why make something expensive and complicated if you don't have to. Leaf springs and a push rod V-8 work very well. The only thing i can say about the Top Gear test driver is "what a candy ass" The wimp complained about the stock shifter being to hard to shift, he should try shifting my Hurst
The 1/4 mile #s i've seen for a stock C6 are between 12.8 and 13.2. There is a video out of the 13.2 run. As far as I know it was the 1st nonGM person to run a C6 and was a brand new, not broken in car owned by a tuner that will be used for testing. I'm told that they got faster later in the day, but never really pushed to car too much.
This is the best review of the C6 I have seen yet
posted in the AutoX/roadracing section of the corvette forum by AU N EGL
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/showthread.php?t=905738
"Ok guys. Just got back from my test drive of a BLACK with tan C6. ( nice color combination ) standard Supenssion not the Z51 like I thought he said.
First the two vettes I drive routinely are my G/f C5 04 A4 vert 350 hp at the fly( just under 300 at rw ) - bone stock.and Run craps. and my C5 03 MN6 Z51 coupe with 400 rhwp & 425 rwtq with hoosies for the track (DE track car) or Mich PS for the street.
So these above cars are what I am comparing the C6 too. First the stock C6 with the new run craps are much quiter then the run craps on the C5.
I was very impressed with the accerlation of the C6, it was almost as fast as my car too 100 mph. With my MN6 I need to shift from 2 to 3rd at 80 mph 6300 rpm ( my red line is 6650 ). The C6 I could take to 100 mph in 2nd gear at redline. Then in 3rd it pulled very quickly to 125 mph then I had to back down as it was twisty country roads and LEOS like this road too. We continued to cruze about 95-100 on the curves and the car handled extreemly well, nimble, not a lot of steering input and just easly moved from the center line to the right side of the road as right hand curves allowed me to apex. The sales man who was with me ( also a freind ) was very comfortable with me driving 90 too 100 around sweeping corners ( he dosnt know me THAT well ). The new tranny shifts very very smooth and the short shifter is very nice change. The clutch is also stiffer then the C5 clutch.
The longer wheel base but slightly narrower stance works quite well. The car seems to point into corners better then my car or take corners sharper. May also be my 285-30 x18 f vs the C6 245-40x18s ( or what ever it has ) The side to side roll as moderate, I think my G/F 04 vert on stock suppession had less side to side roll. Also the C6 is 2 in taller then her vert. My C5 is dead flat, but then again I have big arz tires to help too.
ON the highway we took the enterence clover leaf corner at .98 Gs ( has g-metter ) and up to 100 again ( talk to me tires ) so we did get a little tire squeel , but great grip and accelation around the corner and then shot out onto the highway. Dang traffic and gravel trucks got in the way However with my minimual spirited driving I did get the oil temp up to 250 real fast ( OIL COOLER PLEASE)
Overall I was very impressed with the handling and extreammly impressed with the acceloration of the stock C6. This will make a great track car.
OK what I did not like. The seats were too hard and even with the lumbar support completly deflated the side bolsters could not wrape up along my sides like the C5 coupes sport seats. Or maybe I just need time to figure that out.
This car has its share of 'test' drives ( wheels showed a fair amount of brake dust ) so I figured that there was enough pad material on the rotors. Well the brakes sucked rocks. Again this was not the drilled and slotted Z51 rotors. Our stock vert stops better, and I have not done a thing to the brakes and we have 2600 miles on the vert. I am also use to the PFC 01s with Castrol SRF fluid on my car. Sooo maybe I am a bit too picky here, but then again. My impression is the brakes need to have the pads and fluid changed after one picks it up from the dealer.
The other thing I did not like was too much electronics. The car must be parked in reverse or it will drain the battery. When we parked the car I left the windows down and when we walked away the FOB locked the car and put the windows up. I dont like that either especillay when you work on the car but for the normal person that is ok.
The one thing the salesman did not like was the ac drain is above the exhaust soo when it drains it drips on to the hot header and steams and or cools soo maybe future cracking??
I aksed him about the C6 ZO6 and he told me what he knew. It will be unvailed in Jan ( we know that) poduction will start in March for May deilveries.that is cool about. ( vert production starts in NOV for Feb delivers ) No they can not take orders for the ZO6 yet. MSRP is $56,000 and change. The ZO6 will be a limited production car of no more then 5000 units, more like 2500 to 3000 units ( may be his maketing ploy ) for 2005. Most likely do to the hand build ZO6 engines. ie quality control for the 480+ HP.
My other thoughts were, If I wanted to get this kind of HP out of my C5 I would have to put in a 427 ci and change the clutch and tranny and T1 suppension and install a roll cage. Heck that is half the price of a C6 ZO6. But if still get the Z06 I still have to put in the cage and the T1 suppenssion, decissions decissions?
So that is what I know guys. Hope it helps a bit
Edit:
I have also drivin a few stock C5 Z06s. The stock C6 has better accerlation the stock C5 ZO6. It is a noticable difference."
I'd love to do a lap in it ... and on the quarter ... see how that 400hp LS2 performs ... 
