Z06 vs Eray ; purist vs. modernist

[robert bornhoeft]

Purest : not mixed with any other substance or material, without any extraneous and unnecessary elements. I would have a hard time using that word when describing the new Z06. B.T.W. Remember when Chevy did build "purest" type Vettes back in the day like the 63 Z06. Ya know, mandatory option delete kinda stuff.

[JerryU]

As I’m learning more and more about the Eray it stood out to me.

if you are a purist and believe nothing beats the naturally aspirated raw power of an internal combustion engine, the z06 is just that in its rawest form

however the Eray is roughly equivalent in power, slightly faster, catered more towards a luxury trim, and utilizes the most modern technology that results in a unique sound and groundbreaking performance capabilities.

so we have two nearly equal vehicles suited for two different personalities. It’s the ultimate question in my opinion. Do you choose to stick with a tried and true internal combustion engine, or do you not car and just want the newest tech, especially when it gives a slight advantage.

do you want track oriented, or on road privatized power?

high rpm flat plane crank sound. Or jet turbine tech sounds sound?

what a time to be alive and such a hard decision.

im on an Eray list at criswell but would consider trading spots with someone in a z06 list as I tend to lean toward the z06 having better collectors/resale value

Just read thru this Thread.

I consider myself a purist to a point of every DD in 63 years BUT my C8 had a standard shift AND until I moved South in 1985 did not have hp robbing AC! I also prefer a NA engine and admire NHRA ProStock getting ~1500 hp from a 500 cid NA engine. They also don't have to rebuild the engine after each run like a GM 71 type supercharged 500 cid engine burning Nitromethane! The trick with NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters and Funny cars is not power as much as getting it to the ground.

Now when gas was hard to get in the early 1980's (for a period could only buy it every other day) I bought a 1.4 Liter (86 cid) turbo sub compact 2 door hatchback. Equipped with Plus 1 Pirelli P7s and some other mods, was fun for a while! Talk about torque steer! When turning aggressively, had to stab the emergency brake (lock held in) to get the rear to slide out before using WOT! Much like folks racing Mini's!

IF Tracking, can understand getting a C8 Z06. But for street use, where I will use mine, the ERAY is a better fit IMO. Shifting at 8500 would be fun but gets old after a while on the street. The combined low-end torque of the LT2 and electric motor are more useful and will be used often. I leave a Stop sign at the end of the rural road I live on and have to merge into often heavy traffic on a 4 lane divided highway going ~70 mph to and from Myrtle Beach and I95. Using the faster 0 to 60 will be fun each time! Also brake aggressively when returning so the cars/trucks behind don't have to slow significantly for me. Those large carbon/ceramic brakes will be great.


Yep ERAY fits better for my Street needs, no Tracking.

[Meldoon]

If the E-Ray has even a hint of torque steer they can keep it. I hate it. Best steering I’ve experienced is in my 1979 Porsche 911. No power steering, no assist at all, not needed! Terrific feedback. Will be waiting to hear feedback from early reviews.

[JohnnyBsZ06]

The way I see it, the Z06 is the track weapon with minimal weight up front for immediate turn-in and a world-record holder DOHC FPC NA V8 out back. The ERay is a SR w/ essentially a power bank (big rubber band) that increases city MPG but requires gasoline to charge it. There is no alternative renewable fuel being consumed. It does recover momentum that would normally be converted to heat in the brakes and turns it into a power boost that gives it an extra shove to match the Z06 in a straight line, but it will be looking at Z06 tail lights on the track w/ all-seasons and a motor up front (and how many laps before the battery has been exhausted and the ERay is no longer capable of keeping pacing with the Z06 coming out of the corners?). While I completely dig the concept of the motor booster to convert wasted energy into forward thrust that is completely isolated from the mechanical ICE drivetrain (a genius approach to a hybrid IMO), it falls short of what I would consider a definitive step away from fossil fuels and into renewables. Yes, I fully understand to reach those goals would have to be more of a pure EV or at least a PHEV, which would require a much larger battery pack and added weight.......neither of which is conducive to a sports car. Maybe by the C9 generation we can get a 500 mile EV Corvette that weighs less than 4000 lbs. In the meantime, I'm staying on the Z06 wait list.

[lostsoul]

IMO: Out of the 2 options E-ray is both of them.. Old school push rod, V-8 muscle car sound. Not a European Ferrari / Hyabusa sound which is not bad but I personally would not want to hear all the time. Lets not forget the mass TQ.. that is another American purist thing.. TQ is king. TQ+ AWD = bliss. It will be interesting to see the reviews and of course people are going to pit them against each other. The sudden slam in the seat of mass tq and awd have changed many minds, so we will see.

then of course you all know the modern parts which some are so so.

If I break down or run out of gas I better be 3-4 miles away. BUT at least that option is there. Maybe we can go 20 miles in shuttle mode.. but there will be allot of ****ed of people behind me going 15mph..heheh

[Ragtop 99]

As I’m learning more and more about the Eray it stood out to me.

do you want track oriented, or on road privatized power?

high rpm flat plane crank sound. Or jet turbine tech sounds sound?

Both. Put the LT6 in the e-ray. Even a 4.8L version of the LT6 making 550 HP or a bit more would have been awesome. The programming could allow the electric motor to provide the torque below 4,000 rpm when it doesn't have power and then let the FPC sing to 8600, or to 9k in a 4.8L version.

[JB]

If you go with HTC the rear window will be down all the time! E-Ray or not.

That’s what I was just thinking too. Thanks for the insight. Eray or z06 a htc it is without question!

I love my targa fastback look yet I’m also digging the tunnel back design look that reminds me of the early c3 stingrays and most importantly I want a little more of cockpit frenzy of my previous corvettes.

GM did an amazing job isolating the cabin yet they did such a good job I look forward to the htc as you suggest to get a little more visceral experience even with the roof on

I always appreciate the advice!

thank you

[Meldoon]

I happen to agree. I never buy cars as investments. I just want to enjoy driving them. I dont want or need to own a car that sits in my garage. Its just not my thing. If Im so concerned about earning money I wouldnt do it with a car and if I couldnt afford or didnt want to see my cars value depreciate then I wouldnt buy it.

im glad so many of my friends and acquaintances have been flipping their cars and making money thats just not on my personal Agenda of things to do.

its been a couple of years since I took delivery of this beautiful c8 z51 targa and I kind of think having a new one would be fun. A little wider fenders and wider wheels look very nice and a new powertrain such as the eray with 655 hp 595 tq or the 670 hp Z06 sounds exciting.

Getting a htc allows the rear window to go down and on those occasions in the winter lets say that rear window down to hear the roar of an 8600 rpm redline in a flat plane crank dohc v8 might be exhilerating.

if not the z06 then the jet turbine sound of the front mounted electric motor into the cockpit along with the roar of the venerable lt2 might negate the desire of a htc since the sound comes from upfront?

all I know is a more visceral driving experience seems to potentially available with either model.

thats what Im after for an extra 30 large give or take additional options chosen.

If you go with HTC the rear window will be down all the time! E-Ray or not.

[hogyld]

There are sooo many on this forum smarter than I when it comes to engineering, research, & design of these modern marvels, and although I’m a traditionalist when it comes to the “old fashioned” pushrod engines, I must admit, that the hybrid interests me more so than the FPC Z06. If I’m any of the two, then I’d probably be labeled a blend of the two then or a traditional modernist, if there is such a thing.

[JB]

[emphasis added]

People want to buy at MSRP but sell it for more? Customers displaying the same greed as dealers? I'm shocked, shocked and appalled.

What ever happened to buying a car because you wanted to drive the car? Everybody is a hedge fund manager these days.

I happen to agree. I never buy cars as investments. I just want to enjoy driving them. I dont want or need to own a car that sits in my garage. Its just not my thing. If Im so concerned about earning money I wouldnt do it with a car and if I couldnt afford or didnt want to see my cars value depreciate then I wouldnt buy it.

im glad so many of my friends and acquaintances have been flipping their cars and making money thats just not on my personal Agenda of things to do.

its been a couple of years since I took delivery of this beautiful c8 z51 targa and I kind of think having a new one would be fun. A little wider fenders and wider wheels look very nice and a new powertrain such as the eray with 655 hp 595 tq or the 670 hp Z06 sounds exciting.

Getting a htc allows the rear window to go down and on those occasions in the winter lets say that rear window down to hear the roar of an 8600 rpm redline in a flat plane crank dohc v8 might be exhilerating.

if not the z06 then the jet turbine sound of the front mounted electric motor into the cockpit along with the roar of the venerable lt2 might negate the desire of a htc since the sound comes from upfront?

all I know is a more visceral driving experience seems to potentially available with either model.

thats what Im after for an extra 30 large give or take additional options chosen.

[DavidM]

I could not decide so I am on the Z06 and E-Ray list. I will take one of each. I am thinking that with the slow Z06 ramp up and the likely the same for the E-Ray that it will be awhile before I get either. Sooner would be better but I have other Corvettes to drive so waiting isn't all that bad.

[chevyrules]

For me, it’s simply being a fan of simple is usually best. Rather have it be just ICE or pure EV. Don’t want two power trains in one car. Even though I know the electric motor is far more likely to outlast the LT2 and need less basic maintenance. Also the LT6 in itself being a very complex engine.

Also, it’s wanting a different experience. I have driven a car with the LT1( basic same engine as LT2) and an EV( my current DD of a Model 3). I want a different experience which the FPC DOHC LT6 will provide over the OHV LT2.

[Ray Smith]

on an Eray list at criswell but would consider trading spots with someone in a z06 list as I tend to lean toward the z06 having better collectors/resale value

[emphasis added]

People want to buy at MSRP but sell it for more? Customers displaying the same greed as dealers? I'm shocked, shocked and appalled.

What ever happened to buying a car because you wanted to drive the car? Everybody is a hedge fund manager these days.

[JB]

I would take either the Eray or the z06 whichever one could be delivered first.

both have exciting attributes if delivered in different ways. They both have that sexy wide body wide wheel wide tire expanded handling capability I’m after.

i am usually a traditionalist yet more
recently in the last decade or two I also enjoy completely out of the box paradym shifting solutions and creations

[bartruff]

To me it is all about utility and value....short for "bang for the buck"....