Dark Horse SC vs Corvette Z06: The better buy?

[Dragster]

My biggest want from any of these cars is the best on track performance. From what I heard from C8 owners, the new ZR1 included, the Z07 package has the rougher suspension when it comes to street driving, and I don't have a trailer, so I have to drive it to the track with the closest one being Willow Springs, over an hour away. I've sat in a Z06 before, but never driven it, and I feel that the cabin feels a bit cramped. From your experience, is that an accurate feeling in a C8 when on track?

I haven’t driven a Z07 Z06, but I found the standard Z06 suspension to be incredibly compliant and honestly, a little soft for my taste. I would assume the Z07 cars will be firmer but totally acceptable for street driving.

The exhaust on the Z06 is quite a bit louder in cabin than the Stingray.

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[WItoTX]

From your knowledge, do you know what caused those failures? Did they need to be towed away? If you know, how much did they spend on repairs? When you say "sticker tires," do you mean like race slicks, since you can get OE Cup 2Rs with the Z07 package? Is there a sticker street legal tire? I have also been looking at comparable tires for my GT350 to those, like the Hoosier Track Attack Pros. I originally looked at getting a 991.1 or .2 gt3 rs, but now the lowest priced one good example is almost 190k, which at that point I might as well get a ZR1.

The main cause is the PTM modes (I finally remembered the name, Performance Traction Mode) are built around the stock tires. You are correct, they are sticky. The guys I chatted with all ran slicks, whether it be the Michilin or the Hoosier, and they ran the softer versions of those tires. I don't remember which compound though, just remember them saying they were the soft slicks and didn't like too much heat.

There really isn't a repair other than to run with all the nannies off. And they said the PTM modes were faster than running with everything off.

Full disclosure, I was running faster lap times at CotA than two of the four of them in my 350. I didn't drive their cars, or get to ride along (Thanks to the failure modes), so I didn't get to feel what that limit was. It could be a case of bad driver too. One failure was in a slower car, one in a faster.

Do you have any relatively close track events? If I were you, I'd try to visit, and then see if you could catch a ride along. I wish I had more concrete data for you, but maybe just a ride along is what would help you decide. Especially if you can catch a ride in a GT500. I can't imagine the DHSC is too much different.

 

[lo-fi]

At this price point I don't care about practicality in the slightest.

I picked "other" and the car I would pick would be an AMG GT R. A beautiful car when compared to either option you listed and simply a beast. 2020 or 2021. Suspension is stiff as a board, but who cares.

The corvette is the obvious pure performance choice.

 

[Joshinator99]

At this price point I don't care about practicality in the slightest.

I picked "other" and the car I would pick would be an AMG GT R. A beautiful car when compared to either option you listed and simply a beast. 2020 or 2021. Suspension is stiff as a board, but who cares.

The corvette is the obvious pure performance choice.

Great choice. What a car!

 

[MAGS1]

AMG GT R.

I wouldn’t mind one as well

 

[Bob Lob Law]

I want the "regular" AMG GT as an actual touring car!

 

[MAGS1]

I want the "regular" AMG GT as an actual touring car!

Isn’t that what the R stands for? AMG GT Regular

 

[GT350Willow]

At this price point I don't care about practicality in the slightest.

I picked "other" and the car I would pick would be an AMG GT R. A beautiful car when compared to either option you listed and simply a beast. 2020 or 2021. Suspension is stiff as a board, but who cares.

The corvette is the obvious pure performance choice.

I hadn't thought about getting one of those. I always thought they were one of those wanna-be track cars just for show. How are its driving and track dynamics compared to the GT500 CFTP, Z06, or other track cars?

 

[BlkMach10510]

My suggestion is to drive them back to back if possible. You don't want to buy a car you end up not liking on the track. Personally I would pick the Z06 with Z07 package and replace the carbon ceramic rotors with regular Z06 rotors to use on the track and use that for track and daily driver if wanted.

 

[wingnutt]

Well heck, if we can bring other cars to the party and it’s pure track…FP350S would be a giggle-fest!

 

[lo-fi]

I hadn't thought about getting one of those. I always thought they were one of those wanna-be track cars just for show. How are its driving and track dynamics compared to the GT500 CFTP, Z06, or other track cars?

I have limited seat time. One of my brother's friends has one and I let him drive one of my cars and I drove his. Man, that thing is beautiful, fast, and raucous. I really want one. However, I'm not the best guy for a solid comparison as I have not driven a Z06.

I like these dudes and feel like they are fair concerning the car.

 

[TonyNJ]

I'm a Ford guy and voted "other" because versatility for me is key. So a 2022 low mileage CFTP GT500 would be my choice.
Owned a Z06 and will probably never go back to one. Too low to the ground, too one dimensional, too cramped.

However, you're looking for the best track car and only driving it on the street to and from the track. That probably means the Z06 is for you.

No matter how much weight they cut from the DH SC, you're gonna hate the small gas tank on the track. You'll be filling it up way more than you expect. Same goes for GT500 CFTP.

 

[VictorH]

If you want the absolute best track performance, then buy a Factory (Ford, BMW, Porsche, etc) race car. Once you've driven a real factory (not a converted street car) race car on the track, you really won't want to drive a street car again on track. No big surprise, they are easier to drive on track than a street car and the limits in terms of braking and cornering are absolutely mind blowing. Super responsive, very dynamic, much more communicative than any regular car.

That's why if you drive your street car on the track enough, you'll realize why most of us ruin our street cars with coil overs, stiff springs, solid bushings etc. Trying to replicate "race car" like performance because anything built for maximum sales #'s and street use eventually is never good enough for the enthusiast.

 

[GT350Willow]

Well heck, if we can bring other cars to the party and it’s pure track…FP350S would be a giggle-fest!

I looked at these, too, at one point. The issue is finding one on the open market, not for auction, and it's already very similar to my current track car, being the GT350, and this is just extra aero and extreme weight reduction, plus it's not road legal, and I don't have a truck that can trailer something like this.

 

[GT350Willow]

If you want the absolute best track performance, then buy a Factory (Ford, BMW, Porsche, etc) race car. Once you've driven a real factory (not a converted street car) race car on the track, you really won't want to drive a street car again on track. No big surprise, they are easier to drive on track than a street car and the limits in terms of braking and cornering are absolutely mind blowing. Super responsive, very dynamic, much more communicative than any regular car.

That's why if you drive your street car on the track enough, you'll realize why most of us ruin our street cars with coil overs, stiff springs, solid bushings etc. Trying to replicate "race car" like performance because anything built for maximum sales #'s and street use eventually is never good enough for the enthusiast.

Yeah, I looked at those kinds of cars too before, like the Porsche cup cars cause they are the most readily available, but their maintenance frequency and cost really killed them for me, and everything else I can find used is either street conversions or just shells.

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