The Chevy Corvette Z06 we will get in the US won't be the Z06 sold elsewhere around the world. Tight emissions regulations in Europe and Australia call for extra exhaust piping, making it difficult to fit the Z06's floating quad center-exit tailpipes onto those models.
Instead, these Z06s will go on sale in places like Europe and Australia with corner-exit exhaust systems. The reason? Chevy needed to install gasoline particulate filters, and the exhaust system just wouldn't fit with a center-exit design. The packaging didn't work, which is a shame as Chevy engineers spent two years fine-tuning it to get the right sound.
Gallery: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
According to CorvetteBlogger.com, which noticed pre-production Z06s with the corner-exit system and pressed the automaker about the discrepancy, Chevy will install the filters on cars heading nearly everywhere except North America and the Middle East.
The filter could also dampen Chevy's naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V8 engine's output. In the Z06, it makes 670 horsepower (500 kilowatts) and 460 pound-feet (623 Newton-meters) of torque. However, CorvetteBlogger.com did some math and discovered that the filters reduced horsepower by two to four percent in the 495-hp (364-kW) Corvette Stingray. A similar drop could happen with the Z06.
Chevy introduced the Z06 last October, but we're still a few months away from production starting, which should begin later in the summer. Chevy also hasn't released pricing information for the model, though we expect it'll start at around $90,000 in the US.
The car has several improvements beyond a more potent powertrain, which can propel the two-door to 60 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 2.6 seconds. The extra power required extra cooling, so it has a new face, too. The Z06 also received a wider stance, massive 20- and 21-inch wheels, and a specially tuned suspension.
The Z06 is the first of several Corvette variants that will see the iconic model propelled into the future with new technology. One will be an all-wheel-drive hybrid, while the other will be a fully electric variant. The hybrid could go on sale before the end of next year.
