GM still cant get it right!

ClassicAU · 16-05-2006, 05:21 PM

i was just watching the latest episode of Top Gear today, and Jeremy Clarkson test drove the new Corvette Z06. It is lightning fast in a straight line, they now have 7 litre motors (wonder how long it will take Holden to nick that one too!) and has around 500bhp. Now despite it being a good track tool, i just loved JC's quote on its every day practicality:

"as something to live with every day, i would rather have bird flu"

doesnt that just sum up every GM bucket of poo!! i love it!

MethodX · 16-05-2006, 05:26 PM

Yes but any pommy bucket they love.

So it goes both ways.

4.9 EF Futura · 16-05-2006, 05:27 PM

Lol, a Z06 is never going to be a "practical" car.

I wouldnt kick a 7.0L 'vette out of bed for farting!

HSE2 · 16-05-2006, 05:31 PM

I very much look forward to seeing this episode and hearing what JC has to say about the new XK.

And last week he did say that his GT was the most unreliable car ever so it does go both ways. The Z06 isn't meant to be practical so on that point alone I don’t think it’s solely a comment of failure.

FPV8U · 16-05-2006, 06:15 PM

What drama's has he had with his GT?

ClassicAU · 16-05-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FPV8U

What drama's has he had with his GT?

something about a 'trickle charger' that died and it wouldnt start, yet again! that was the latest, but previous it was mostly the sat nav alarm system.

OzJavelin · 16-05-2006, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClassicAU

i was just watching the latest episode of Top Gear today, and Jeremy Clarkson test drove the new Corvette Z06. It is lightning fast in a straight line, they now have 7 litre motors (wonder how long it will take Holden to nick that one too!) and has around 500bhp. Now despite it being a good track tool, i just loved JC's quote on its every day practicality:

"as something to live with every day, i would rather have bird flu"

doesnt that just sum up every GM bucket of poo!! i love it!

Yeah .. Corvettes have been in continous production since 1953 .. oh corse they are junk .. hmm ..

XR Martin · 16-05-2006, 08:09 PM

Did you forget to mention it ran a 1:22.4 around their track?

Only slower than these, not bad for a car that costs AUD $85k.

Now wheres Steffo to bag the 5hit out of it?

Pagani Zonda F 1.18.4
Maserati MC12 1.18.9
Ferrari F60 Enzo 1.19.0
Ariel Atom 1.19.5
Porsche Carerra GT 1.19.8
Koenigsegg CCX 1.20.4
Ascari KZ1 1.20.7
Mercedes McLaren SLR 1.20.9
Ford GT 1.21.9
Ferrari 360 CS 1.22.3
Porsche GT3 RS 1.22.3

Transit Truck · 16-05-2006, 08:36 PM

Where u guys watching top gear?

ten[A]cio[U]s · 16-05-2006, 08:52 PM

Heh. Those guys have some of the wittiest comments..

Funny stuff.

alesia · 16-05-2006, 09:03 PM

yeah the most appealing thing about it is that it looks like a Ferarri and is $100grand cheaper...... i am ford , blue blood runs in my veins and im not a fan of GM.... BUT THAT THING SOUNDED AWESOME

R0BD0G · 16-05-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akiklovich

Where u guys watching top gear?

yeah WHERE!!!!

alesia · 16-05-2006, 09:09 PM

www.finalgear.com

Mike Gayner · 16-05-2006, 09:16 PM

Wow, you guys are bagging the Z06? Either you people are blind Ford followers (or blind GM hating sheep) or have extremely poor taste in cars. I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more level headedness on this forum.

Casper · 16-05-2006, 09:24 PM

When he dies from bird flu I bags the 'vette. It can keep my driveway warm anyday.

RPO83 · 16-05-2006, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HSE2

I very much look forward to seeing this episode and hearing what JC has to say about the new XK.

And last week he did say that his GT was the most unreliable car ever so it does go both ways. The Z06 isn't meant to be practical so on that point alone I don’t think it’s solely a comment of failure.

The XK review was outstanding. The camera work and scenery alone made it well worth the watch. I didn't agree with Clarkson on a few points, mainly the fact that he glared over some very important improvements to body stiffness (up 50%) and the fact that the powerplant was not altered because the car had increased its power to weight ratio due to extensive weight reductions.

ClevlndStemer · 16-05-2006, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPO83

The XK review was outstanding. The camera work and scenery alone made it well worth the watch. I didn't agree with Clarkson on a few points, mainly the fact that he glared over some very important improvements to body stiffness (up 50%) and the fact that the powerplant was not altered because the car had increased its power to weight ratio due to extensive weight reductions.

their camera work on top gear is awesome, that XK review reminded me of the Aston vs Ferrari episode with Damon Hill.

The Z06? what can I say...fantastic, JC even said he liked it when comparing it to the 550 Ferrari. I'd love a Z06.

Steffo · 16-05-2006, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

.
Now wheres Steffo to bag the 5hit out of it?

Right here. And all I have to say is this. It's fast, only on a smooth track, in perfect conditions. Take it out of its happy zone - or on a normal road, and it is a dog. Then there's the falling apart factor.. which has plagued GM US vehicles for the past... 25 years? And the C6's are no better... like the guy who's roof panel flew off his Z06 recently... driving at 60mph. It's on some 'vette forum, has gained quite a bit of notoriety.

MethodX · 16-05-2006, 11:56 PM

Give it a break Steffo, At least they are taking it up to the mega expensive Euros.

outback_ute · 17-05-2006, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClassicAU

something about a 'trickle charger' that died and it wouldnt start, yet again! that was the latest, but previous it was mostly the sat nav alarm system.

Sounds like a battery charger - if he drove it more often the battery wouldn't need to be charged!

: Clarkson can be a tosser sometimes (a lot of the time???) in his quest to be funny

ZO6 no good as a daily driver... well der if that's what you want buy a normal Corvette - living with a Porsche GT3 RS would be no fun either.

XR Martin · 17-05-2006, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steffo

Right here. And all I have to say is this. It's fast, only on a smooth track, in perfect conditions. Take it out of its happy zone - or on a normal road, and it is a dog. Then there's the falling apart factor.. which has plagued GM US vehicles for the past... 25 years? And the C6's are no better... like the guy who's roof panel flew off his Z06 recently... driving at 60mph. It's on some 'vette forum, has gained quite a bit of notoriety.

Have you looked at the reliability of Ferrari recently or Mercedes or Lamborghini?
Theres a good Top Gear episode of where they buy a 70s supercar and try to drive them 100miles. Guess what? None of them make the distance.

XR Martin · 17-05-2006, 01:02 AM

Id like to see anyone drive any of those cars above the Z06s lap time as a daily driver. Only one that comes close could be the SLR Mclaren.

Steffo · 17-05-2006, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Have you looked at the reliability of Ferrari recently or Mercedes or Lamborghini?
Theres a good Top Gear episode of where they buy a 70s supercar and try to drive them 100miles. Guess what? None of them make the distance.

Yeah, a 70s supercar for under 10,000 pounds (AU$25,000). Obviously none of them make it.

As for Ferrari, bad idea to mention them, my uncle owns a 1998 F355 Berlinetta. He has owned two Holdens in the same time - a '02 VY SS Auto Ute and a '05 Maloo VZ manual. The SS went through three automatics - in that time the Ferrari's only problem was a clutch replacement. He's had the Ferrari since January 2004, it had 8000km on it when he bought it, it now has over 30,000. So it's definitley not garaged all the time, it gets driven.

What's even more appaling is the Holden SS and HSV Maloo return fuel economy as poor as the Ferrari. And Holden quality is no worse (it's actually better) then GM North America quality.

Now a 1970's anything will generally be old and bothered by now, and depend entirely on how well it has been taken care of over time, be it a Ferrari Dino 308 GT4 like they tested on Top Gear, a Chevrolet Corvette C3, Camaro Z28, Holden Torana SL/R5000 or anything else...

Steffo · 17-05-2006, 01:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Id like to see anyone drive any of those cars above the Z06s lap time as a daily driver. Only one that comes close could be the SLR Mclaren.

None of them are a wise daily driver choice, nor is the Z06. But if you want to know which *could* potentially be daily driven...

Carrera GT, 911 GT3 RS, Ferrari 360 CS, Ford GT and the Ascari KZ1 are all very daily driveable should you have the wallet to treat a car that expensive to the daily haul.

The GT and KZ1 especially, since they have large, low stress, low revving engines. Perfect recipe for durability.

$AUDude · 17-05-2006, 01:42 AM

By the way...

Quote:

Originally Posted By ClassicAU
they now have 7 litre motors (wonder how long it will take Holden to nick that one too!)

Holden is tipped to use the LS7 in the 2007 HSV GTS...

I don't think the 7 litre, 377kw Z06 engine is practical for road use...

LeMans · 17-05-2006, 01:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XR6 Martin

Have you looked at the reliability of Ferrari recently or Mercedes or Lamborghini?

It’s not hard to build a reliable mass-produced car today. In fact it’s cheaper to build a reliable car than an unreliable car, just because it will have been built with the use of robotics and established technologies. Even Alfa Romeo who had built notoriously unreliable cars in the not-too-distant past are building extremely reliable cars today.

And to prove the point, Mercedes’ main problems are caused by their bleeding edge technology, whereas Lamborghini are still hand-building their cars to a large degree… but even they have made enormous gains in the right direction.

It really is unacceptable that any manufacturer building cars for the masses should build such poorly assembled cars today. Don’t make excuses for them.

Steffo · 17-05-2006, 01:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by $AUDude

By the way...

Holden is tipped to use the LS7 in the 2007 HSV GTS...

I don't think the 7 litre, 377kw Z06 engine is practical for road use...

Why wouldn't it be? It's a very lazy engine. 377kW @ 6300rpm, 637Nm @ 4800rpm. That's low revs for an n/a motor. Which is a good thing. It's a recipe that should lead to durability and fuel efficiency. Except that GM being GM manages to build them worse then a toddler with a UHU Glue stick, so they burn oil and drink obscene amounts of petrol and all sorts of not-good things.

RPO83 · 17-05-2006, 02:00 AM

The Z06 is a supercar at a supermarket price. At the end of the day you get what you pay for, and from what I have read this car does most things very well.

Car & Driver review:

"...It's a comfortable highway cruiser. We only found a few annoyances - a transmission tunnel that gets toasty and some gear rattle when we lugged the engine. You could drive this car every day. But by almost every performance standard, the Z06 is a supercar."

I'd like to see what Ferrari could come up with at the same price...

Steffo · 17-05-2006, 02:11 AM

You shouldn't take the US Car Mags too seriously. They're incredibly biased to American cars. A sense of patriotism you don't see as much in Australia, though we're getting there.

It isn't a supercar. It's a very, very, very, very fast cheap sports car. Keyword is cheap. There's a reason it retails in the US for $65,800 and a 911 Turbo is $122,900 there. And it's not badge. Things like interior quality, fit and finish, mechanical quality, outright performance etc, all make a huge difference. Not to mention the behaviour of the car on a normal, unevenly surfaced, pothole infested road. 911 Turbo can be daily driven, Z06 can not.

RPO83 · 17-05-2006, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steffo

You shouldn't take the US Car Mags too seriously. They're incredibly biased to American cars. A sense of patriotism you don't see as much in Australia, though we're getting there.

It isn't a supercar. It's a very, very, very, very fast cheap sports car. Keyword is cheap. There's a reason it retails in the US for $65,800 and a 911 Turbo is $122,900 there. And it's not badge. Things like interior quality, fit and finish, mechanical quality, outright performance etc, all make a huge difference. Not to mention the behaviour of the car on a normal, unevenly surfaced, pothole infested road. 911 Turbo can be daily driven, Z06 can not.

Extremely biased? Last I heard was a discussion by a few executives from GM, Ford and Chrysler about how they have been unfairly treated by US magazines compared to Toyota, Honda and Nissan etc. But if you think they are always getting glowing reviews then what can I say.

I shall discredit anything I have ever read by a Journalist who has driven this car and take your insight to how the Z06 performs as gospel Steffo.