Last updated on January 14, 2023
Today’s car is a brand new 2023 Corvette Zo6 Convertible owned by 29 year old Fernando Villasenor. This is his 4th Corvette; 2 C7s and 2 C8s! I saw this car at the Sunday Morning Marina del Rey Cars and Coffee. It is finished in Torch Red with a two-tone black and Adrenaline red leather interior. It is powered by a hand-built LT6 aluminum alloy 5.5 liter, DOHC naturally aspirated V-8 that generates 670 hp (GM est.), with a (Ferrari like) flat-plane crankshaft, allowing for an 8,600 RPM redline. Did I say that it is not supercharged. It is mated to a Tremec 8-speed dual clutch transmission with a 5.56:1 final drive ratio. Slowing this rocket down are Brembo six-piston disc brakes which grab 14.6-inch two-piece rotors up front. Residing out back are a set of Brembo four-piston calipers, grabbing a set of slightly larger 15-inch rotors. The front and rear suspension are short/long arm (SLA) double wishbone, forged aluminum upper and cast aluminum L-shape lower control arms with monotube shock absorbers and the rear direct-acting stabilizer bar. The 20″ x 10″ front and 21″ x 13″ rear wheels are sporting Michelin Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires.
This is a great car for the money, hands down! All of the mid engine cars today have that shorter front nose, which is not as appealing to my eye as the longer sleeker look of the C7 Corvettes. Do not get me wrong, I would be very happy to have one in my garage. You won’t find any pictures of the engine that I took in this article, that is because in the convertible the engine is totally covered up.
The planned production quantity for the 2023 Z06 is 315 units, Fernando has number 218. The GM estimated top speed is 195 mph with an 0-60 mph time of 2.6 seconds. The MSRP is $105,300.00 for a base unit and for a fully loaded unit is $184,00.00, which excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, $3,000.00 gas guzzler tax, dealer fees, dealers markups and optional equipment.
The newness and uniqueness of the Z06 will draw plenty of attention wherever you park it, but as any Corvette, new or old, there are always people stopping by for a look and usually have a story to share. This car is definitely for rides up and down the coast, top down, of coarse! I would not mind doing a little canyon carving with this beauty. I saw Fernando on his way to work this morning with a big smile and sharing a little extra revs for my sake. Thanks for riding along. Frank
