When most car manufacturers design a convertible model, weight has to be added to help create a more structurally rigid frame. That is not the case with the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Z06 Convertible. Thanks to recent technological advancements created over the last five year, Chevrolet was able to create a car that is exactly identical to the hardtop Z06, except you can drive with the top down.
"We wanted a frame that was lighter than the steel frame of the previous Corvette, yet strong enough for both a 600-horsepower convertible and a 24-hour endurance racer," said Ed Moss, engineering group manager for Corvette structures. "That would not have been possible without improvements in computer-aided engineering software, which allowed us to model more than 17,000 frame iterations, with each iteration improving strength and stiffness, while reducing mass."
Both the Z06 hardtop and convertible will feature the supercharged LT4 V8 pushing a whopping 625-horsepower and 635-lb-ft of torque. The power passes through a 7-speed manual transmission, or an 8-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission, before planting the power down with 285/30ZR19 front and 335/25ZR20 rear Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. Two options are available for brakes, with the Z06's Z07 package offering the better 15.5x1.4-inch front and 15.3x1.3-inch carbon ceramic brake rotors to assist with the brake heat known to occur during track days.
The Z06 convertible will feature an electric soft-top that can not only be lowered with the car's key fob, but also has the ability to lower the top while driving up to 30 mph. The tops fabric is made thick with added padding to keep road noise low while driving with the top up.
Being the first Z06 to offer a convertible option since 1963, this will be one car to keep an eye out for.
Source: Chevrolet
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