There's no denying the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is a proper supercar with serious performance. Much has been said about its high-revving, naturally aspirated V8, but apparently, Chevrolet is teaching the sales staff at dealerships to keep right on talking about the 5.5-liter engine should undecided buyers walk into the showroom.
Moreover, Chevy is targeting supercar royalty with the Z06. Screenshots of a sales training quiz shared at The Truth About Cars specifically mention the Ferrari F8 Tributo, McLaren 720S, Porsche 911 GT3, and the Audi R8. Admittedly, the quiz is also quite hilarious with the "questions" posed by potential Z06 buyers, but the point here isn't to replicate a real-life situation. It's to educate the sales team on where the Z06 outshines the competition.
Some might find a bit of humor on that front as well. For example, when faced with a customer cross-shopping the 710-horsepower Ferrari, Chevrolet says the Z06's "hand-built" 670-hp naturally aspirated engine doesn't have any turbo lag. It's also emphasized as being the most powerful naturally aspirated engine ever, though the Ferrari 812 Superfast and its insane V12 might have something to say about that. Surely, Chevy meant to say the most powerful NA V8 engine, which technically doesn't have turbo lag but it does have an 8,600-rpm redline. Whether it's as quick to reach the powerband as the Ferrari's boosted mill remains to be seen.
Gallery: 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
The engine is also the focal point for convincing Porsche 911 GT3 buyers to stick with Chevrolet, along with its 8-speed dual-clutch transmission. The same holds true for the Audi R8, but the gearbox alone takes center stage for discussions on the McLaren 720S. Sales staff are instructed to emphasize a stronger clutch and better lubrication for track use in the C8. Curiously, there's no mention of engines with McLaren; considering all the dyno runs we've seen suggesting the 720s is underrated from the factory, that could be the wise move.
For the first year anyway, we suspect most potential Z06 customers already know exactly what they're getting into, not to mention what the competition has to offer. Still, this cheeky sales training shows just how serious Chevrolet is with its mid-engine Corvette.
