[Idaho2018GTPremium]

I haven’t owned a C7 so I can’t say with certainty, but I’d definitely go ZL1 over any non Z06 C7. Sounds like the guys who have owned both also have the same opinion.

I’m just not sure of your odds of ordering and getting a new one—don’t trust just one dealer. They’ll tell you want you want to hear so you don’t shop elsewhere.

[raptor5244]

I owned a 2017 C7 Stingray M7, 2019 C7 Grand Sport M7 and 2021 ZL1 A10.

They are all great but it really just depends what is most important to you.

- I think the ZL1 handles the power of the LT4 better than the Z06.
- The A10 is noticeably better than the A8 if you go automatic.
- The gearing in the Z06 and ZL1 (LT4) is pretty tall with the manuals transmissions if that matters to you. It makes it tough to wind out the gears on the street but all the torque down low tends to make up for it.
- The M6 in the ZL1 shifts better than the M7 IMO. No one uses 7th gear...
- The A10 transforms the car if you are looking to extract all the performance from the LT4. A10 tightly spaced gearing and quick shifts always keep you in boost.
- The M6 is not as quick, has some bog when launching but offers the most driving engagement.
- They both handle great but the Grand Sport is lighter and sharper in the corners and had better gearing for the street with the M7. It had the right amount of power for the street. The ZL1 handles excellent as well but you feel the extra weight over the nose when you drive them back to back.
- I prefer better visibility in the Corvette. Rear view camera mirror in the ZL1 helps a lot.
- I prefer the Recaro seats in the ZL1 to the Corvette seats.
- Not a fan of the Alcantara on the ZL1 steering wheel.
- I prefer the Corvette interior layout a little more, not a fan of the big hump in the dash cluster on the Camaros. You do get used to the low roof/high belt line of the Camaro but I still wish it were less claustrophobic.
- The ZL1 is the better bang for the buck. The ZL1 comes pretty much loaded up where you will need 2LT/3LT trim in a C7 to match it.
- Corvette resale is always strong, Camaro ZL1 should remain strong as well since going end of sale soon.

[DangerZL1]

Raptor sums up the differences great. I haven’t owned a C7, but briefly owned a C8. Unless you get a Z06, there’s no replacement for the extra 200 hp the ZL1 and the low end torque the LT4 has.

I don’t think we’ll ever see another supercharged v8 in a GM car.

[cvp33]

Originally Posted by Schlok

I'm thinking things like the infotainment might be a newer version in 2023 than it was on the 2019, not sure about that though. My 2015 was DEFINITELY different I'll tell you that. Wireless phone charging is on the ZL1, does the 2019 Z06 have that?

Whoops, missed the wireless charging. Honestly can’t think of anything else.

[Revalot]

GM knows they designed a camaro in the ZL1, V8 SS 1LE better than all but one C7 corvette, the 2019 ZR1 755 hp 2.6 supercharger, when you look at the front vents, you see ZL1/1LE technology all over it. The shameful thing is GM didn't advertise enough, and if the corvette crowd got wind of this the corvette sales would take a serious hit. So I'm proud to own a ZL1,the car that went out on top for 70K new. One of GM C8 Z06 designers said the ZL1 1LE is still better on track than a C8 Z06.

[cvp33]

Originally Posted by Revalot

GM knows they designed a camaro in the ZL1, V8 SS 1LE better than all but one C7 corvette, the 2019 ZR1 755 hp 2.6 supercharger, when you look at the front vents, you see ZL1/1LE technology all over it. The shameful thing is GM didn't advertise enough, and if the corvette crowd got wind of this the corvette sales would take a serious hit. So I'm proud to own a ZL1,the car that went out on top for 70K new. One of GM C8 Z06 designers said the ZL1 1LE is still better on track than a C8 Z06.

LOL, that engineer lied or was drunk. The ZLE is the equal of the C7Z, but not the C8Z. The C8Z is in another league. Let’s not get ahead of our skis here folks.

Added the lightning lap times for a little reality check. For those of us that track our cars……7 seconds on a 2:38 lap is an eternity. Like 45 car lengths or more behind the C8Z.

[Bosse'sBoss]

Best for me in order of preference:


1. Camaro ZL1

2. Corvette Grand Sport

3. Camaro SS1LE

[JG853]

To be fair - If you put a Cup2R tire on a C7 ZR1 a C8 Z06 is not faster at all (The Cup2R is a vastly better than the C7 ZR1 had, which was the Cup2 developed in 2013 and used on a 2019 ZR1). In fact, put a Cup2R tire on a C7 Z06 Z07 and it equals the time of a C8 Z06 Z07 (Equal driver).

In the quarter mile, even with advanced launch control you are seeing the C8 Z06 fastest time (That being Red Farmer) is the same as a C7 Z06 (Both had changed out the tires). The MPH in the quarter mile is the same. The advantage the C8 Z06 has is it's launch control.

Originally Posted by cvp33

LOL, that engineer lied or was drunk. The ZLE is the equal of the C7Z, but not the C8Z. The C8Z is in another league. Let’s not get ahead of our skis here folks.

Added the lightning lap times for a little reality check. For those of us that track our cars……7 seconds on a 2:38 lap is an eternity. Like 45 car lengths or more behind the C8Z.

[cvp33]

Originally Posted by JG853

To be fair - If you put a Cup2R tire on a C7 ZR1 a C8 Z06 is not faster at all (The Cup2R is a vastly better than the C7 ZR1 had, which was the Cup2 developed in 2013 and used on a 2019 ZR1). In fact, put a Cup2R tire on a C7 Z06 Z07 and it equals the time of a C8 Z06 Z07 (Equal driver).

In the quarter mile, even with advanced launch control you are seeing the C8 Z06 fastest time (That being Red Farmer) is the same as a C7 Z06 (Both had changed out the tires). The MPH in the quarter mile is the same. The advantage the C8 Z06 has is it's launch control.

To be fair, I believe the supposed quote from some mysterious GM engineer was that “…….the ZL1 1LE is still better on track than a C8 Z06 the ZLE performed better on track than a C8Z.” That right there is some buIIshl+.

Don’t really give a damn about 1/4 mile times and anyone that buys a CZ8 for 1/4 mile duty is a complete moron. That’s what the e-ray is for. 10.4@129mph.

[Revalot]

Just the fact that a ZL1/1LE can be mentioned in with a C7 Z06 or C8 Z06 is still a huge accomplishment, it would be great to see a test with the same driver, same fresh tires, all in the same day, I bet there would be some surprises. I've done a few laps back in the day, and plan on COTA here in Texas one of my bikes was a new 2005 GSXR1000. The C8 Z06 is no doubt spectacular, but 200K, it's gotten ridiculous on price, you could take 200K and buy 3 phenomenal cars and mod one for 20K left over and pass the C8 Z06. But to each there own.

[cvp33]

Originally Posted by Revalot

Just the fact that a ZL1/1LE can be mentioned in with a C7 Z06 or C8 Z06 is still a huge accomplishment, it would be great to see a test with the same driver, same fresh tires, all in the same day, I bet there would be some surprises. I've done a few laps back in the day, and plan on COTA here in Texas one of my bikes was a new 2005 GSXR1000. The C8 Z06 is no doubt spectacular, but 200K, it's gotten ridiculous on price, you could take 200K and buy 3 phenomenal cars and mod one for 20K left over and pass the C8 Z06. But to each there own.

Not on a road course you couldn’t. People underestimate how much it costs to race reliably fast on a road course. 1/4 mile is infinitely easier as you only need to run for 9 seconds at high rpm’s and can meth, ice tank, race gas yourself to survival. Not so much on a road course. On a road course you have to survive 30 minutes of driving the car at its limits. My guess is it would take around 800hp in a ZLE to match the C8Z on a road course. If you spin the blower faster, port it, cam it and make it all live on pump gas well you’ll need to add cooling. Might be able to find a thicker radiator, maybe add a dry sump oil set up. $30K, $40K if you want LMP or another reputable company to do it. Now you have another problem. An inferior chassis built for 650hp now with 800hp that’s nose heavy. So now you need some more mods to tune in the chassis so you can put that power down, bigger carbon brakes, maybe beef up the rear diff and trans for the added power. Probable should run some C/F wheels to get rid of that 500 pound heft vs the C8Z.

So take a $83K ZLE add in $10K carbon brakes, $15K C/F wheels, $40K in engine/cooling mods, plus another $10K for rear diff and trans work. Great job you just spent $158K to likely be slower, less reliable and have no warranty versus a $160K CZ8.

There’s a reason why the ZR1 needed 755hp to come close to the 670hp CZ8. There’s also a reason why GM switched to a superior mid-engine chassis. You can’t solve the equation on a road course with more power that you can’t put to the ground. The CZ8 sounds expensive compared to a Camaro, until you try to make the Camaro do what the CZ8 does easily. The Camaro is cheap, fun and fast. As it should be. The CZ8 is a world-beating super-car for $160K that runs with $250K 911 GT3’s.

[JG853]

I never said that a ZLE was on par with the C8 Z06 at VIR - I agree with you.

What I was referring to is there is a significant tire difference (Cup2R) over the C7 and ZLE.

The reason I posted the 1/4 mile time is that with all of the advantages a C8 Z06 has (ME, DCT, Launch Control, ...) Will Famer's records for a C7 Z06 and C8 Z06 time and MPH are basically the same. So, not only is the C7 Z06 on the same tire at VIR equal to the C8 Z06, it is also equal in a straight line (And is a dinosaur compared to the C8 Z with all of it's advances over the C7).

I never said to buy a C8 Z06 for drag racing. I was just pointing out the HUGE tire advantage a C8 Z06 Z07 has over the C7 and respective ZLE. That is why I said "To be fair".

I am also well aware that a AWD Eray will be better in a quarter mile than that of a C8 Z06 (In any trim level).

Originally Posted by cvp33

To be fair, I believe the supposed quote from some mysterious GM engineer was that “…….the ZL1 1LE is still better on track than a C8 Z06 the ZLE performed better on track than a C8Z.” That right there is some buIIshl+.

Don’t really give a damn about 1/4 mile times and anyone that buys a CZ8 for 1/4 mile duty is a complete moron. That’s what the e-ray is for. 10.4@129mph.

[cvp33]

Originally Posted by JG853

I never said that a ZLE was on par with the C8 Z06 at VIR - I agree with you.

What I was referring to is there is a significant tire difference (Cup2R) over the C7 and ZLE.

The reason I posted the 1/4 mile time is that with all of the advantages a C8 Z06 has (ME, DCT, Launch Control, ...) Will Famer's records for a C7 Z06 and C8 Z06 time and MPH are basically the same. So, not only is the C7 Z06 on the same tire at VIR equal to the C8 Z06, it is also equal in a straight line (And is a dinosaur compared to the C8 Z with all of it's advances over the C7).

I never said to buy a C8 Z06 for drag racing. I was just pointing out the HUGE tire advantage a C8 Z06 Z07 has over the C7 and respective ZLE. That is why I said "To be fair".

I am also well aware that a AWD Eray will be better in a quarter mile than that of a C8 Z06 (In any trim level).

Oh, sorry I thought you were talking to me. Carry on. I don’t 1/4 mile race anymore so no idea and no care what these cars do in a straight line. I was answering the mystery quote from some mystery engineer that supposedly said the ZLE was better than CZ8. It’s not and it will never be on a road course. GM knew this, which is why they went M/E.

[Revalot]

45 car lengths?