Autoblog

Uhh.. 7100 RPM is an accomplishment???!?!???

Hell most import DOHC engines can rev to 8k rpm with ease.

The cars impressive no doubt, but not because it can rev to *gasp* 7100 rpm.

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I think it's the fact that it's a 7.0l engine. Most engines that rev over 8k are > 2.0l

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My S2000 reds out @ 9100 rpm's

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It's an overhead valve...not a OHC. And not very many engines except for exotics and four-bangers reach 8K with ease. At least not more than once.

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The key here is that it is a Overhead Valve 7.0-liter V-8. It mates the low end grunt of a big displacement engine with the revving range of a smaller Overhead cam engine. That is a big accomplishment.

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60 in first is nice though, the better question is how many gear changes to get to the quarter mile?
and its two bad the car already handles like a rollercoaster car, i'd love to hear about handling improvements too...

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Rollercoaster car? You're kidding, right?

You do realize that Vettes and, more specifically, Z06s are EXCELLENT handlers, right?

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Maybe he meant it handled like it was on rails (and not relatively straight freight train rails but twisty-curvy roller coaster rails)?

But anyway, overhead cam designs are overhead valve designs. Anyone who looks at a (S or D)OHC and says it isn't an OHV engine sounds and looks like an idiot. I for one have never seen an L-head (flathead) with the camshaft placed over the head... doesn't make much sense. If you have the camshaft over the head why would you put your valves any place other than over the head.

Additionally, getting hung up on redline RPM is completely stupid. There is some wow factor to the S2000 engine when it reaches 9000RPM but what really counts are the real world performance numbers. Who cares if your S2000 hits 9000RPM if the Z06 will make a lap around the track tens of seconds (if not more) sooner (other than you who lost the race)?

Ohh, and don't give me any crap about fuel economy because a 2.0L Honda singing it's song at 9000RPM doesn't exactly sip on the go-juice (and doesn't exactly convert fuel into 500+HP either). This is why I wish BSFC (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption) numbers were more readily available.

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It remains to be seen whether the handling in a Z06 approaches the levels of Porsche or Ferrari. It would be interesting how Dodge responds and whether they introduce a new car to compete against the Z06 or whether they re-tool the Viper.

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Porsche Carrera GT? Or just the plain old 911?
Ferrari Enzo? Or just the "plain old" 575M?

There is a dramatic difference there and I think any honest person would find that any advantage either of the exotics might have would be slight at best and that the price difference argument is quite valid.

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Justin,
I was actually thinking of the 911 GT3 and the F430. It would be interesting to compare the Z against the Carrera GT and Enzo. I wonder if the insurance would be lower or higher for the Z.

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my brother had a 1999 camaro - and now im not a fan at all
of those camaro's but he had the SS version (SuperSport)
it was the LS-1 corvette engine with 320bhp, and it had killer suspension and tires and breaks - it was basically a race car.
ive driven many cars, and i am a huge porsche / bmw fan . . .
but that camaro was one of the best handling cars ive ever driven
(giving you know how to handle the rear ass) -
- on the same note, my friend has a 2003 or 04 Z06 w. 405bhp
and that car handled even better - really incredible drives,
and neck snapping speeds .
and at the same time, both really easy to drive.
get in to a 911 for the first time and see how well you drive it
compared to a chevy super car.
shifting and handling are super easy with the chevys
where with the porsche you can spin it really quickly if you take turns or bends too fast (or not the right way)

theirs pro's and con's to everything

ps - burning rice is not an achievement

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ps - the price of the camaro ss was $27,000 and hit 60 in under 5 seconds .
and how much is the corvette ?
not much compared to german counterparts

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I can't believe these S2000 lovers believing redline is everything. Why not compare a sport bike reving at 14 000 rpm? Hey, add in an F1 car at 19 000 rpm. Now start to factor in that you have to be a midget to drive the S2000. Don't forget that if both occupants weigh more than 150 lbs it won't have enough torque to pull you to 60mph in less than 10 seconds. Let's compare apples to apples. Not apples to lemons. The Z06 is definitely world class in many aspects, and the fact that they are the first to push "old" OHV engine technology to the limit is impressive. The fact is, no one has done it before. End of story. Can't wait to see what's next. The Z06 is the biggest automotive bargain of the 21st century and will likely remain so for a very, very long time. Bring on all who say otherwise.

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"Hell most import DOHC engines can rev to 8k rpm with ease"

Leave ferrari out of it and name some 8k rpm V8's

Infact the only 8k rpm motors I know of come from: Ferrari, BMW, Toyota, and Honda, Subaru has the 555 which also spins to 8k just not here - and that's pretty much it I think.

Not all are 4 cyl's either there are some 6's and 10's in there but there aren't many 8k V8's. None the less I don't know a single engine that can rev above 7k that I'm not impressed with OHC or not..

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Another 500hp car to compare this to is the new V10 in the M5. It makes its 500hp from 5.0L at 7750rpm and 385 lb-ft at 6100rpm. The Z06 makes that same torque at 1600rpm and 500hp at 6200rpm. Think about that when you're bashing pushrods.

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15 comments and not one mention of the 302DZ.

what is the world coming to?!

it was the high-revving small block Chevrolet produced in the first generation Camaro. it was spinning 7500-8000 in *1969*. i was under the impression this was a decently well-known motor. but apparently not.

"Chevrolet put a 283 crank with a 327 bore and solid lifters hence creating a 302 cubic inch block w/4" bore, 3" stroke that would rev 7500-8,000 RPM on the bench."

a small block V8 hitting 7000rpm must sound pure awesome.

while that is impressive only in that it was in 1969 ... and it was technically only a 5.0L V8 engine... it's really impressive to me to see a 7.0L V8 going over 7k. people really need to do some thinking to understand exactly what that means. 7.0L and 8 cylinders at 7100rpm is damn impressive for an OHV. i mean... i would *expect* a 1.5L V12 to hit 14 grand all day long. it would *have* to.

i've seen it referred to as the DZ302 and the 302DZ.

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Who cares about redline?

Koenigsegg has a V8 putting out 806hp and it redlines at 7600.

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I agree, redline is useless as a performance stat. The thing that makes the Z06's redline impressive is the massive amount of torque the engine makes. By comparison, an S2000 at 9K RPM is positively anemic. What does it make at 9K? 100lb/ft?

Still, like 010111 said, getting a 7L OHV engine spinning at 7K RPM is very impressive.

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I Am 62...When i was 20 i had a 58 Vette bored to 302 , aluminum rods , ported heads ,11 to 1 pistons ,4.11 rear ,4 speed , Isky RR3 roller cam , Dual Quads(jetted just right) and those skinny old time whitewall tires of that era...I shifted at 8200 rpm ,and turned 12.8 at 112 mph at Atco dragway in N.J......With todays rubber i probably could have pulled off 12.4 or 12.3s...No cheater slicks were allowed back then...So,this new Z06 motor is incredible,but my little 302 was just as much so in its time..I probably had 400 horsepower...A better power to cube ratio than this engine

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