Zac Quinn 
It’s no secret that the C8 Corvette Z06 is a car that aims to take the fight directly to Porsche. The car is no joke, as we’ve covered its astounding performance capability in the past as the Z07 package for the General Motors supercar made some mighty times. But now, France’s Motorsport Magazine put the C8 Corvette Z06 around Circuit du Nevers Magny-Cours — a race track that once hosted Formula 1 races — and managed to outpace Porsche’s current best.
C8 Corvette Z06 Vs. Porsche GT3: Details
For the test, the Corvette Z06 and the 992-generation Porsche 911 GT3 RS had Michelin Cup 2R tires on during their fastest laps at Nevers Magnry-Cours. The times listed by Motorsport Magazine show that the Z06’s fastest lap was 1:15.23, while the Porsche 992 was just 1:15.96. The list shown also reveals that the new Chevrolet is faster than the Ferrari 488 Pista (1:16.06), 765LT Spider (1:16.51), and the Huracan STO (1:16.89). If you were looking to compare the C8 with the C7, you’re in luck, as the C7 Z06 riding on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires had a time of 1:18.48. The latest American Missile even beat a 991-generation Porsche 911 GT2 RS, which was a $300,000+ car when new.
Though the C8 Z06 finished in second place, first place was taken by the McLaren Senna, which rode on Pirelli Trofeo R tires and had a staggering time of 1:14.93.
It’s important to note that the Corvette Z06 featured here did have the Z07 package, though it was the Europe configuration which we know is different from its American counterpart, which means it’s arguably not as good. The Z06 features corner-mounted outlets like that of the Stingray due to the requirement of the European market for the supercar to feature gasoline particulate filters, which became relatively common in 2018 due to Euro 6c regulations. The purpose of the filters is to reduce the particulates that could escape the exhaust by a considerable margin. As excess hydrocarbon particulates, carbon monoxide, and nitrous oxide are burned, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and water flow out.
The result is that the exhaust sounds tame compared to a GPF-less exhaust system. Additionally, the more restrictive exhaust, the less power and torque a given engine cranks out, meaning that the European C8 Corvette Z06 only produces 636 horsepower and 439 lb-ft of torque. By comparison, the American-spec Z06 Z07 has 670 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. The track-dominating Z06 is a slightly watered-down version of what customers in America can buy. Take that, Porsche.
