WILL THE 2023 CORVETTE Z06 BE A 200+ MPH SUPERCAR?

There are many reasons to be excited about the C8 Corvette Z06; it is essentially a street-legal race car. While Chevrolet hasn’t released any information regarding the Corvette Z06’s top speed, we can still get a good idea that the vehicle will come close to the 200 mph top speed mark thanks to the recently revealed 2023 Corvette Owner’s Manual. Just not with any high-downforce additions of the Z07 package, to be sure.

2023 Corvette Z06 Top Speed: 188 MPH

Corvette Blogger found that page 202 of the owner’s manual indicates the minimum and maximum speeds that the transmission of the C8 Corvette Z06 can be upshifted or downshifted. For example, from the first gear, drivers can shift up to the second year at 9 mph, and in third gear, downshifting down into 2nd gear can be done at around 69 mph. Fifth gear can be shifted into as little as 29 mph, but you can downshift from 6th to 5th at 188 mph. That’s an impressive range for a car that boasts an 8,600 rpm redline. So there’s definitely plenty of room for exploration while driving the Z06, if given the room, on a closed course.

Given that you can downshift from 6th gear into 5th gear at 188 mph, the 2023 Corvette Z06 could be limited to that velocity maximum due to its strong aerodynamic properties, with the supercar being “aero limited” by 6th gear, and gears 7 and 8 acting as overdrive gears to aid in highway fuel economy. Should somebody take the car beyond the 200 mph mark, that would be something for the books.

The 670 horsepower 2023 Corvette Z06 is set to begin production this summer, while official pricing remains elusive. At any rate, considering the constant shortage of parts hampering the auto industry, expect supply of the C8 Z06 to run low for the foreseeable future.