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I had two C7 Stingrays and really enjoyed them, especially as they were sticks. Also, the only sports car I've ever been able to fit my son's foldable wheelchair in because of the huge hatch back. That is something that unfortunately can't be matched by the C8 or any other supercar.
When people would get in the C7 they were all excited because it was a Corvette. Sort of all of that reputation and nostalgia went along with the car, plus it was baddass, of course. The new C8 sort of changes that in my experience. People are less excited because it is a Corvette and more excited about what it has become.
It is hard to overstate how wide the C8 Z06 is. It's 2.3 inches wider than the C7 ZR1. This car has a road presence which is squarely in supercar territory. When someone gets in it, they see a supercar wrapped around them, when you turn it on, they hear a supercar, they feel it when its driven, it's a car that really has vaulted Corvette into this new territory.
More pics, but you guys love pics. The fenders that stick out, especially in the front of the car, are hard to catch in pictures but really stand out in person. I tried to find pictures that capture how wide this thing really is. The C8 Z06 is literally less than an inch narrower than the C8.R IMSA Racecar, let that sink in. It's only beat by the Aventador S because the Aventador has 355mm rear tires instead of 345mm. It's that close. The pictures really show it. The Z06 clearly belongs in this room with the others, is MUCH wider than the Lotus GT and the Testarossa, and does look a bit bigger than the Aventador, but the Aventador is actually over 5 inches longer to account for that menacing Naturally Aspirated 6.5L V12. and that's with no room for a trunk out back. What a motor, and yet, another commonality between the cars. (NA motors in the face of the rest of the industry)
The big problem for all of us who like to travel to events with our car in a trailer, is that the Z06 isn't going to fit well. I have the largest width trailer you can get. Here is a pic of it with my Murcielago LP640 mounted up. Took us a long time to squeeze it in there safely, and I had less than .25 inches on either side of the car. Had to squeeze in microfiber towels in-between to try and protect it during the trip. I vowed to never again ship a V12 Lambo in my own trailer. The big trucks that come and get them store the cars above the wheels, and that's the only really good way to do it. Problem is, the Z06 will still end up with less than .5 inches on either side here. That will be way better than the Murci, but you get my point, its tight. Going to feel much different than the experience of shipping a C7Z. But again, that's just some of the troubles which come along with supercar class cars.
Since they are reliable Corvette's with all of that trunk space, I'm sure most of you will just drive them wherever you want to go. But I thought I'd point this out for those who like to trailer.
thanks for post. I am particularly interested in the trailer issue as I expect to pick up my zo6 soon and the plan was/is to bring our enclosed trailer to the museum. Can you provide the clearance you have in your trailer between inside fender wells ? I believe I have 83” and have been told that will be fine , but obviously I am still a bit nervous. It’s a long tow to Kentucky from South Florida.
Awesome post, thanks for sharing. For those of us aspiring/dreaming of an exotic for years and have a Z on order, this gives us much hope that we're not compromising too much vs. the likes of a much more expensive ride.
Nice read and love the diverse collection of cars. I hope your son is enjoying every bit of the adventure and good on you for making it happen for him.
So I suppose the question is.....what vehicles on the horizon?
Nice read and love the diverse collection of cars. I hope your son is enjoying every bit of the adventure and good on you for making it happen for him.
So I suppose the question is.....what vehicles on the horizon?
inbound is a new Lamborghini Urus S. (Verde Selvans, which is a bright green).
I LOVE these cars and have been in several while at Lambo events. Very excited to get it. And will be nice to have an exotic I can fit the whole family in. Plus drive in the winter for a change.
thanks for post. I am particularly interested in the trailer issue as I expect to pick up my zo6 soon and the plan was/is to bring our enclosed trailer to the museum. Can you provide the clearance you have in your trailer between inside fender wells ? I believe I have 83” and have been told that will be fine , but obviously I am still a bit nervous. It’s a long tow to Kentucky from South Florida.
Thanks !
83 would be fine, but literally go take a tape measure to it and make sure that’s what it is. That is what mine is supposed to be, and it’s slightly smaller. I’ll also go measure the actual width of my Z06 and post here. My Aventador S comes in at 81 inches in reality even though they say online it should be 79.8. Seems to be because of the honking tires placed on the S model.
Nice read and love the diverse collection of cars. I hope your son is enjoying every bit of the adventure and good on you for making it happen for him.
So I suppose the question is.....what vehicles on the horizon?
one of the reasons I wanted this car was for the HTC. I have to lift my son and sort of drop him onto the seat, and he is now 16 years old so it isn’t super easy. Hard to do it without killing my back into the Aventador and other low exotic cars. Being able to hit the button to take the roof down makes getting him into the Z06 extremely easy. And the car has all the qualities he likes, so he isn’t losing out on the experience.
Keeping the ZR1? I really love that car. I've thought about picking one up in a stick as that is the last of its kind.
Obviously, your cars couldn't be more different on the outside or the inside, a comparison would be great! The interior of the C8Z is going to be a place you enjoy spending time in, for sure. I can't get over how great I think it is, and certainly I've been around some decent interiors. 2019 R8 was the overall best I've ever seen. My wife misses that car. A car which is nearly 3.5 inches narrower than the C8Z. This was the first mid-engined car I ever sat in/purchased. Got me hooked on that experience, sort of went nuts after that for a while. Driving the C8Z feels a lot like driving this, but the Z is faster and louder as well (and more expensive when fully equipped).
I believe you started out #19 at MacMulkin and I was #99. Mine is at 3000 status currently.
As a previous owner of an R8 V10 myself and it being my first mid engine as well, I look forward to getting my Z06 in a few more weeks. Amazing that the interiors compare but the Z06 I imagine will be much faster. Both do sound great but the R8 needed an exhaust, not sure the Z06 needs that but could always do that later down the road.
I believe you started out #19 at MacMulkin and I was #99. Mine is at 3000 status currently.
As a previous owner of an R8 V10 myself and it being my first mid engine as well, I look forward to getting my Z06 in a few more weeks. Amazing that the interiors compare but the Z06 I imagine will be much faster. Both do sound great but the R8 needed an exhaust, not sure the Z06 needs that but could always do that later down the road.
How do you compare the handling between the two?
You are correct, I was 19. Felt like forever that I staid at 3000. 3400 was a big improvement. you getting the lift on your Z?
R8 feels a little lower to the ground. Seating felt a bit lower, but may not really be that way, maybe just because the roofline is lower, but that’s less headroom as well. R8 was obviously a clean and beautiful car in person, the Z06 has more going on with it visually, inside and out. Handling is similar with all of this class of car, IMO, but the Z06 has so many options to configure handling. So there is a lot of ways to customize it. R8 you sort of conformed to the car, Z06 you set it up how you want it to be. I can’t wait till I’m over 500 miles so I can actually push it a bit.
Did the C8 Stingray have the same enforced 500 mile break in period? The C8Z, you get stuck at 6,500 redline until you cross 500 miles, then it raises to 8,600 redline (The Aventador's V12 is 8,400).
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The answer is yes the Stingray has a 500 mile break in as well. But had a 4500 redline.
By the way nice write up and beautiful cars if that is your garage I'm jealous.
You are correct, I was 19. Felt like forever that I staid at 3000. 3400 was a big improvement. you getting the lift on your Z?
R8 feels a little lower to the ground. Seating felt a bit lower, but may not really be that way, maybe just because the roofline is lower, but that’s less headroom as well. R8 was obviously a clean and beautiful car in person, the Z06 has more going on with it visually, inside and out. Handling is similar with all of this class of car, IMO, but the Z06 has so many options to configure handling. So there is a lot of ways to customize it. R8 you sort of conformed to the car, Z06 you set it up how you want it to be. I can’t wait till I’m over 500 miles so I can actually push it a bit.
I did order front lift, the rest of my build is a 3LZ HTC in rapid blue with CCB and yellow calipers and 2 tone blue interior with carbon level 2 package, black tips, black emblems, and museum delivery. I couldn't order the same aero you have, so I am adding a front splitter and having full ppf/ceramic done right away.
Did you happen to be in the first allocation round (August) or December round? There's still a lot of early guys on the list waiting for the Z07 package. Also there just isn't many supercars I fit in at 6'6", I don't even come close to fitting in a Huracan and barely fit in the R8. A 911 turbo s I have lots of headroom. Sitting in a C8 coupe with gt2 seats I fit comfortably. The HTC is supposed to have a touch more headroom than coupe with tops up.
Nice review. But how does it compare with the Testarossa? That’s the real question.
Yea, no comparison can really be made. Testarossa is more like sailing a boat than driving a modern supercar. no power steering and a gated manual with a V12. You have to be fully present and engaged the entire time, and you have to hang on during the corners. It's wild. However, it is a true classic exotic, and everyone who sees it at a gas station, it's like them seeing a childhood hero for the first time in their lives, they go bonkers. Interior is flawless as well.
The answer is yes the Stingray has a 500 mile break in as well. But had a 4500 redline.
By the way nice write up and beautiful cars if that is your garage I'm jealous.
Yes, I'm actually in this stupid unique and fortunate position where I have a house in a nice neighborhood in town, with ponds and streams, etc.. and then directly across the street I bought the acreage when it opened up during Covid and we are redoing the house out there as a guest house and put the car-barn mancave entertainment building out there, which is what you are seeing pictures of. AND that acreage is outside of the city limits even though it's about 500 feet away. so, we can shoot guns, do pretty much whatever we want out there. I don't think i could replicate this very many places.
During the lockdowns and with my son in a wheelchair, we figured we need to make being at home about as good as we could. can't wait to enjoy life based on what the Gov decides you are allowed to do.
Yes, I'm actually in this stupid unique and fortunate position where I have a house in a nice neighborhood in town, with ponds and streams, etc.. and then directly across the street I bought the acreage when it opened up during Covid and we are redoing the house out there as a guest house and put the car-barn mancave entertainment building out there, which is what you are seeing pictures of. AND that acreage is outside of the city limits even though it's about 500 feet away. so, we can shoot guns, do pretty much whatever we want out there. I don't think i could replicate this very many places.
During the lockdowns and with my son in a wheelchair, we figured we need to make being at home about as good as we could. can't wait to enjoy life based on what the Gov decides you are allowed to do.
Man that is a perfect set up right there. Nice house in a nice neighborhood, then literally right across the street is the “do whatever you want with it” property lol. Ive never seen anything like that before. The cars are great but this has me more jealous than any of the cars haha
Thanks for sharing your very detailed posts, So happy your son loves the beautiful cars. The C8 corvettes are amazing with all there cargo space!! Look forward to your future reviews.
Man that is a perfect set up right there. Nice house in a nice neighborhood, then literally right across the street is the “do whatever you want with it” property lol. Ive never seen anything like that before. The cars are great but this has me more jealous than any of the cars haha
Fell into this one, I can't take too much credit. I got home and my neighbor was outside and he said to me "so you going to go buy that?" I said "what are you talking about?". "The acreage across the street just became available". I said "do you want it or want to go in on it?" He said "oh man, I don't think so". So I walked over to look at the sign, saw the cell number for the realtor, and texted it. I asked how much they wanted. the number was so stupid low that I just said "I'll buy it right now, full price in cash, as long as the deal gets done today". He said "Wow, I'm trying to leave town for a fishing trip so this would be perfect". I owned the property about 30 min later.
Then of course, I had to go and explain to my wife that we now own an acreage...
Was relatively simple. "honey, if we wanted to choose if we wanted it or not, we had to buy it first, else we wouldn't ever have had the choice". She understood. Next day we started looking for our first family dog. This was at the time that no houses stayed on the market more than a day around us and this was the only available acreage that bordered the town. It wouldn't have lasted till the next morning.
"Fortune favors the bold" always has and always will.
Best dog I’ve ever met! Literally stands watch over the cars when they are out front. Meet Bentley, great friend. English Shepard. Had to name him after a car that I didn't have, so it wouldn't be strange.
p.s. Neighbor has since bought a similar acreage a bit further away. He couldn't get over what he missed out on.
p.p.s. Cats on the acreage keeping the mice away from the barn are Enzo and Turbo.
02-22-2023, 05:29 AM
