Corvette Z06 Z07: ‘The Best Sports Car I Have Ever Owned or Driven’

After breaking in his 2023 Corvette Z06 Z07, an owner describes GM’s supercar as “freakishly fast, responsive, planted, and head-turning.”

On November 22 of this year, CorvetteForum member Stephen McCarthy took delivery of a stunning Red Mist Metallic 2023 Corvette Z06 z07 (VIN 00052). But, with dropping temperatures approaching in Nevada, he quickly ordered a set of Pilot Sport 4S ZP tires as the track-focused Z07 package Cup 2s become ice skates in cooler temperatures.

McCarthy worked through the rev-limited 500-mile breaking period in just three short days (good for him!) and wrote up his first impressions over HERE. Five days later, he reappeared after doing a track alignment, carbon brake burnishing, and getting to know the world’s most powerful naturally aspirated V8 supercar. You can read (and please join) Steve’s original thread right HERE. But what he wrote was so helpful and detailed, we wanted to share it here on the CorvetteForum front page. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

The following has been condensed and reformatted.

The Spec

• 2023 Corvette Z06/Z07
• Convertible Hard Top
• 3LZ
• Red Mist Metallic
• Front lift
• Edge Red calipers
• Carbon Flash painted aero and grand effects
• Red/black interior

Engine & Transmission

I don’t know what I like more, the engine or the gearbox. Both are absolutely extraordinary. The engine is LOUD (and probably too loud for tracks like Laguna Seca where my C6 Z06 got black-flagged with a STOCK exhaust).

For street driving, in Tour mode, I have the car set up in the mildest setting possible — minimum sound, steering and brakes as light as possible, and gear shifts super low (short shifting). Race 2 mode is pretty much the opposite. In Race 2, the car is violent and pissed off (which is amazing when you want it). So I honestly do not recommend driving around town in Race 2. (For me, that is a real change, because that is the only way I have been driving for years.)

Race 2 in the C8 Z06 truly is intended for track duty only, and you will hate it on the street. It actually makes me a bit nauseous if I drive around in it for too long.

I removed the Cup 2 Rs that come on it and replaced them with Pilot Sport 4S ZP street tires. The Cup 2 tires are seriously sketchy when they are cold. And heaven forbid you encounter any amount of moisture or sand on the road. I pulled mine off after a couple hundred miles (while waiting for my PS4Ss).

At Spring Mountain Motorsports Park, my buddy helped me burnish the brakes (he is a professional driver). We also drove around the autocross course a bit and the PS4Ss performed extremely well. I am saving my Cup tires for the spring, and for track duty only. I figure driving those tires on the street is not only a waste, but they are just not as fun as the higher-tread PS4S.

Road Noise (Tires & Wind)

Road noise was, at first, awful. Like, really, really loud. Even with the engine and exhaust in their tamest modes, it was hard to hear music or phone calls. After swapping the Cup tires for PS4Ss, the car seems much quieter now. (Although it could also be the roads I was on.)

Regarding wind, with the hardtop convertible down, the wind noise is much less than it was on my C7. I rarely drove the C7 with the top off because of wind noise. I drive this car with the top down pretty regularly. Big difference. I think in part because the rear window lowers and allows the wind to flow through as opposed to churning inside the car. Or not.

Brakes

The carbon ceramic brakes are garbage until you burnish them. Seriously. There is no feel, and the stopping distance is terrible. The brake pedal feels super heavy and stiff. Be very, very careful in this car until you burnish the brakes. Once they are bedded in, though, they are absolutely fantastic and very linear. And they are QUIET unlike the Hawk DTC 80s which are an embarrassment when cold (how many times has someone commented that your brakes need replacing?).

I also am a little surprised GM did not go with steel braided brake lines as standard equipment, though. And I am a bit surprised they just don’t equip the car with high-temperature brake fluid (in the Z07 anyway). Not a huge deal, but it is one more thing to fool with.

Should You Opt for the Front Lift?

The front lift is incredible and you can set up to 1,000 gps defined locations. Every time I pull up to my driveway, the front end automatically lifts. Every time I approach the massive speed bumps at my club, the front end automatically lifts. If you get the Z07 option, you really should get the front lift.

Previous Driving Experience

I went straight from a C7 Z51 to the C8 Z06. I’ve been waiting since 2020 because I knew I wanted the wide body. Back then I (obviously) knew nothing else about the car. Plus, I love shifting gears and was loathe to part with my beloved C7 Z51 (but not nearly as much as I hated parting with my C6 Z06!). Aside from a bit of track time in a 488 GTB and a 911 Turbo S, I had exactly zero experience driving a mid or rear-engine car.

C8 Z06 Driving Impressions

After the first 500 miles, I had my dealership perform the break-in service and set GM’s recommended track alignment —

• Front: Castor + 8 degrees, Camber -2 degrees., Toe in 0.1 degrees
• Rear: Castor 0 degrees, Camber -2 degrees, Toe in 0.1 degrees, Thrust Angle 0 degrees

Before I did the track setup, I honestly did not like the feel of the car. Perhaps it was because I’ve been driving around with a track alignment for about 13 years, the factory Z06 setup just felt weird at first. Once I did the track setup, though, wow.

This car is very, very responsive. The confidence on turn-in is epic.

With a front-engine car, I always have to be mindful of “backing it in” to corners and being very mindful on corner exit. This car never gives me that feeling. I feel like I can threshold-brake all the way to the apex and aggressively pick the throttle super early with no worry or drama.

I do not need to say how amazing the car is. Everyone knows that, and words simply fail to do the car justice. But it is taking me time to learn. With previous cars, I could rotate them without thinking. I could put the car on nearly any angle I wanted and drive it that way, steering with the rear wheels.

As I write this, I am unable to do that with the Z06. The grip is just too good.

But keep in mind I am still not comfortable winding up the motor as it was meant to be driven. When the back end of this car steps out, it does so quickly and it comes back into line quickly. The engine revs so fast, it’s almost hard to catch when you are hooning it. I have done a couple of low rpm slides, 180s and 360s, and I really am nowhere near comfortable sliding the car (the way I was with the C7 and C6 Z06).

I will get there I am sure, but for now I’m being super, super cautious.

I do not plan to really push the car until the spring so I’ll be reporting back then. I may have a different answer. I may also go to another setup that was recommended to me (Camber front: -3.1 degrees. Camber rear: -2.6 degrees).

Cost

For me, this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. (I have actually said that twice before, but this time I mean it!) I believe driving a car should be an experience, and we should engage and connect with our cars. Literally, the only reason I did not get a C8 was I wanted a wide-body. That was it. If GM came out with a wide body in 2020, I would have gotten one.

I guess when it comes down to it, do I like push-rod engines or overhead-cam engines? Yes. Do I like front engine or mid-engine? Yes. Z51 or Z06? Yes.

For me (one of 8 billion people on this planet) it was not so much a cost-based decision as one of what do I want?

I am getting along in years and I do not want to lie on my deathbed regretting the things I did not do. So it is really hard for me to say if a Z06 is worth the extra cost over a Z51. I honestly don’t have an answer. They are very, very different cars. But I will say, like every car I have ever owned, this car makes me smile and that is what it should do. I will also say if they made a wide-body Z51 and I had garage space, I would probably own both.

C8 Corvette Z06 Z07 Verdict

In tour mode, the Corvette Z06 Z07 feels like it can be a daily driver though for me it’s mostly a track weapon. I so enjoyed chasing down Europe’s finest in my previous gen Corvettes, I simply cannot wait to show up in this thing. I think it is going to surprise a lot of folks.

In summary, freakishly fast, responsive, planted, and head-turning. A real joy to drive and worth every penny. Best sports car I have ever owned or driven.

Photos: Steve McCarthy