Is the Corvette Z06 a Supercar or does one have to add a ‘for the price’ qualification when discussing its merits? This exotic car enthusiast says Chevy hit it out of the park!
A community is only as strong as its membership. And, wow, we have a lot of very cool members. Case in point, CorvetteForum member 99999, who recently created the thread — Z06 impressions from an exotic car enthusiast — about his Z06 3LZ Hardtop Convertible (HTC) ownership experience and how it compares to other modern exotics and supercars. Mr. Nines, as we’ll call him for our purposes today, set out to answer the question, is the C8 Corvette Z06 a supercar? Or does one still need to add a ‘for the price’ qualification, as is usually mentioned when comparing Corvettes to exotics?
Mr. Nines is a two-time C7 Corvette owner whose son was “born early, with Cerebral Palsy, and is a non-verbal quadriplegic. [My son’s favorite] thing in the world is to change out his wheelchair for a seat in a sports car, and that is how our little hobby began.” Mr. Nines started his mid-engine exotic journey with an Audi R8 before moving on to other exotics from Lamborghini, Lotus, and McLaren. He even owns a classic Ferrari Testarossa.
From here on out, here’s Mr. Nines in his own words talking about the C8 Corvette Z06’s supercar status (edited for clarity):
Z06 Space vs a Lamborghini Huracon Spyder
Mr. Nine’s son in their Lamborghini Huracon Spyder
The Z06 HTC didn’t seem to eliminate any space on the inside when designing the hard top storage. Whereas my Huracan Spyder was MUCH smaller on the inside than my Huracan coupe was. In general, the HTC has maybe an inch more headroom in it, and that inch means a lot to this 6′ 2″ person. Modern McLarens and Ferraris are good with this too. Lambo isn’t.
[Editor’s Note: when CorvetteForum had the C8 Stingray HTC in for review, we found that it had an extra inch of headroom versus the C8 coupe.]
It is hard to tell from these pics just how much more space, especially legroom, is in the Z06 vs the Huracan Spyder, but it’s a lot. The Huracan Coupe fits in between.
Z06 Seating & Amenities
The Z06 has fantastic seats, but they may be a bit too tight for some, if not many, people. They are perfect for my son, pretty snug on me. They are clearly intended to be functional during track use. Much more so than normal 911 seats. Compared to a Huracan (without competition seats), the Z06’s seating position is more adaptable, and the seats are actually more fitted and formed. I was surprised at this.
Also, traditional exotics generally lack heated and cooled seats, head-up displays, cup holders, and even cruise control. (Although my Aventador S actually has Apple Car play, believe it or not.) The Z06 has all of the above and its upgraded sound system is by far the best I’ve heard in a sports car. Certainly better than the more expensive systems found in all of the other cars that I have mentioned.
Z06 Ride Quality & Driving Experience
Z06 3LZ vs Aventador S
In general, you have to drive the Z06 in exactly the same way you drive a supercar/exotic car. It’s low and very wide. (It’s wider than the Huracan and only half an inch narrower than the Aventador S.) The Z06’s power can surprise you. I’m also tickled by how similar the cockpits seem to be. It used to be that getting into a Lamborghini and just looking out the front was something like an X-Wing fighter and nothing else came close. The C8 really does provide a similar experience. The Aventador just takes that and squeezes and stretches it in awesome but uncomfortable ways.
Compared to the Huracan, the Z06 is louder in Track Mode at lower RPMs. (I won’t get to try out high RPMs until I make it to 500 miles, the Huracan really shined up there.) Conversely, the Z06 stealth setting is unnervingly quiet. It’s crazy. The Huracan had no counterpart for that. Even with my limit still at 6,000 RPM or so, it’s incredible how loud this car is when it’s in full loud mode. Another plug for the HTC is being able to lower that rear window down, which makes a big difference when listening to the engine.
Lastly, the Z06’s mag ride suspension tuning is unreal. I’ve got something similar in my Aventador S, but it isn’t as good as the Z06. I’ve got a terrible road near me just as you enter a highway and it’s a bit bouncy in most cars. The Z06 handles this smoothly akin to a non-GT 992 (911) would. Steering is also “supercar” fantastic.
3LZ Interior Quality
This is sort of an elephant in the room with this car and everyone assumes it lacks in this area. I’d say that the top-end Z06 provides an extremely nice and exciting interior. Probably the best interior that most people have ever been in. Yes, my Porsche Taycan GTS (which is more expensive than my Z), has a more “perfect” interior, but it’s also plainer.
I’d say that the 3LZ fits in between a Huracan and the Aventador, with the Aventador being tops. I like it better, and it’s a nicer place to be. I don’t spend any time staring at stitching closely, that’s what the Porsche guys do. The Aventador is hand assembled and hand stitched, I can’t tell any imperfections, but I’m sure I could find one somewhere if I tried.
Audi R8
In terms of quality of materials, the 3LZ is up there with my old R8. There just aren’t any really plastic bits, the entire car feels covered in something quality, and the soft/Alcantara roof lining and the A-pillar lining is extremely nice.
A Note About Width & Trailers
It is hard to overstate how wide the C8 Z06 is. It’s 2.3 inches wider than the C7 ZR1 and less than an inch narrower than the C8.R IMSA Racecar. And the Aventador S is only wider thanks to its 355mm rear tires instead of the Z06’s 345mm. It’s that close.
In this picture, the Z06 is MUCH wider than the Lotus GT and the Testarossa, and does look a bit bigger than the Aventador. (Although the Aventador is actually over 5 inches longer to account for its menacing naturally aspirated 6.5L V12).
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.
The Z06 will still end up with less than .5 inches on either side here. That will be way better than the Murci, but it’s 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.
C8 Corvette Z06 Supercar Final Thoughts
When people used to get into my 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 badass, 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.
The C8 Z06 has a road presence that 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. And they feel it when driven. The Z06 has really vaulted Corvette into this new territory.
I don’t want to compare too much to my Aventador because these cars don’t compete with each other (150k vs 500k) But damn. The Z06 doesn’t really lose any ground to anything else I have had, outside of that I don’t think it will make random people scream out loud or cry. But it certainly is going to bring a lot of happiness with it.
And that’s what supercars are all about; spreading joy.
Chevy hit the C8 Z06 out of the park and they are really bringing the supercar experience to Vette owners. The wow factor is nearly all there, and everything else is made up for with the tech and comforts provided which you don’t get anywhere else yet.
The Z06 is also fun in the way that exotic supercars are and that sports cars aren’t. That’s what separates this thing and why it belongs in the loftier club. I’d put it above an AMG GT, above a 992 (non-GT) 911, above even the R8. To me, it sits alongside the Huracan in all but the circus factor, and comes with way more goodies.
It used to be that you always had to say Corvettes are great “for the money.” Clearly not anymore. The C8 Corvette Z06 is just that impressive and it belongs in the supercar category.
Photos: 99999
Keyword: Is the C8 Corvette Z06 a Supercar? Exotic Car Owner Says YES!