BlackICE
GT Owner
Joehand1
Tungsten GT Owner
I've got a buddy who placed a supercharger on his Z06, now 720 hp.
Cheap way to get the ZR1 performance.
Cheap way to get the ZR1 performance.
richardhead
GT Owner
- Sep 19, 2006
- 169
Not Good If You Take Delivery In Minnesota
In Minnesota, with passage of new law, that means an increase in registration/plate fees from $99.00 if registered before Sept 1, to around $1,000.00 if registered on or after Sept 1. A few folks will be angry here.
Not me, however, I've had mine for a while....
In Minnesota, with passage of new law, that means an increase in registration/plate fees from $99.00 if registered before Sept 1, to around $1,000.00 if registered on or after Sept 1. A few folks will be angry here.
Not me, however, I've had mine for a while....
Attachments
Thinking about the ZR1 setback has made me consider some things.
1. I hope GM actually makes a few bucks by making and selling a Corvette that has an MSRP north of $100G's.
2. Given the present environment for GM as a whole, I doubt they will.
3. I imagine there are rooms full of bean counters at GM that wish the car had never been concieved or at least stillborn.
4. I thank God that the guys at GM who gave the go ahead on the car had the stones to do so.
Now, saying all that, I probably wouldn't buy a ZR1 even if I could get one at MSRP (unless I could flip it easily-heh heh heh) and the reason for that remains that it still looks too much like most other Vettes (a topic that's been thorougly covered elsewhere on this forum). However, there is an ongoing automotive double standard towards the Corvette about the car's reputation versus many of the more elite cars in the market place. Some of this is self induced because GM might not have the $$ to address some of the Corvettes (repeated) shortcomings; lower grade interior, perceived poor paint quality, etc., but the fact remains that the most recent Corvette in all iterations, and the previous Z06 as well, are terrific cars for the dough. Furthermore, the knock against the Vette is always that it is just that; a Corvette. It's been around forever now, and it's still plastic, and it ain't a Porsche. But that last point is really an apple/oranges argument. The Vette has never been near a 911 (or subsequent versions) price range, and still every new bow tie model is reviewed by the auto press as if it is a direct competitor to the Porsche. Look, I've never owned a Porsche, haven't really wanted one, with the possible exception of the more recent Turbo (O.K., the 928 argument went this far with my other half; "honey, it has 4 real seats and the kids can sit in back" {that's when we only had 2 kids, but we bot the E500 Benz instead}), but I don't understand how the auto press gives a pass to Porsche when the car has been essentially the same IN LAYOUT for the last 40 years. The 911 iterations are all superb cars, but like the Vette, they have grown in weight/mass since the early cars, and the price still maintians a huge spread over the domestic plastic one. I guess what this all comes down to more than anything else is the stigma of the Vette being perceived as an overly large domestic (read American) car, and I think that's an unfair characterization. All one has to do is watch a Top Gear review of the car and you can see the snear on Clarkson's face the minute he approaches the car. Much of that blame goes to the car's reputation as being cartoonish, or bloated, and not European, and sophisticated. But like it or not, the crude Z06 can put nearly any other performance car (and many supercars) back on the trailer, with the ZR1 doing more so. The problem still comes back to the issue that even for the higher performance versions of the Vette (which schoolboys and gearheads can identify, but no one else cares about) they all look the SAME! Maybe if the ZR1 looked remotely like the mid engine "dream Vettes" on various Motor Trend covers 30 years ago, testers like Clarkson wouldn't have their minds made up about the car while they were walking towards it.
Don't think for a minute that when Ford started working on the GT that every cynic in the car biz said to himself "it's the wrong F car," just as they did with the Pantera umpteen years ago. They were ready to say the same thing the whole way along with the GT as well, until they realized that Ford not only got it right, but that the car was so much better than they could have imagined it left the speechless. Again, remember Clarkson's GT review? He was apoplectic at first. He couldn't believe he was driving a car that had the engine from the truck he considered to be the worst Ford made, the Lightning.
I hope the ZR1 delay is nothing more than a problem solving issue, and not that GM is bleeding so much red ink that the bean counters are forcing the #s to be cut back. The irony of all this is at a time when so many of us car afficianados have the disposable income to buy these unique models, the manufacturers can barely bring them to market. The GT is gone (who wouldn't have wanted a chance at a factory "lightweight GT" in the mode of a 430 Scuderia), the Viper has one foot in the grave, and the ZR1s may just languish on dealers lots. It's too bad. They all deserve better.
1. I hope GM actually makes a few bucks by making and selling a Corvette that has an MSRP north of $100G's.
2. Given the present environment for GM as a whole, I doubt they will.
3. I imagine there are rooms full of bean counters at GM that wish the car had never been concieved or at least stillborn.
4. I thank God that the guys at GM who gave the go ahead on the car had the stones to do so.
Now, saying all that, I probably wouldn't buy a ZR1 even if I could get one at MSRP (unless I could flip it easily-heh heh heh) and the reason for that remains that it still looks too much like most other Vettes (a topic that's been thorougly covered elsewhere on this forum). However, there is an ongoing automotive double standard towards the Corvette about the car's reputation versus many of the more elite cars in the market place. Some of this is self induced because GM might not have the $$ to address some of the Corvettes (repeated) shortcomings; lower grade interior, perceived poor paint quality, etc., but the fact remains that the most recent Corvette in all iterations, and the previous Z06 as well, are terrific cars for the dough. Furthermore, the knock against the Vette is always that it is just that; a Corvette. It's been around forever now, and it's still plastic, and it ain't a Porsche. But that last point is really an apple/oranges argument. The Vette has never been near a 911 (or subsequent versions) price range, and still every new bow tie model is reviewed by the auto press as if it is a direct competitor to the Porsche. Look, I've never owned a Porsche, haven't really wanted one, with the possible exception of the more recent Turbo (O.K., the 928 argument went this far with my other half; "honey, it has 4 real seats and the kids can sit in back" {that's when we only had 2 kids, but we bot the E500 Benz instead}), but I don't understand how the auto press gives a pass to Porsche when the car has been essentially the same IN LAYOUT for the last 40 years. The 911 iterations are all superb cars, but like the Vette, they have grown in weight/mass since the early cars, and the price still maintians a huge spread over the domestic plastic one. I guess what this all comes down to more than anything else is the stigma of the Vette being perceived as an overly large domestic (read American) car, and I think that's an unfair characterization. All one has to do is watch a Top Gear review of the car and you can see the snear on Clarkson's face the minute he approaches the car. Much of that blame goes to the car's reputation as being cartoonish, or bloated, and not European, and sophisticated. But like it or not, the crude Z06 can put nearly any other performance car (and many supercars) back on the trailer, with the ZR1 doing more so. The problem still comes back to the issue that even for the higher performance versions of the Vette (which schoolboys and gearheads can identify, but no one else cares about) they all look the SAME! Maybe if the ZR1 looked remotely like the mid engine "dream Vettes" on various Motor Trend covers 30 years ago, testers like Clarkson wouldn't have their minds made up about the car while they were walking towards it.
Don't think for a minute that when Ford started working on the GT that every cynic in the car biz said to himself "it's the wrong F car," just as they did with the Pantera umpteen years ago. They were ready to say the same thing the whole way along with the GT as well, until they realized that Ford not only got it right, but that the car was so much better than they could have imagined it left the speechless. Again, remember Clarkson's GT review? He was apoplectic at first. He couldn't believe he was driving a car that had the engine from the truck he considered to be the worst Ford made, the Lightning.
I hope the ZR1 delay is nothing more than a problem solving issue, and not that GM is bleeding so much red ink that the bean counters are forcing the #s to be cut back. The irony of all this is at a time when so many of us car afficianados have the disposable income to buy these unique models, the manufacturers can barely bring them to market. The GT is gone (who wouldn't have wanted a chance at a factory "lightweight GT" in the mode of a 430 Scuderia), the Viper has one foot in the grave, and the ZR1s may just languish on dealers lots. It's too bad. They all deserve better.
H
HHGT
Guest
They released them this morning. Shipments taking place now. Latest source cites the reason as a software programming issue. Who knows.
So here is the question. Never mind I'll start a new thread...
So here is the question. Never mind I'll start a new thread...
Last edited:
Kingman
GT Owner
If all else fails..blame a computer???
The 21rst Century equivalet of 'the dog ate my homework'.
I guess GM has let everyone go in their PR department.
The 21rst Century equivalet of 'the dog ate my homework'.
I guess GM has let everyone go in their PR department.
I would not buy any U.S. made vehicle at MSRP. :biggrin
It is just a Corvette. But you can install a set of road racing 305/35/18 tires to a used Z06 and pass just about everyone that takes their car to a road race event. As someone else mentioned, a used C5Z06 can be bought for $20K. Just add $2500 in race tires and wheels. The brake cooling ducts (all four calipers) are stock as is the oil temperature gauge.
You should try one. I always owned a number of Fords (and still do beyond my sig). I've owned a few Porsche 911's (and Carrera's). Porsche has not won 28,000 professional race victories but for no other reason than they build a good performance car.
The C5Z06 and the C6Z06 weigh ~3135 lbs. That is the reason that you can bolt on a 305 race tire and go very fast. A new Porsche 911 TT weighs in at 3547 lbs. The 911 TT has 480hp and costs $135,000.
And don't ignore the 3886 lb. GT500KR as one car that needs to go on a diet.
I always tell people that the gold chain was included (in the dash) with the Z06 that I bought (used; half of retail). :wink I really don't care (at my age) what people may perceive; I just enjoy the speed on the track.
What a minute. :lol You can't compare a FGT with a Porsche or a Corvette. :wink
I'd suggest that Ceberus/Chrysler, Ford, and GM are bankrupt. Their balance sheets are beyond repair. The only way that they can survive is with government guarantees. Like Fan and Fred, they will probably receive taxpayer help.
Empty Pockets
ex-GT Owner
He'd better "cool it" in the 'lead foot dept' then. My understanding is that the reason GM didn't go with a supercharged 427 is because it's cyl walls are just too thin to stand up to any kind of decent boost. :ack
skyrex
FORD GT OWNER
Too true EP. One of the things I found so impressive about the GT was how you could add power without having to rebuild the engine with better internals. I bought two cars that had applications (procharger on a C5 convertible, twin turbo's to an NSX-T) that were "supposed" to be made for the stock engines and not cause damage and I ended up having to do expensive engine rebuilds to both cars.
Seeing that billow of white smoke :eek pouring out of the exhaust is always a good feeling :thumbsdow. I learned my lesson that you can't expect to add power without internal problems....the exception being our GT's. That is just another in a long line of feathers in the GT's cap in my opinion. :thumbsup
skyrex
FORD GT OWNER
Also did they put out recalls on the ZR1's that were already delivered? :confused Just curious....