TESTED: C8 Corvette Z06 vs Porsche’s Best GT Cars

Intro

Like most of you, I have been dying to get some seat time in a C8 Z06 ever since the model was announced. Thanks to my friends over at Fabspeed Motorsport, I was finally able to make that happen this week. They reached out to me and asked if I would be interested in taking their 70th Anniversary Z06 Convertible out for a spin. They recently installed their Valvetronic Cat-Back Exhaust System, and wanted to get my thoughts on it. Naturally, I jumped at the chance. Look for my full review of the exhaust system in a future article. (For a little teaser click HERE.)

But for this article, I want to focus on the Z06 itself. More precisely, I want to focus on how I feel the car stacks up against the Porsche GT cars.

A few months ago, I was again at Fabspeed headquarters and drove their 992 GT3. I have some seat time in the Porsche GT4 RS as well as most other Porsche GT cars. With the exception of the new GT3 RS, I have driven pretty much every Porsche GT car from the last several years. As a HPDE instructor I have also spent plenty of time in the passenger seats of these cars. So, I thought that now that I had a rip in the Z06 it would be a good time to compare the Corvette to the best modern Porsche GT cars. And as I like to do in my articles, I try to keep things even. I found five advantages that the Porsche cars hold as well as five advantages for the Z06. This is how I think they stack up.

Porsche Advantage #5 – Size

The Corvette just feels bigger on the road. The Z06 is about 5 inches longer than the GT3. And although the width of the two cars is about the same, the Corvette feels much wider. That makes the Z06 a little bit tougher to place in tight spots. The cameras help for parking lot maneuvering. But if I was running a tight autocross course, I would prefer the GT4 RS or even the GT3 over the larger Z06. I took the Z06 to a nice empty parking lot and did my own version of a mini autocross. The car handled great, and transitions well. But it did feel like I was piloting a much larger ship. The Porsche has a way of shrinking around you that the Corvette does not.

C8 Z06 Advantage #5 – More Modern/Aggressive Interior

I liked the Z06 from the moment I plopped into the seat. The Corvette has much more of an aggressive fighter jet feel to it. The GT3 and GT4 RS are both lovely places to sit and drive. But the Corvette has an edge to it that the Germans can’t match. I want my sports cars to be aggressive. I want to feel like I just strapped myself into something special. I got that feeling more from the Corvette than I did from any of the Porsche GT cars.

If the Porsche interiors could talk, I imagine that they would say, “Hello Joe, please pay attention to the information on the displays as we attempt to shave 0.2 seconds off your previous lap time.” I think the Z06 interior would say, “Hello Joe, let’s go F some stuff up!” I personally love that attitude in my sports cars.

Porsche Advantage #4 – Steering Feel

The Porsche GT cars feel more direct and precise than the Z06. This may be splitting hairs a bit, but that is what a comparison is all about, right? The steering in the Z06 is fine but felt a touch heavy and slower compared to the Porsche GT models. The Corvette steering doesn’t quite respond in the same lightning quick manner as I experienced in the Porsche GT cars I have driven.

C8 Z06 Advantage #4 – Price

When the price of the C8 Z06 was first announced a lot of Corvette enthusiasts were taken aback. A Corvette that can exceed $150,000?!?! That is madness. Well, it is not cheap for sure. However, after spending the afternoon in a Z06 Convertible, I can tell you that it is worth every single penny. And getting yourself behind the wheel of a new 911 GT3 or a Cayman GT4 RS is going to cost you at least another $50K to $100K more than the Corvette. And from a pure performance/driving enjoyment perspective, it is tough to justify that kind of price delta.

I want to be clear about what I am saying here. In years past, in the C4, C5, and C6 days. A lot of automotive reviewers would say the Corvette is good…for the money. They would go on to say, but if you spend X dollars more, for a Porsche or Ferrari then you are getting a car that is substantially better. That is not what I am saying here. The C8 Z06 is not just good for the money. It is flat out good. As good as just about any other performance car out there. It just so happens to cost less than its rivals.

Porsche Advantage #3 – Dealership Experience

This is not really fair to the Z06, but it is part of the overall ownership experience, so I feel that it is fair to call out. The Z06 can perform as well as a Porsche or Ferrari. But the Chevy dealer experience is worlds behind the more expensive luxury brands. When I go to my local Chevy dealer for service, and I am thirsty I am directed to the nearest water fountain. The Porsche dealer has branded water bottles sitting in a refrigerator for my taking. At my local Ferrari dealer when I ask for water, they ask me if I want still or sparkling. Of course, you are paying for that level of service and comfort. But you can spend dangerously close to $200K on a Z06. For that kind of money, a little pampering would be nice.   

C8 Z06 Advantage #3 – Sound

The Porsche GT4 RS and GT3 both sound amazing. I would put the GT4 RS above the GT3 between those two. But to my ears, I found the sounds that the Z06 makes even more enjoyable. It is true that the Z06 I drove had a modified exhaust. But the last GT3 I drove also had a Fabspeed exhaust installed so it is a fair comparison. The Z06 sound just seems to hit different. The GT4 RS gives you some lovely induction noise. But I found the Z06 wonderful to listen to. And if I wanted to tone it down, I could switch into Tour mode and even with the top down it was quiet enough to go on a long-distance cruise.

Porsche Advantage #2 – Long Term Value

The GT4 RS will likely never depreciate much. And the GT3 models always hold their value. Porsche 911 models as a whole retain value better than just about any vehicle on the market. The Z06 will do OK in this department. But GM is cranking out a lot of them, and they will likely not be worth as much ten years from now as a 992 GT3. Especially if that GT3 is paint to sample with a manual transmission. Both options that are unavailable in the Z06. The Porsche GT cars are more customizable and more unique. That helps them retain value better over the long haul.

C8 Z06 Advantage #2 – Performance

The Z06 is faster around a track than both the 911 GT3 and Cayman GT4 RS. According to Car and Driver Lightning Lap data, the C8 Z06 can lap the VIR Grand Course about 2 seconds faster than either Porsche. The GT3 RS is about 1.5 seconds quicker than the Z06. But the GT3 RS is much worse as a road trip companion as it has basically no luggage space. And those cars are selling for over $400K right now, so it is not even close to the same class as the Z06. I found that on the street the Z06 had just the right amount of performance. It was plenty quick enough to have fun. But not so fast as to be overwhelming. It was also comfortable. It doesn’t sacrifice ride quality for lap times. The Z06 walks that perfect balance between a fun track car and a fun street car.

Porsche Advantage #1 – Build Quality/Reliability

The Porsche GT models are built like tanks. The Corvette is not bad by any means. It seems to be vastly better than in years past. But Porsche is a step ahead. The Porsche cars are also typically bulletproof in the reliability department. Sure, there can be issues with them. The 991.1 Porsche GT3 engines have a well-known issue that forced Porsche to extend ten-year engine warranties on them. Porsche had to replace several engines with updated G series units. So, I can’t pretend Porsche never makes mistakes. That being said, GM has never built a flat-plane crank engine before. There have been several examples of the LT6 blowing up. But I will say that driving the Z06 I felt that the car was well built and engineered. But if I had to split hairs again, I would give the nod in reliability to Porsche.  

C8 Z06 Advantage #1 – Fun Factor

This was the biggest surprise to me. I honestly felt that the Z06 convertible was flat out more FUN on the road than the GT3. On a track I might feel differently. However, I have to honestly say that for bombing around back roads and side streets, the Z06 was an absolute blast. The GT3 is surely not boring. But I didn’t feel like it offered up the same fizz as the Z06 did. Now, I personally prefer the GT4 RS over the GT3. I think the GT4 RS closes the fun factor gap a bit to the Z06. But factor in the fact that I can get a Z06 AND a cool C2 Corvette for the price of a GT4 RS and it really makes it hard to argue for the Porsche.

Yes, the Porsche might get more wows from the general public but forget all that for a moment. Block out everything else on this list. Forget about the dealer experience, the future values, the jokes about New Balance sneakers and so on. Focus on just the fact that you want a really fun car to drive on the weekends. Something to take to the beach, take to the track. Go on a long road trip with your significant other. You just want something FUN and FAST. A car that makes you feel special every time you get behind the wheel. The C8 Z06 is that car. For all those out there that question the Z06, I suggest you drive one. I did that, and the only question I have left is how do I put one in my own garage?

Images: Joe Kucinski