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The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 returns for the first time since the 2019 Z06. And, as usual, it slots into its age-old place in the market. A place that’s supposed to insert a Chevrolet-shaped car among the ranks of the brand’s British, German, and Italian competitors in the sports car segment. If that sounds familiar, that’s because Ford did the same thing with Le Mans not so long ago.

Now, Chevrolet looks to be gearing up to do the exact same thing: Undercut Ferrari not just in the pit lane, but the showroom as well.

What the hell does Ferrari have to do with all this?

A Ferrari 488 GTLM car in red during the Petit Le Mans race in 2019
The Ferrari 488 GTLM car | Brian Cleary via Getty Images

Ferrari is a name so large, its very mention is associated with racing, winning, and everything in between. It’s a big name to challenge. Ford famously did so at Le Mans to resounding success in the 1960s. Well, it was successful enough they made a movie about it. That said, Scuderia Ferrari is one of the most dominant names in racing.

With that comes more challengers, the latest of which is the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and its race car sibling, the C8.R. Chevrolet has entered the C8.R into the GTLM (GT Le Mans) class. Guess who competes there? Ferrari. The C8.R aims to beat them, and the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 wants to beat them in the showroom.

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 pushes into Ferrari territory

The grey and yellow Chevrolet C8.R racing car on track shot from the 3/4 angle
Chevy wants to challenge Ferrari on the track | Chevrolet

Where the C8.R wants to win on the track, the Z06 wants to do so at the dealer. For starters, the new Z06 makes more power than its direct Ferrari competitor, the 488 GTB. In base non-Pista trim, the $300,000+ Ferrari makes 661 hp and 561 lb-ft from a flat-plane crank turbocharged V8. The ‘Vette? 670 hp and 460 lb-ft with no turbos.

So, performance-wise, the Chevrolet Corvette Z06 should handily have the Ferrari beat on paper. And that’s to say nothing of price. While Chevrolet hasn’t released pricing for the new Z06, we expect around $86,400 MSRP. The Ferrari is easily three times that at north of $300,000 before options. Sure, the interior won’t be up to Ferrari standards, but Chevrolet knows their customer base won’t care at a third the price.

When can I order a Z06?

A trio of Chevrolet Corvette Z06 models, from the C8 R race car to the convertible, to the targa, shot at sunset
The full Z06 lineup features a flat-plane V8 | Chevrolet

Rumors heard through the grapevine indicate that dealers are already inundated with demand for the new C8 Z06. One anonymous dealer in Texas told a journalist they have more than 1,000 orders already. It’s only been 24 hours. That may be a long time at Le Mans where the C8.R will compete, but that’s a very short span to take 1,000 orders of anything in. Let alone a brand new sub-100k Corvette with 488 GTB performance. Ferrari had best be very, very worried.

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Chase Bierenkoven

Chase Bierenkoven has been obsessed with cars his whole life and now finds joy in sharing what he’s learned from his own daily drivers. Chase earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology with a focus on legal studies from the Metropolitan State University of Denver and quickly became an automotive journalist. When he isn’t writing, Chase is either driving his passion project, a 2004 BMW M3 in Carbon Schwartz Metallic, or playing around Colorado’s terrain, mainly mountain biking and skiing.