[HCT]

Asking people on a ZL1 forum if the ZL1 has too much power.... hmm, I wonder how they'll respond?

There's an old debate about whether it's more fun to drive a fast car slow or a slow car fast. Lots of people love the idea of absolutely wringing out a car -- that's why the Miata has been the world's best selling sports car for decades. It's super fun to drive and there are lots of roads where you can push the car to its limits yet not be going very fast.

On the other hand, for a ZL1 (or my Hellcat) on the street you have to be super judicious about going flat out and it's limited to bursts of just a few seconds at a time. Pushing a ZL1 to its limit will always result in terrifyingly high speeds. Even on a track that equates to narrower safety margins -- you can get into trouble very fast and maybe not be able to save it. Some people are thrilled by that, others hate it.

And of course for those of us that actually go to drag strips regularly, there's no such thing as too much power.

[ender2664]

Originally Posted by Ace01

Get a V6 RS with NPP Six speed. You will save a ton of bucks and have a blast driving it. You can find a nice 2016 now for around $28,500.00 with suppliers discount lease for $500 down and $365 a month. Can't beat that.

I've had 2014 v6. I test drove the 2016 v6 and if there wasn't a v8 I would not have gotten a 2016. The 2016 wasn't that much better than the 2016 to justify the cost, but the v8 is.

[2cnd chance]

Originally Posted by JaxChris

The ZL1 has more weight and will likely generate more downforce than the Z06. This should help it not be the ill-mannered beast that the Z06 is on the track. The Corvette definitely requires a better driver because of its' untamed behavior. I don't think you'll see the same from the ZL1 at all and will probably be easier to drive even with 800hp.

Heck, even with the SS in Track & Competitive you can make it get stupid with the 200hp less it offers.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2014/11/...wnforce-video/

The Z06/7 has more tread and stickier tires in the back as well.

[2cnd chance]

Originally Posted by KMPrenger

The question isn't is it too much?

It might never be too much.

The question is will you actually use it? In many cases, the answer will be no.
If you plan to track the car (a real track or 1/4 mile) then I say the more HP the better (if the car and the driver can handle it)

If its street car only, the only way you can use the power (aside from very short lived bursts of power) is by doing something illegal.

Sorry if that makes me sound like a nancy or something, but we all know its the case. Doesn't make me love my SS any less, but I already can't use its full performance. I certainly don't need more. But that's just me.

I wholeheartedly agree! I went through the OP's very question myself. I looked at and almost bought a Z06/7, but the supercharger just didn't appeal to me in a Corvette so I waited. Then the Grand Sport came out and I compared the 0-60, 1/4 times and track information. I noticed the 0-60 difference of .3 or .4 and the 1/4 a .5 difference. However I was most interested in track difference and usability as I don't drag race. I discussed with Z06 owners and watched videos of Z06 PDR's and they very, very seldom put the "pedal to the metal" in the Z06. All that extra HP just wasn't that usable on the track.

In the end is more HP cool? Yes. Is it really, really usable not so much (unless you drag)

Buy what you want, but do listen to that little voice inside...High HP can be very dangerous.

p.s. I bought the Grand Sport.

[quikag]

Maybe I'm getting old, but I think the LT1 is perfectly awesome in the '16 Camaro SS chassis. It's plenty of power for me and I also have a ZR1 in the garage which I've tracked for years at various road courses. So, I can handle higher power, but I'm quite content with the SS engine. I do agree the ZL1 is awesome and I love that LT4, but unless you want to drag race or track it and can drive, it's probably too much for most people.

That said, that's the whole point of high horsepower cars, having the power and being able to use it when you want, but obviously not very often lest you find yourself in jail.

Anyway, I'm happy with the SS and it's measly 455/455 power/torque figures.....for now at least....

[Mister Will]

Originally Posted by motorhead

The problem is there are more people with little skill that can afford big HP. This makes for these kinds of statements because they get the shit scared out of them when the lay into it the first time after coming from thier six banger family truckster or comparing it to their 69 whatever from back in the day.

Yep,

When I bought my first new car after driving a turboed 4 banger. It was an '88 Fox Body Mustang GT. The previous car was a '79 Mustang. Shortly after I bought it I was at an intersection ready to turn right. Cross traffic was coming a distance away. Then I got the idea that I didn't have to wait since I was driving a V8 now. So I jumped on it, as if I was in the 4 banger. The rear tires lit up and the car went sideways into approaching traffic. I was able to straighten it out before traffic reached the intersection. Lucky me.

The OP need's to decide what you want with the car. Horsepower can be addicting. The C7 Z06 has just under 600 ft-lbs of torque right off of idle. This will easily spin the tires without traction control. I have watched several video reviews, comments like "I'd kill myself", "you will never use the performance potential on the street", or "if you don't race why would you buy this car" are common. I feel that the LT4 may have answered the question, how much power is too much. Because the torque can overwhelm the tires even at speed. Another comment with the Z06 is that the car can't put the power down.

So the main question you need to ask yourself, what do you want the car for?

[DenverTaco07]

With regards to the notion of not being able to "use all that power on a public road"...I think there's plenty of times you can utilize the extra power the ZL1 has over the SS, i mean all that torque...0-60 all keeping it legal and still able to have a bit more fun.

Plus the looks of the ZL1 are a bit more...aggressive than the SS. So plenty of reasons to buy a ZL1.

oh...and if you are scared of the power, they have the nannies built in for that.

[HumanWiki]

I do drag race, so I will use the extra power. I actually miss the power I had in my Gen 5 SS (660HP) and got bored with my Gen 6 Grand Sport over its low 430HP numbers. It was sporty, but noticeably flat in a pull.

Gen 6 SS feels better and does run around RA faster than my GS for various reasons.

Also, I will track up at Road America and it has 3 very long straights that you will notice and use more power to barrel down/up them. With the front straight being almost a mile long, 650HP/TQ will chew that apart quickly. Same with the 26xx' and 28xx' straights in the middle and back sides of the track.

[HCT]

Originally Posted by HumanWiki

Gen 6 SS feels better and does run around RA faster than my GS for various reasons.

That's surprising to hear, I never would've guessed that!

[HumanWiki]

Originally Posted by HCT

That's surprising to hear, I never would've guessed that!

The 0-60 and 1/4 mile times for a 2012 C6GS with A6 are pretty much the same as a 2016 Gen6 SS with A8. Like down to the tenths and MPH. So for the times I'm accelerating, it felt about the same between the cars.

The Gen6 just felt more planted and on OEM pads/rotors just went and went and went. Tires were better. The suspension felt it was doing a better job. So, I was braking later, going through turns hotter and powering out of them sooner with much more confidence.

My GS wasn't a carbon and the A6, while okayish, had downshifting issues when you pulled it down multiple gears from triple digit speeds quickly. The Gen6 SS A8 trans didn't exhibit this behavior. That's worth time right there while the A6 was confused or actually lagged. There's times in my GS where I command 3 gears down coming in to T5 and the HUD claimed it did it and I felt 2 of them for sure, but right in the middle of the turn, it kicked down 1 more gear which is a HUGE no-no for that turn if you're already at near 100% tire for traction. A sudden gear change or brake/accel you're not counting on can cause an off-track issue right there and there's walls on both sides of you.

In the carousel, I do notice the Camaro's weight more than the GS given there's like 400lbs between them, but it's manageable and the car doesn't feel like it's going to come out from under you.

The tires on the Gen6 SS sing very well while they're working, which is nice. I don't like quiet tires that have nothing, nothing, nothing, chirp, loss of traction. These tires give you progressive levels of singing to let you know where they're at and they feel like they get less greasy when warm.

[ender2664]

Originally Posted by HumanWiki

The 0-60 and 1/4 mile times for a 2012 C6GS with A6 are pretty much the same as a 2016 Gen6 SS with A8. Like down to the tenths and MPH. So for the times I'm accelerating, it felt about the same between the cars.

The Gen6 just felt more planted and on OEM pads/rotors just went and went and went. Tires were better. The suspension felt it was doing a better job. So, I was braking later, going through turns hotter and powering out of them sooner with much more confidence.

My GS wasn't a carbon and the A6, while okayish, had downshifting issues when you pulled it down multiple gears from triple digit speeds quickly. The Gen6 SS A8 trans didn't exhibit this behavior. That's worth time right there while the A6 was confused or actually lagged. There's times in my GS where I command 3 gears down coming in to T5 and the HUD claimed it did it and I felt 2 of them for sure, but right in the middle of the turn, it kicked down 1 more gear which is a HUGE no-no for that turn if you're already at near 100% tire for traction. A sudden gear change or brake/accel you're not counting on can cause an off-track issue right there and there's walls on both sides of you.

In the carousel, I do notice the Camaro's weight more than the GS given there's like 400lbs between them, but it's manageable and the car doesn't feel like it's going to come out from under you.

The tires on the Gen6 SS sing very well while they're working, which is nice. I don't like quiet tires that have nothing, nothing, nothing, chirp, loss of traction. These tires give you progressive levels of singing to let you know where they're at and they feel like they get less greasy when warm.

I've never heard my tires.

[HumanWiki]

Originally Posted by ender2664

I've never heard my tires.

I've not actively followed all your threads. Which tracks and how hard were you pushing the car through turns?

I've heard them in 40/50F temps at RA and in 85F at Autobahn CC.

[ender2664]

Originally Posted by HumanWiki

I've not actively followed all your threads. Which tracks and how hard were you pushing the car through turns?

I've heard them in 40/50F temps at RA and in 85F at Autobahn CC.

My bad, should have been more specific that I am referring to the street. I've been able to hear tires on most of my cars at their limits on mountains and in canyons. This car grips great but with no noise from the tires I had to use the government meter to figure out when I was getting close to the limit and then figuring it out with feedback from there.

[HumanWiki]

Originally Posted by ender2664

My bad, should have been more specific that I am referring to the street. I've been able to hear tires on most of my cars at their limits on mountains and in canyons. This car grips great but with no noise from the tires I had to use the government meter to figure out when I was getting close to the limit and then figuring it out with feedback from there.

Ah.... Gotcha.... I guess it would depend on the road surface where you're at. I've heard mine chatter on me through a couple turns I had to make abruptly to avoid someone not paying attention.

Though, for persistent singing.. My experience here has been they've very vocal.

https://youtu.be/DP986yblUc0?t=856

This turn you can hear them well. Others it's harder to hear as my engine or the wind is masking.