The 2023 Corvette Story
When it comes to Corvette performance, there are few models more celebrated than the Z06. Sure, Chevrolet introduced a series of ZR1 models over the Corvette's seventy-year history, but for genuine, track-ready performance, the Z06 package has become the gold standard for America's sports car. Interestingly, the Z06 is almost as old as the Corvette itself. Born in 1963 as an optional Special Equipment Package for would-be racers, RPO Z06 became the secret code created by Zora Arkus-Duntov to allow consumers to purchase a race-ready Corvette when the AMA ban prevented Chevrolet from officially offering such a package.
Of course, that was then….and this is now.
The 2023 model year gave the eighth-generation Corvette its Z06, revealed on October 26, 2021 and built from September 2022: 6,413 cars in the model year beside 47,372 Stingrays, and, as with every Z06 before it, the car that set the tone for the generation. Chevrolet’s campaign called it America’s newest supercar, and the year it arrived was the biggest the Corvette had had since 1979.
A Look Inside…the All-New LT6 Engine
The 2023 Z06 was designed and engineered to be a precision tool for the race track. While the DNA of every modern Corvette evolved from its racing car heritage, the new Z06 has blurred the lines between street car and race car to such an extent that it is hard to decide which environment this car is best suited for. Everything about this car - from its outward aesthetic, to its wider front and rear fascias, its exotic proportions, and its luxuriously appointed interior - all state that the 2023 Z06 is not just a Corvette but a car that holds its own among supercars.
“Corvette has always brought a discerning customer to the Chevy family,” said Steve Hill, vice president of Chevrolet. “This new Z06 was designed and engineered to set a higher bar with increased levels of craftsmanship, personalization and performance so customers can truly have their own bespoke performance car.”
An all-new 5.5L LT6 engine sits at the heart of this beast. Rated at 670 horsepower, this naturally aspirated V-8 was the most powerful of its kind in any production car. The LT6 has an all-new flat-plane crankshaft that lets it rev to 8,600 rpm; peak power arrives at 8,400. Where past iterations of the Z06 relied heavily on superchargers to achieve this level of horsepower, Chevrolet's engineers recognized an opportunity to return to a naturally aspirated engine without compromising horsepower or responsiveness. In fact, engine responsiveness and trackability were both identified as top priorities for the eighth-generation Z06.
In addition to massive horsepower, the new LT6 was designed to enhance every aspect of the Z06's track-focused driving experience. Corvette's engineers spent two years developing the car's distinctive, rich exhaust tone. Truth be told, both the sound and appearance of the Z06 evolved directly from the Corvette Racing program. Both the C8.R and the eighth-generation Stingray (including the 2023 Z06) have shared the same underpinnings since their introduction in 2020. Now, in addition to its shared chassis, the Z06 also shares a similar engine architecture and exterior proportions to the C8.R. In fact, the C8.R has been internally referred to as the Z06 hiding in plain sight.
“Racing was the reason the Z06 was developed in 1963, and it continues to support development of the road models that make them better on the street and the track,” said Tadge Juechter, executive chief engineer, Corvette. “It also means we’ve tested the Z06 on the best tracks around the world, from Circuit of the Americas here in the United States, to the Nürburgring in Germany.”
A version of the LT6 has powered every C8.R race car since the car’s debut at Daytona in January 2020, and the rigors of endurance racing have enabled Chevrolet's engineers to refine the engine’s performance and durability.
Additional engine highlights include:
All-new aluminum cylinder block casting with the Small Block engine family’s signature 4.4-inch (111.76 mm) bore spacing; All-new dual-overhead-camshaft cylinder head design with fully CNC-machined combustion chambers and intake ports, supporting a mechanical “finger-follower” valvetrain; Dual-coil valve springs to support titanium intake and sodium-filled exhaust valves; Forged aluminum pistons and forged titanium connecting rods for low mass and high strength; Distinctive Edge Red camshaft covers; All-new active split intake manifold with twin 87 mm throttle bodies; All-new six-stage dry-sump oiling system with individual crank bay scavenging; Four-into-two-into-one stainless steel exhaust headers; 670 hp at 8,400 rpm (GM tested per SAE J1349); 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque @ 6300 rpm (GM tested per SAE J1349).
Each LT6 engine is hand-assembled by master engine builders at the Performance Build Center located within the Corvette Assembly Plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Each engine builder hand fits the engine components together while using precision tooling to assemble the engine to Chevrolet's exact specifications. Upon completion, each engine is fitted with a plaque on the intake manifold which contains the signature of the technician who assembled the engine in its entirety.
A Racing Heritage - A Look at the Exterior of the 2023 Corvette Z06!
The Z06 Corvette has represented dominance at the race track since its introduction in 1963. Today, the Z06 moniker continues that tradition. It has become synonymous with the ultimate fusion of a street-legal supercar and a bonafide race car.
“The new Corvette Z06 defines the American supercar,” said General Motors President Mark Reuss. “It builds on the distinctive design and groundbreaking dynamics introduced with the mid-engine Corvette and elevates them to deliver refined but uncompromising track capability with world-class performance.”
Since its introduction at Daytona during the Rolex 24 in 2020, the Corvette C8.R has been a dominant contender in the IMSA sportscar championship series. In 2020 and again in 2021 the No. 3 C8.R of Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor swept the IMSA GTLM drivers’, team and manufacturers’ championships.
Everything about the 2023 Corvette Z06 - including its performance envelope, profile, extended wheelbase, and entire architecture - all evolved from the foundation established when developing the production Stingray and the C8.R race car. Both of these cars evolved simultaneously, and from these cars, the Corvette's design team has created a truly remarkable architecture that incorporates the best of both cars.
Some of the 2023 Corvette Z06's many features include:
A stance that is 3.6 inches (9.4 cm) wider than the base-model Stingray. This wider stance allows the Z06 to accommodate its massive 345-series rear tires and also allows for more airflow through the side air vents; Unique front and rear fascias, which is a first for the Z06. The front fascia is designed to optimize the Z06’s cooling needs, including channeling air to a center heat exchanger, which is one of five for maximum cooling performance; A unique, standard reconfigurable rear spoiler with adjustable wickerbill elements designed to improve high-speed stability and cornering capability on a racetrack; Standard 20-inch front and 21-inch rear forged aluminum “spider” wheels (with five available finishes) — the largest wheels ever available on a production Corvette; Available lightweight and rigid carbon fiber wheels that deliver a 41-pound (18.6-kg) reduction in unsprung mass, which contributes to more agile and responsive handling; Specific suspension tuning, including Magnetic Ride Control 4.0, and larger brakes (six-piston front) than the Stingray, contribute to making the 2023 Corvette Z06 the most track-capable Corvette ever; Eight-speed dual-clutch transmission with a specific, “shorter” 5.56 final drive ratio compared to the Corvette Stingray, which enhances acceleration capability; Elevated cockpit surrounding the driver, with rich materials and textures, including more carbon fiber trim and new options; Available Z07 performance package that offers the greatest track capability and provides 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph, more than any Corvette ever. It includes a carbon fiber high rear wing and ground effects, specific chassis tuning, specific Magnetic Ride Control calibration, and unique Michelin Cup 2 R ZP tires, along with Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and optional carbon fiber wheels.
“Virtually every component that distinguishes the Z06 was developed to support or enhance its capability,” said Juechter. “By leveraging the mid-engine architecture’s inherent advantages, we are able to achieve six percent more downforce than a seventh-gen ZR1 at eight percent lower drag.”
Track-Proven Performance
The eighth-generation Corvette Z06 utilizes the technologies introduced on the mid-engine Corvette in 2020, which in-turn have evolved from technologies originally introduced on the seventh-generation Stingray. For the 2023 Corvette Z06, the driver is treated to an augmented version of these technologies, which include unique features that are specifically calibrated for this incredible, track-capable sports car.
The new Z06 utilizes the same SLA-type front and rear suspension design of the Corvette Stingray, but these components have been calibrated to accommodate the Z06’s higher-performance capabilities. Magnetic Selective Ride Control 4.0 comes standard. It can be adjusted for touring comfort or maximum track performance via the standard Driver Mode Selector.
As with past Stingrays, the Driver Mode Selector tailors more than a dozen features of the Z06 to suit the driver’s environment, including:
Launch control: Available in Track mode for maximum off-the-line acceleration; Active handling (StabiliTrak Electronic Stability Control): Z06 has performance traction management standard; Traction control: Weather mode tailors traction control and engine torque for driving in inclement conditions; Performance Traction Management: Available in Track mode and offers five settings of torque reduction and brake intervention for track driving; Electronic Limited Slip Differential: Adjusts the rate at which the limited slip engages to balance between steering response and stability in different driving conditions.
Because the Z06 is intended to perform to the rigors of a true track car, its stopping power has also been bolstered with greater braking capability through larger 14.6-inch-diameter (370 mm) front and 15-inch-diameter (380 mm) rear Brembo rotors. The Z06 comes equipped with beefier six-piston front calipers compared to the four-piston calipers found on the base Stingray. When equipped with the Z07 package, the Corvette Z06 is also fitted with larger, carbon-ceramic rotors.
The Z07 Performance Package also includes the following items:
Carbon fiber aero package with larger front splitter, front-corner dive planes, a rear wing, and underbody strakes that enhance downforce; Unique FE7 suspension with specific Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 calibrations; Michelin Sport Cup 2 R ZP tires were developed specifically for the Z06; Available carbon fiber wheels that deliver a 41-pound (18.6 kg) reduction in unsprung mass; Brembo carbon-ceramic brake system featuring larger, 15.7-inch-diameter (398 mm) front rotors and 15.4-inch-diameter (391 mm) rear rotors.
When equipped with the Z07 performance package in the track prepared configuration on a 300-foot diameter circle, the car is capable of 1.22 g of road-hugging grip.
And On the Inside…
“To match its performance, the Z06 is an elevated execution of the eighth-generation design,” said Phil Zak, executive design director, Chevrolet. “From its wide planted stance with sculpted surfaces to its premium and carbon fiber materials, the Z06 instills an aura of raw power and performance with bespoke craftsmanship.”
The 2023 Corvette Z06 offers consumers a number of unique features, including an available carbon fiber-wrapped steering wheel, shift paddles, and a new carbon-fiber interior trim package when ordering the 2LZ trim level or above. The Z06 also features hand-wrapped leather interior options, including an all-new, available fully trimmed interior in Adrenaline Red.
Additional new wheel, color, and trim options have also been created to allow Z06 customers the most personalization choices in the history of the Corvette lineup. Included in these are:
Twelve available exterior colors; Seven available wheel packages, including five finishes on the standard forged aluminum wheels and available carbon fiber wheels; Seven interior colors with the opportunity to expand it to thousands of combinations; Three seat choices and six seatbelt options; Two interior carbon-fiber trim packages, plus a Stealth Aluminum trim option; Six available brake caliper colors.
Z06 production began at Bowling Green in September 2022, two months after the 2023 Stingray and ten months after the reveal, with the first car a Carbon Flash Metallic 70th Anniversary Z07; 3,109 coupes and 3,304 convertibles were built in the model year, 1,845 of them with Z07, 1,022 as 70th Anniversary Editions and 23 in right-hand drive — the first Z06s ever built that way.
The Stingray in the Z06’s year
The Stingray was still nine cars in ten. Chevrolet built 47,372 of them for 2023 — 24,834 coupes and 22,538 convertibles — with 30,927 Z51 packages (65 percent), 17,829 of those with Magnetic Ride, 4,097 cars with Magnetic Ride alone and 8,300 with the low-profile spoiler; 8,597 were 1LTs, 18,599 2LTs and 20,176 3LTs. It changed little: the twelve colors carried over with two 70th Anniversary colors added, a Stealth Aluminum interior trim and new wheel finishes (gloss black and Carbon Flash with a red stripe) joined the list, and the price moved three times before a single car was sold — launched in May 2022 at the 2022’s $60,900 with the destination charge up $100 to $1,395, raised $1,000 that month and $2,300 more for orders from June 13, 2022, so the window stickers read $65,595, $72,895 and $77,545 for the coupe and $73,095, $79,895 and $84,545 for the convertible. 1,289 Stingrays were right-hand drive, 2,153 went to Europe, 567 to Japan and 481 to Australia and New Zealand.
The 70th Anniversary Edition
The Corvette’s seventieth model year got an anniversary package on both cars: RPO Y70, $5,995 on a 3LT Stingray or a 3LZ Z06, in White Pearl Metallic Tri-Coat or Carbon Flash Metallic with Edge Red stripes, red calipers, satin-black or satin-gray stripe packages, 70th wheel center caps and badges, a Ceramic White and Black two-tone interior with red stitching, red belts, a sueded steering wheel, a build plaque and a fitted car cover. Chevrolet built 5,601 of them, 10.4 percent of the year: 1,569 Stingray coupes, 3,010 Stingray convertibles, 389 Z06 coupes and 633 Z06 convertibles, 65 percent in White Pearl and 35 percent in Carbon Flash, with Z51 on 79 percent of the Stingrays and Z07 on about a third of the Z06s. A White Pearl Z06 70th with Z07 paced the Indianapolis 500 on May 29, 2022 with Sarah Fisher driving, a year before most of the cars were built, and the first retail Z06 of all, VIN 001, a 70th Anniversary car, had been sold at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on January 29, 2022 for $3.6 million to Rick Hendrick, the money going to Operation Homefront.
Second to 1979 by twenty-two cars
The 2023 model year ran sixteen months, from the first Stingray on May 23, 2022 to the last cars in the first days of September 2023, with the 2024s starting on September 5, and it was the biggest Bowling Green has ever had: 53,785 Corvettes, the second-highest total in the car’s history and twenty-two short of the 53,807 that St. Louis built in 1979. The Z06 was 6,413 of them (3,109 coupes, 3,304 convertibles — the first Corvette since 1968 to sell more convertibles than coupes), the Stingray 47,372 (24,834 and 22,538, 48 percent convertibles, as in 2022). 46,865 cars stayed in the United States, 3,179 went to Canada, 2,195 to Europe, 575 to Japan, 492 to Australia and New Zealand, 277 to the Middle East, 152 to Mexico, 34 to Israel and 16 to Southeast Asia; 1,312 were right-hand drive, 2,504 were delivered at the National Corvette Museum and 52 carried a sequence number their owners chose.
Racing: the C8.R’s last season
The C8.R’s fourth season was its last and brought one more championship. With GTE Pro gone, the No. 33 Corvette Racing C8.R went to the World Endurance Championship’s GTE Am class with Ben Keating, Nico Varrone and Nicky Catsburg and won the 1000 Miles of Sebring, Portimão and the Centenary 24 Hours of Le Mans on June 10–11, 2023 — from the garage after a damper was broken in the first ninety minutes, by more than a lap, Corvette’s ninth class win at Le Mans and the C8.R’s first — then clinched the drivers’ and team titles with two rounds to spare at Monza on July 9, the same day Garcia and Taylor won the No. 3’s first IMSA GTD Pro race since Sebring 2022 at Mosport; the No. 3 won again at VIR and finished third in the points for the second year. In June 2023 General Motors announced the end of the factory Corvette Racing program after twenty-five years: from 2024 Pratt Miller Motorsports runs the customer-based Corvette Z06 GT3.R, and the C8.R’s last race was the 8 Hours of Bahrain on November 4, 2023.
