2006 Chevrolet Corvette - Locked On Target -Tech

[Ed Blown Vert]

2006 Chevrolet Corvette - Locked On Target -Tech
It's tempting to begin with a detailed account of the five-decade fairy tale that is Corvette. But rather than risk being long-winded, let's just go with the short version: Since 1953, Chevrolet has been building its sports car for the purpose of competing with some of the finest on the planet. The goal has always been to not only build a world-class driving machine that can run with the best that Japan, Italy, Germany, and everywhere else have to offer, but to do it for a fraction of the cost.
Chevrolet has accomplished that with the Sixth Gen Corvette, and anyone who thinks otherwise is either willingly ignorant or grossly misinformed. Media and experts the world over respect this new-for-2005 Vette not only for its raw performance figures, but for the incredible feel it gives the driver, its real-world versatility, its build quality, and its comparative bargain base price. It's won awards left and right-and not just from power-hungry media leadfoots like ourselves. J.D. Power rates it "among the best" in both Initial Quality and Appeal for its class. Intellichoice rated it Best Overall Value (Sport Class), Top Winner for Highest Retained Value (Sport Class), and Smart Choice for Lowest Fuel in 2006. It's also a Consumer Guide Automotive Best Buy. The list goes on and on!
Agreed, $44,490 for the 2006 model ain't piggy-bank change (2007 pricing will start at $44,995). But think about it: this is a sports car that is as equally at home on Interstate 97 as it is on the Nordschleife. Nowhere else can you combine a sub-8.0 power-to-weight ratio with over 22 cubic feet of cargo volume and 28 mpg on the highway-even if you've got a quarter million dollars to blow.
At the same time, the C6 does not purport to be near as practical as your average family sedan. For example, Chevrolet warns that the Corvette can't go through your local car wash-it sits too low and the tires are too wide. The company also says not to be alarmed when the front air dam scrapes on the slightest of bumps (they're not kidding). And of course, the car will only seat two humans-though we've found an 80-pound Labrador can enjoy the cargo area very much.
"We," you say? That's right, you're looking at GMHTP's new Monterey Red Metallic 2006 Corvette project car! We decided the time was right to pick up a Vette of our own and find out for ourselves just what all the fuss is about-and to push the limits of the C6 platform's true performance capabilities.
Specially ordered from Great American Chevrolet in Hackensack, N.J., our grand total sticker price came out to $46,535 (including the obligatory $800 destination charge). Only two option boxes were checked, and both were cosmetic in nature: wheels and paint. High-end items like OnStar, auto-dimming mirrors, and redundant audio controls were foregone in the interest of price tag savings. In fact, our vehicle doesn't even have the one thing nearly every Vette off the assembly line seems to: the $1,695 Z51 performance package. It's certainly possible to spec a Corvette coupe to the hilt if you please (memory seats, power wheel tilt/telescope, "head-up" display, magnetic selective ride control, and so on); though you'll be riding in the lap of luxury, you'll also be looking at upwards of 58 grand. We'll take our base model-which is still relatively well-equipped-and keep the wallet a little fatter.
So far, we've been very impressed with the way our C6 drives. Acceleration is of course excellent, the clutch is compliant enough for stop-and-go traffic, and the brakes have a light-but-strong feeling to them. The steering is absolutely razor-sharp, and gets heavy at highway speeds to avoid being too touchy. While we haven't gotten the car out on a road course as of yet, some spirited backroad driving has given us a feel for how well this car handles. We know all too well how F-bodies and other larger, heavier GMs tend to plow the corners a bit; but with the Corvette, there isn't the slightest bit of understeer under most conditions. In some circumstances-and despite the car's lengthened 105.7-inch wheelbase-it feels like the rear end might start to kick around, and at times like these it's good to know the standard Active Handling system will step in to help prevent any mishaps. This feature, which Chevy describes as "an electronic symphony of Traction Control and antilock brakes," can also be set to Competitive Driving Mode with the push of a button-this allows more aggressive maneuvering but will still intrude when you've reached the limit of control. Knowing that Active Handling is there when you need it really helps put the driver at ease even in inclement weather conditions-important here in North Jersey.
Although minor, the C6 does have its bugs. The most apparent we've noticed thus far is the exhaust note, which we'll talk about shortly; but other shortcomings include the rubbery manual shifter, brakes that squeal when first applied, and rather substantial gear noise at highway speed-presumably due to the transmission and rear axle gears being cut for strength rather than quiet. Thanks to the Vette's high fenderlines, visibility out the sides of the car is limited, creating rather large blind spots that must be double-checked. And let's not even talk about the apt-to-fall-off front license plate mount-GM had better come up with a system other than double-sided tape for the next generation car. (We ended up having to purchase an aftermarket mount from SLP to display our New Jersey-mandated front placard.)
But we're just being sticklers-overall, the 2006 Corvette is a superbly engineered car that is a blast to own and drive. As GM's flagship platform, it does not disappoint when it comes to exhibiting the very latest design and manufacturing technology the company has to offer. We can only hope the top-notch fit and finish evident in this Vette trickle down to future vehicles. Follow the photo captions for more information on how our Corvette is equipped, as well as how we've gotten it to perform in showroom-stock form. But this is only the beginning; we look forward to sharing our experiences with this bad ride in the months to come!
The Fun Begins!
Let's cut to the chase here: this is GM High-Tech Performance, and we're not just some drive-it, review-it, move-on-to-the-next-sport-sedan periodical. We love to get our hands dirty, and enjoy maximizing every square inch of the vehicles we get our paws on. And so do you-or you wouldn't be reading this.
Let's face facts: what with the minimum $70,000 sticker price of the current Corvette Z06, it goes without saying that not everyone is going to be able afford one. Count in ravenous dealer markups coast-to-coast, and you've got a vehicle that-while still an absolute steal in the dollar-per-performance ratio-is simply out of reach to your average Joe. The question we want to answer is, can an LS2-powered C6 be made to run with its 7.0L big brother? And just as importantly, can this be done for substantially less money?
We think the answer is yes. Despite the car having only been around since the 2005 model year, the automotive aftermarket has already begun cranking out an impressive array of performance parts for the Sixth Generation Vette. Heck, just take a look at the plethora of Corvette bolt-ons being advertised in this issue of GMHTP alone. Our plan is to go through the same sequence of step-by-step mods the typical C6 owner is likely to follow, and make an honest assessment of whether we're coming close to reaching our target-keeping tabs on how much cash we spend along the way. Follow the pages of GMHTP every month, and you'll be showing taillights to Z06s before you know it!
One of the many impressive features Chevy incorporated into its LS7-powered flagship is the dual 3-inch "bimodal" exhaust system-which basically means the sucker has automatic muffler bypass valves. Awesome? Yes, indeed. And comparatively speaking, the C6's factory 2.5-inch system is downright lame-and we aren't just talking about smaller tubing. Nothing is worse than drawing a curious crowd at the local car hangout, then firing up your awesome-looking ride only to treat onlookers to the tune of-well, nothing. GM, listen up: the 2006 Corvette's virtually nonexistent exhaust note is no less than an insult to the enthusiasts who buy these cars. When it comes to aftermarket C6 mods, this piece just has to be the first to go!
Fortunately, a wide selection of cat-back exhaust systems are available on the market for the LS2-powered C6 (not to mention for the LS7-powered cars as well). One of the leading aftermarket exhaust manufacturers for some time has been Ohio-based CORSA Performance, a company that caters heavily to buyers of GM cars and trucks (in addition to offering systems for everything from Vipers to Ford trucks-and even boats!). The company has been selling a 2.5-inch version of its C6 exhaust for some time, and recently introduced a full 3-inch version for the Z06 (believe it or not, the factory Z-car system necks down to 2.5 inches at the muffler inlets). Never one to rest on its laurels, CORSA decided that LS2-powered cars could benefit from a bump to its Z06-spec tubing for even better flow capabilities than those the company already offered.
Enter the dual 3-inch RSC exhaust system you see here. Designated as PN 14171, the system carries an MSRP of $1999.99-with a "twin-tip" kit (with four total outlets) being available for an extra $100 (PN 14165). According to Ed Burgy, Automotive Product Manager at CORSA, "These prices are toward the premium end of the spectrum for aftermarket C6 exhaust systems; but taking into consideration our patented Reflective Sound Cancellation technology, 321 stainless steel construction, and lifetime warranty-in addition to improved flow, performance, looks, and sound-it is truly the only real choice for the Corvette." It's damn close to the same system CORSA sells for the Z06, the main difference being that this system adapts to the stock 2.5-inch cat pipes, then immediately opens up to its full 3-inch diameter-large enough for the gobs of exhaust flow we hope to be producing in the near future. Follow through the photo captions as we install and review this system-and be sure your subscription to GMHTP is up-to-date, because we've got loads more Corvette action to come!
Fuel and Air: Up In the Mix
Those of you looking to step into a cat-back system for the C6 Corvette may be worried about its effect on an LS2's ECM; after all, these newfangled engine computers are known to be a bit finicky and exhibit behavior different from control units of years past when engine modifications are performed. We were wondering this too, and so ordered up an Innovate Motorsports LC-1 Wideband Controller. This unit is capable of delivering and recording real-time readouts of AFR to your laptop computer. We'll have a more detailed review of this system and its installation in an upcoming issue of GMHTP (we'll be using LC-1s on several of our project cars).
While plans were to install the wideband into our C6's exhaust prior to performing any modifications (so that each part's effect on air-fuel ratio could be assessed), extenuating circumstances meant we weren't able to get it up and running prior to installing our CORSA exhaust. However, CORSA - as well as other exhaust manufacturers and independent tuners we've spoken to-has assured us that a cat-back exhaust system alone, no matter its flow capacity, will not alter the LS2's air-fuel ratio in any appreciable way. "The installation of the exhaust itself should not alter the OE computer tune at all, and the AFR map for the car should stay exactly the same," says CORSA'S ED BURGY. "The difference is that the engine is now breathing more efficiently. What that means is that since it is now easier for the engine to get rid of the spent air-fuel mixture from the combustion chambers, there is more empty volume in the chambers to be filled with fresh air and fuel on the intake cycle; more air and fuel (even at the same AFR) will translate into more horsepower. That said, the new efficiency of our exhaust does provide an opportunity for a more aggressive or performance-oriented tune to be placed into the computer and deliver even better results."
This will ring even more true when we perform more heavy engine-related mods in the future, where the unrestricted flow of CORSA'S dual 3-inch exhaust will pay even larger power dividends. Look for these mods in upcoming issues-and as of this writing, our LC-1 is wired and ready, set to help us monitor our progress and assess the need for custom tuning along the way.

Photo Gallery: 2006 Chevrolet Corvette - Locked On Target - Tech - GM High-Tech Performance Magazine



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[jerseymike68]

I have the Corsa too and love it, my brother got his used from craigslist but I wanted a valid warranty so I got it here. Corsa Exhaust 14171, or you can try one of the sponsors here on the forum, they are allways having sales/specials. Either way its a great exhaust system, sounds great, and very easy to install.