Leno takes the car for a drive.
The 2023 Chevy Corvette Z06 has been on the market for a mere few weeks. It introduces a high-revving flat plane crank V8 to the lineup. Although production will not begin until next summer, fingers are crossed that one can be found. The car is making its way around, with a recent stop at Jay Leno’s Garage. This allowed Jay Leno to explore the trim’s features and changes before giving it a spin.
Leno was one of the first to test drive the Corvette. It looks quite different from the standard C8. It is 3.6 inches wider than the standard Stingray and this is noticeable. This wider stance allows for larger air intakes to be placed behind the doors, which feed the engine’s cooling system. The Z06 also has the largest rear tires on any Corvette, but the Z06 has some more unique features. Leno also mentioned that the car will be priced at less than $100,000. This is consistent with previous rumors about the price not exceeding six figures.
The engine was made by Chevy, a naturally-aspirated 5.5-liter flat plane crank V8. This engine is exclusive to the Corvette. It’s a first for the model, which often shared its V8 powertrains between other Chevy or GM models. This new engine produces 670 horsepower (623 Newton-meters) and 460 pounds-feet (623 kilowatts). The coupe can reach 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 2.6 seconds and completes the quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds.
Leno takes the Corvette Z06 for a spin and presses the accelerator to hear the unique exhaust note. Leno’s car in the video is equipped with the Z07 package. This makes it more track-focused that the Z06. Although it is more practical for daily driving, 670 horsepower is still enough to get to the grocery. The Z07 package adds the biggest carbon-ceramic brakes to the Corvette, larger than those on the C7 ZR1.