Don't get too excited about a Corvette Z06 built to New Zealand market specification having landed: the local distributor says it will not take orders and is dissuading dealers from accepting down payments.
In wake of General Motors Speciality Vehicles (GMSV) in Australia confirming that it has a car, the distributor’s New Zealand arm has hastened to clarify it doesn’t mean the hotshot model is about to come on sale here, to join the small cache of officially distributed C8 Stingrays in circulation.
It says it has no clarity about the Z06’s NZ allocation and, until that’s sorted, it has no idea how much it will cost. Because of that, it isn’t prepared to accept customer cash.
"GMSV is advising its dealers they should not take any deposits,” says a spokesperson.
READ MORE
In sporting a competition-tuned flat plane 5.5-litre V8 which generates 500kW/624Nm in North America, Z06 stands as the line’s kick-off kingpin, though that status might only last until 2025, the likely arrival date for the hybrid e-Ray – cited as the fastest Corvette yet and also NZ-confirmed.
That landmark model, in turn, stands to be gazumped in time by an ultimate old-schooler, a new-generation ZR1, which is intended to sport a turbocharged edition of the Z06 mill, making 596kW.
The schedule, and the C8 Stingray securing the Sports Car of the Year title within the AA Driven New Zealand Car of the Year awards, doubtless whets NZ fan appetites.
But none of these hotties might be easily served, the renowned Bowling Green Plant in Kentucky, United States, having so far only been able to drip feed this country.
GMSV NZ has concurred that, although it was always going to be a more exclusive sight by far than the other American muscle hero here, Ford’s Mustang, Corvette Stingray supply has been challenged.
In addition to GM having to contend with the usual coronavirus-associated travails affecting almost all the world’s car producers, the famous factory was smashed by a tornado. Production quickly resumed, but the storm claimed a number of finished cars awaiting shipment.
NZ-market pricing was only announced in April 2021, almost two years after the C8 was announced and confirmed as the first factory-built right-hand drive Corvette.
The first car for NZ landed in October 2021 to act as a brand-owned demonstrator – the same role the Z06 in Australia has.
The first C8 into NZ customer hands, a 3LT coupe, was delivered two months later. Four cars went into circulation by end of 2021.
It appears GMSV has fulfilled the original allocation of four C8 Stingrays for each of the seven national dealerships: 28 cars. It has also has two fleet cars, used for evaluation and media driving.
Registration statistics show GMSV NZ provisioned 33 cars for all of 2022.
The NZ C8 Stingray range spans 2LT and 3LT coupe and convertibles, plus a smattering of launch special Carbon Editions, all with a 370kW/637Nm 6.2-litre V8 paired to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic driving the rear wheels.
Today it steered clear of discussing the state of the C8 order bank and if any orders placed when the car was first announced have yet to be fulfilled.
By the end of last year, C8 Stingray list pricing uniformly rose by $15,000, taking the entry 2LT Coupe from $154,990 to $170,000 – as much as was originally asked for the 3LT Coupe, which in turn jumped to $185k.
GMSV says it is too early to talk about ZO6 pricing, but in the US it costs around 50 per cent more than the most expensive C8.
The Australasian spec bases on the top-of-the-range grade available in the US, known as 3LZ. Standard features are expected to include a carbon-fibre-accented steering wheel, carbon-fibre shift paddles, microfibre interior accents, leather-wrapped interior door and instrument panels, and "GT2" bucket seats with nappa leather upholstery.
As to when it might land? Media across the Tasman reckon showroom cars will arrive in Australia late 2023 or early 2024. Is that relevant here?
“This information isn't available at this stage but will be released when we receive details regarding our allocation,” the spokesperson says.
Z06 likely won’t be the only model on Kiwi minds. E-Ray was revealed on January 18 and GMSV here quickly asserted the intention is to sell it.
The spokesperson says there’s still nothing else to be shared about the first all-wheel-drive Corvette, which uses the electric motor to run the front wheels while the V8 feeds the backs.
“We revealed that the E-Ray is coming less than two weeks ago… it will be some time before we can share anything else.”
With 0-100kmh in 2.5 seconds claimed, e-Ray (above) is the fastest accelerating production Corvette.
The 120kW front-mounted electric motor and mid-set 370kW LT2 6.2-litre naturally-aspirated V8 provide 482kW in total - falling slightly short of the C8 Z06 on power and the C7 ZR1 – yet it is quicker than both to the legal open road limit.
The C8 Z06’s outputs for here might be lower than for the US, as the car coming here is missing the centre-mounted quad exit exhaust system of domestic editions.
Instead it has a system closer to the Corvette Stingray, with two exhaust pipes on either side of the rear bumper. That system is understood to have an emissions-busting petrol particulate filter, in order to meet strict European emission standards (Euro 6d).
It is also likely fitted to help meet European and Australian vehicle noise rules, which are stricter than those in the US.