achieve lateral acceleration of more than 1 g. The extended-mobility tires eliminate the need ? and weight ? for a spare tire and jack or inflator kit, and reduce the chance of a sudden loss of handling capability.
?The Z06 enables the driver to turn excellent track lap times, but it also is quick to learn and is very forgiving for its performance level,? said Hill. ?We tested its capability around the world to ensure it will feel at home on any road or race track.?
Complementing the suspension system and large rolling stock is an equally capable four-wheel disc brake system, consisting of 14-inch (355-mm) vented and cross-drilled front rotors and 13.4-inch (340-mm) vented and cross-drilled rear rotors. For comparison, the ?05 Corvette has 12.8-inch (325-mm) front and 12-inch (305-mm) rear rotors, while the ?05 Corvette with the Z51 has 13.4-inch (340-mm) and 13-inch (330-mm) rotors.
The front rotors are acted upon by huge, red-painted six-piston calipers that use six individual brake pads. Individual brake pads are used because they deliver more equalized wear compared to what would otherwise be a pair of very long single-piece pads. For the rear brakes, four-piston calipers with four individual brake pads are used. A Delphi four-channel ABS system is used, as is a very competent active handling system ? complete with a Competitive Driving mode.
The large brakes bring an excellent level of stopping capability with the Z06, and with their four-wheel brake cooling, they provide excellent fade resistance and lining life during track duties.
Distinct design
The new Z06 has an unmistakable and aggressive appearance, with design cues that include:
? A wide front fascia with a large, forward-facing grille opening, a splitter along the bottom and ?Gurney lips? along the sides to provide aerodynamic downforce
? A cold air scoop in front of the hood that integrates an air inlet system for the engine
? The trailing edge of the front wheel opening is radiused to achieve improved drag, but protects the body finish with a tough molding, and a large air extractor is located behind the wheel
? A fixed-roof bodystyle optimizes body rigidity and aerodynamics
? Wider rear fenders with flares cover the massive rear tires and a brake cooling scoop in front of the wheels visually balances the fender extractor
? A tall rear spoiler houses the CHMSL on the top of the rear fascia
? 10-spoke wheels
? Four larger stainless steel exhaust outlets
? New-design Z06 badging on the front fenders
While the function of the Z06?s design is to move air efficiently over the body and reduce lift, the net effect is a car that looks like a weight lifter whose muscles are straining the seams of his shirt.
?The Z06 has been sculpted very carefully, with every element in its design serving a performance function,? said Hill. ?It also has a purposeful, menacing resemblance to the C6-R.?
The aerodynamics of the Z06?s exterior were shaped by the experiences of the Corvette racing program, where high-speed stability and cornering capability are paramount. And while the racecars use large rear wings, the Z06?s elevated spoiler provides sufficient downforce to balance the road-worthy front splitter without adversely affecting aerodynamic drag. The Z06?s Cd is .31.
Uncompromising amenities
For all its race-inspired functionality, the Z06 is designed to be a daily drivable high-performance vehicle. To that end, comfort and convenience are held to a very high standard. HID lighting, fog lamps, leather seating, dual-zone air conditioning, cabin air filtration and Head-Up Display (HUD) with track mode and g-meter are standard.
The Z06 also has a revised gauge cluster that displays the Z06 logo on the 7000-redline tachometer and has a new readout on the oil pressure gauge to reflect the higher standard pressure of the dry-sump oiling system. And, like other 2006 Corvettes, the Z06 has a new, smaller-diameter three-spoke steering wheel that provides a more agile, performance-oriented feel. The seats feature two-tone leathering surfaces, with Z06-logo embroidery and contrasting stitching.
Z06 options include a Bose audio system with an in-dash six-CD changer, polished wheels, a telescoping steering wheel, heated seats, side air bags, a navigation system with GPS, Homelink and XM Satellite Radio.
But for all its comfort, engineers did sacrifice a few components in the quest for lower weight and higher performance:
? Side bolsters are fixed and more aggressive to better hold the driver when cornering and they weigh less than standard-model seats
? Passenger seat features manual controls, saving the weight of a power-adjust motor
? Acoustic package revised to reduce weight and allow more aural feedback of the powertrain
Production of the 2006 Corvette Z06 will begin in the second half of 2005 at the Bowling Green , Ky. , Assembly Plant.
SPECIFICATIONS
Overview
Models: Chevrolet Corvette coupe and 2006 Corvette Z06
Body styles / driveline: 2-door hatchback coupe with removable roof; rear-wheel drive (coupe);
2-door hatchback coupe with fixed roof; rear-drive (Z06)
Construction: composite body panels, hydroformed steel frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components (coupe);
composite and carbon-fiber body panels, hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components (Z06)
Manufacturing location: Bowling Green , Kentucky
Engine 6.0L V-8 LS2 7.0L V-8 LS7
Displacement (cu in / cc): 364 / 5967 427 / 7011.3
Bore & stroke (in / mm): 4 x 3.62 / 101.6 x 92 4.125 x 4 / 104.8 x 101.6
Block material: cast aluminum cast aluminum
Cylinder head material: cast aluminum cast aluminum
Valvetrain: OHV, 2 valves per cylinder OHV, 2 valves per cylinder
Fuel delivery: SFI (sequential fuel injection) SFI (sequential fuel injection)
Compression ratio: 10.9:1 11:1
Horsepower
(hp / kw @ rpm): 400 / 298 @ 6000 500 / 373 @ 6200
Torque (lb-ft / Nm @ rpm): 400 / 542 @ 4400 475 / 657 @ 4800
Recommended fuel: 93 octane (recommended but not required) 93 octane
Estimated fuel economy
(mpg city / hwy / combined): automatic: 18 / 25 / 21
manual: 19 / 28 / 23 TBD
Transmission Corvette coupe Corvette Z06
Type: Hydra-Matic 4L65-E 4-speed auto.; Tremec 6-speed manual Tremec 6-speed manual
Chassis / Suspension
Front: short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber
Rear: short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber short/long arm ( SLA ) double wishbone, cast aluminum upper & lower control arms, transverse-mounted composite leaf spring, monotube shock absorber
Traction control: electronic traction control; Active Handling electronic traction control; Active Handling
Brakes Corvette coupe Corvette Z06
Type: front and rear power-assisted disc with ABS; cross-drilled rotors with Z51 Performance Package front and rear power-assisted disc with ABS with 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers, cross-drilled rotors
Rotor diameter x thickness (in / mm): front: 12.8 x 1.26 / 325 x 32
rear: 12 x 1 / 305 x 26;
Z51 Performance Package:
front: 13.4 x 1.26 / 340 x 32
rear: 13 x 1 / 330 x 26 front: 14 x 1.3 / 355 x 32
rear: 13.4 x 1 / 340 x 26
Wheels & Tires
Wheel size: front: 18 inch x 8.5 inch
rear: 19 inch x 10 inch front: 18 inch x 9.5 inch
rear: 19 inch x 12 inch
Tires: Goodyear Eagle F1 GS
Extended Mobility
front: P245/40ZR18
rear: P285/35ZR19 Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar Extended Mobility
front: P275/35ZR18
rear: P325/30ZR19
Dimensions
Wheelbase (in / mm): 106 / 2629 106 / 2629
Overall length (in / mm): 175 / 4445 175 / 4445
Overall width (in / mm): 73 / 1854 76 / 1930
Overall height (in / mm): 49 / 1244 49 / 1244
Curb weight (lb / kg): 3179 / 1442 3130 / 1419.7

Patrick McDaniel

This one came from the SAE Conference4-05 Report someone posted.

C6 convertible [yellow one at GM and red one at an SAE booth (Corvette won best engineered vehicle for 2005)]

LS7 cutaway
Z06 cutaway
Z06

Dodge:
Viper SRT-10 coupe
Charger SRT-8

Ford:
Mustang GT convertible
Shelby GR-1
Heard from Huai Thai-Tang today and he quoted 480hp for the GT500 I think that was already known but 450 was being
said for a while.


Now my notes from the corvette technical sessions:
The LS7 produces 505hp @ 6300 rpm
and 470 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm
400 lb-ft is available from 2000 rpm
This is the first engine tested under SAE standard J 1349 revised
All GM engines will be tested under this standard from now on. This standard basically requires a third party certified
SAE representative to certify the horsepower. All other manufacturers will probably use this standard soon as well.

The C6 was the first 400hp car that did not require the gas guzzler tax and they are hoping the C6 Z06 will be the first
500 hp car w/o the ggt. This is not in the bag but preliminary results look promising.

On one presentation by Tadge Jeuchter (assistant vehicle chief engineer) he listed price versus power to weight. The price
was between 65 and 70K. The power to weight ratio was better than the Ford GT and the Ferrari 360.

The aluminum frame saved 136 lbs
Mg roof panel saved 6.6 lbs
CF floors and wheel housings saved 7.5 lbs
Mg suspension cradle saved 12 lbs
CF fenders saved 11.7 lbs

The frame was engineered to match steel frame physical and functional interfaces.
First time a frame engineered in steel has been reengineered for aluminum. Their basic goal was to make the production
process at Bowling Green no different than with the steel frame.

The reason for CF fenders in stead of hood is mainly the fenders had to be changed anyway to accommodate the wider tires
and the hood is a carryover part from the C6. More on that later.

The shared panels between the C6 and Z06:
Hood, Roof Skin, Doors, Hatch, Rear Facia

Unique parts:
Front Fascia, Fenders

The 2005 clutch was designed for the Z06 output so the clutch is the same used on the base C6

The LS7 is actually 11 mm narrower than the LS2.

The intake on the LS7 is 25% less restrictive than the LS2
Same restriction as LS6 but with 23% higher airflow at peak horsepower

Cylinder Heads flow 40 % more than the LS6 on intake 25% more on exhaust

Valve angle went from 15-12 degrees due to racing experience
Rocker ratio went from 1.6 to 1.8
Lift on Cam is 15mm or 591

The titanium valves and con rods are coated for thermal protection
Titanium intake valve (56mm) is 26% lighter than LS2
Sodium filled exhaust valves(41mm) are 18% lighter than LS2

LS7 has 37% lower back pressure than LS2

Crankshaft is 4140 steel w/ undercut and rolled filets
Piston: floating pin with polymer coated skirts
Rods are tapered on piton pin end to reduce mass
Engines are balanced, hot tested, and shipped to Bowling Green

Z06 gear ratios: 2.66, 1.78, 1.3, 1, 0.74, 0.5
Does not reduce Z06 top speed but the Z06 will probably not reach 200 mph. It will top out above 190 though.

Tires were developed by Goodyear and feature Goodyear patented technology developed on the C5-R called DTS.
DTS= dynamically tuned solution
It basically features an asymmetrical trade pattern so tires “lean” into turns

Tires Z06
Front 275/35ZR18
Rear 325/30ZR19

Wheels
Front 18x9.5
rear 19x12

Brakes

C6 Z06 6 pistons front
4 pistons rear
1 pad per piston (all same part number)

Rotors Z06
Size weight(lbs) size weight
Front 355x32 11.5
Rear 340x26 8.9

Exhaust went from 2.5” nominal diameter to 3”

Aerodynamics
Drag coefficient 0.34

Added mass saved
Brakes 27.5 lbs Aluminum Frame 136 lbs
Dry sump oil 17.6 lbs Interior and acoustics 33 lbs
Exhaust 11.7 lbs Mg front cradle 11.9 lbs
Rear battery 8.8lbs CF fenders 11.7 lbs
High capacity Axle 8.8 lbs CF floors and wheel housing 7.5 lbs
EOC and diff cooler 7.7 lbs Fixed roof 6.6 lbs
Wheels and tires 6.2 lbs

88.3 lbs added 206.7 lbs removed


Some power to weight ratios
Enzo 4.53
Saleen S7 5
Carrera GT 5.03
Z06 6.26
Ford GT 6.31

Weight distributions Front Rear
C6 Z06 50.6 49.4
C6 coupe 52.3 47.7
C5 Z06 53.6 46.4

Z06 is capable of 205 in 5th gear although it won’t hit 200 mph due to aerodynamics
60 mph in 1st gear


Power and efficiency
Same chart as in back of the book C6 and in the April issue of Automotive Engineering International so I won’t post
everything
Power Fuel Economy Index
Z06 505 hp 20.7 mpg (conservative) 10,500
C6 400 22.6 9040
911 GT2 477 18.2 8681
Viper SRT-10 500 15.5 7750

Reason Ceramics were not used for Rotors –affordability (duh)

Aerodynamics
Nf / N @ 300 kph 0.48 Normal Force Distribution
Ram FEAF 48.9 Cooling flow
Powered FEAF 63 powered cooling flow

300 lb reduction in lift at 186 mph
Side mirrors actually produce downforce

Part reduction in drag
Splitter 202 lbs
Wheel opening leading edge extension 22 lbs
CHMSL 80 lbs
Total 304 lbs

Brake flow @ 80 kph
C5 Z06 C6 Z06
Front 2 cmm 10 cmm
Rear 1 cmm 2 cmm

Dual durometer front air dam is common to XLR, C6, and Z06
Consists of stiff upper section to keep its shape at speed and softer lower section to reduce scraping on curbs.

Still being worked on is a brake duct incorporated into front splitter

They actually brought in a 360 modena to test it’s aerodynamics because Ferrari claims it actually produces downforce.
The Corvette guys were not able to duplicate that in the lab but said it is possible that it may produce a little downforce.

AL space frame:
Total weight of frame 285 lbs
Steel frame is 421 lbs


Their goal in developing the AL frame was seamless integration into the assembly process

The aluminum frame increase in effective gage by 1.9 mm
Steel frame gage is 2mm
AL frame gage is 4mm

AL Steel
Bending Stiffness 22.9 Hz 21.5
Torsional Stiffness 28.3 Hz 26.9


As to why they didn’t use magnesium for the rear cradle:
The main goal for the C6 Z06 was weight reduction in the front
Engineering restrictions would have been basically the same as the front

Carbon Fiber

2004 hood was first class A surface CF panel

They plan on building 7000 Z06 a year

Main priority for weight reduction was front parts and high parts to improve weight distribution and center of gravity

Candidates for CF body panels
Hood, Fenders, roof, rear quarters

Structural candidates
Interior and outer wheel house, Tub reinforcement, floor panels, Upper and lower plenum


Rear quarter panels were not chosen even though they had to redesign them anyway because of low priority for weight
reduction in the rear. Same for Tub reinforcement.
Hood was a carryover part so cost would have been even more to develop new part out of CF. More later


Wheel house outers accounted for 22 lbs of weight savings with no increased tooling costs.

The floor panels are Balsa wood sandwiched inside CF (Carbon molding compound to be exact). The continuous random glass
strand mat on the C6 is 1.25mm thick top and bottom versus 0.9 mm of CF.

Specific gravity is 1.5 vs 1.9 for glass
1.41 kg saved per panel

Carbon Fiber wheel housing
2mm thick versus 2.5 mm for normal part
1.1 specific gravity versus 1.4
0.73 kg saved per part

The Z06 will be the highest production volume of Carbon Fiber parts @ 7000 cars per year
2004 Z06 Carbon Fiber hood was largest previously at 2000 parts in a year

Choice of Fenders over hood:
Tooling costs
Validation complexity because of opening and closing of hood and other reasons
More Quality improvement for the fenders than the hood
No bonding or bond readout problems with fenders because of no need for bonding

Risks with fender
Complex shape
Die locks

RRIM CF
Specific gravity 1.33 gm/cm 1.58
Thickness 3.5 mm 1.2 mm
Natural Frequency 1st mode 32.4 Hz 70.8

$500 k in tooling costs saved in development of Fenders

They are looking at other technologies than glass for rear hatch

Ti exhaust was scrapped pretty much purely for cost reasons but the priority of weight reduction in the front also played
a small part.

GrantG

There is no way that an 11.5 lb steel front rotor can sink an adequate amount of heat to keep a c6 z06 from fading its brakes on the track. It's has to be 11.5 kilograms (25.3 lbs), not 11.5 lbs - it's a misprint...