The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a formidable track opponent. It packs a jaw-dropping performance punch that puts many of its more expensive rivals to shame. It’s not perfect, however, and a new Throttle House YouTube video highlights one of its flaws in drag racing against the stock Nissan GT-R R35 Nismo and tuned GT-R R34.
Powering the R35 Nissan GT-R Nismo is the brand’s 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine. It produces 600 horsepower (441 kilowatts) and 481 pound-feet (652 Newton-meters) of torque. It’s the fattest of the three, at 3,867 pounds (1,754 kilograms), but it also has all-wheel drive. The R34 packs a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine tuned to produce 1,000 hp (746 kW). It weighed 3,439 lbs (1,560 kg) when it was new.
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Compared to the Corvette Z06, it sends only 670 hp (493 kW) exclusively to the rear wheels. The 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V8 engine produces 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque, while slightly lighter than the standard R34 at 3,434 lbs (1,558 kg).
The R35 and Z06 were no match for the dig-tuned R34, which burst into victory in the first race. The R34 struggled for traction at the start, trailing behind the R35 and Z06, but the extra power made the difference, bypassing a pair of modern engines. The Corvette struggled the most for traction, coming in last, with the R35 taking second place.
The rolling race didn’t take away from the R34’s performance capabilities, which moved away from the other two cars. However, that fight gave the Z06 a fighting chance against the R35, allowing Corvette to use all its might to beat Nissan. The Chevy crossed the finish line directly ahead of the R35 by half a car’s length.
The Corvette Z06 offers plenty of power, but getting it all done is a challenge for a rear-wheel drive sports car. However, if traction isn’t an issue, the Corvette’s powerful 670-hp V8 can easily compete with the GT-R’s twin-turbo V6. Performance capability goes beyond the output figures on the spec sheet.
