2023 Corvette Z06 Set to Annihilate Tracks Nationwide Courtesy of Brand-New LT6 V8

The entire Corvette line and its history have made an awesome impression on all of us here at West Chevy of Knoxville over the years, as it has spanned eight design generations and finally was successfully released on a mid-engine platform in 2019. The experts at Motor Authority provided a blog feature over the past week that talked about the hellacious power and how the 2023 Chevy Corvette ZO6 is “bursting at the steel seams.” They provided this video that illustrates how the Chevy engineers accomplished putting the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 ever under the hood. 

A naturally-aspirated engine will result in a much more solid and polished driving experience, and it shares a lot of similarities with the Corvette C8.R. The code name for the new engine is LT6, and part of the many demands during development was that it had to make more ready and raucous horsepower than the C7 Corvette ZO6’s 6.2-liter V8.

The LT6 features dual overhead camshafts as well as a flat-plane crankshaft: the latter has made an appearance in numerous Ferrari engines, as well as the Voodoo V-8 that was the capable and ideally brash power source on deck for the Shelby GT350 Mustang. Since there are now smaller and much lighter rotating parts, this design will have the trait of less inertia than a traditional cross-plane crankshaft, which provides more freedom for the engine to offer up its trademark rev without much difficulty. 

Speaking of which, the LT6 also sounds like no other Chevy V8 before it, with a high-pitched wail that delves into pure Supercar territory. The flat-plane crank allows this LT6 to rev to 8,600 RPM, and was also specifically designed to properly partner up with tuning valves in the intake manifold that will help the all-important air flow moving in on cooling duty. This intake system also uses an occurrence called Helmholtz resonance that ups the amount of volumetric efficiency and makes for more of an aggressive and useful torque curve. 

The result of all these hardcore specifics within the engineering realm is a very fast 670 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. These stats are greater than the horsepower output of the C7 Z06 by 20 hp, but the C8 Z06 cannot necessarily match the C7’s 650 lb-ft of torque. All of us here at West love the fact that the Z06 has a much more track-focused attitude and stance. It also arrives with bolder styling cues and performance traits ready to scorch some serious pavement. The addition of the Z07 package allows you to enjoy the ultimate high-octane care package of extras with a tuned suspension, Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, and high-performance Michelin Pilot Cup 2R ZP tires. 

2022 Chevy C8 Corvette Boasts Good Gas Mileage

When the mid-engine Corvette debuted stunningly in a California airline hangar, it changed the auto world overnight and received rave reviews from experts and world-class drivers who had waited years for its arrival. One of its most valuable qualities is something that many would have not thought was on the list of strengths: it gets surprisingly good gas mileage!  

The 2022 C8 Corvette is working with a 6.2-liter V8, and its gas mileage is a few notches above decent. According to the most recent EPA findings, the 2022 Corvette gets 16 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. The Car and Driver team’s 495-horsepower C8 Z51 recently recorded 26 mpg on the highway!

The all-American and always iconic 2022 Corvette definitely delivers better mileage than quite a few of its naturally aspirated V8 rivals. The 2022 Ford Mustang GT sits around 15 miles per gallon city and 24 miles per gallon highway, and that's with a V8 that has slightly less power than what the Corvette is currently brandishing. The C8 Corvette has been billed even faster than the 2022 Dodge Challenger TA 392 as well as the supercharged Challenger Hellcat.

Corvette models even earlier than 2022 without the Z51 Package had slightly better mileage stats, with the Z51’s track-focused addition including a shorter axle ratio. Even though it drastically improves the 0-60 and quarter-mile times and increases rear-wheel torque, it also leaves the V8 spinning at higher rpm on the highway, ultimately burning a bit more fuel. If you opt for skipping the Z51, you’ll be able to save a few dollars at the pump.

The 2023 C8 Corvette currently under development is estimating about 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway with the potent pleasures of the Z51 Package. We hope you visit us here soon to check out its raw power and cutting-edge advantage at the pump! 

2023 Chevy Equinox in Line for Sensational “Summer of Rebounded Freedom” Power Boost

This summer, prices on just about every good or service have gone up, and consumers at West Chevy of Knoxville who are feeling the squeeze all are still wanting to enjoy summer fun without reaching deep into their wallet. 

The brand-new Chevy Equinox EV won’t arrive until later in 2023, and now is the ideal time to drive off of the lot with the current and awesomely-equipped gas model. The knowledgeable staff on duty at Carbuzz.com reported last week that the 2023 Equinox will receive a new LSD engine to replace the current LYX unit, which still displaces 1.5 liters with a turbocharger. The Midnight and Sport Edition Packages will also reportedly return on the 2023 model, bringing the addition of black exterior trim, black badging, and a matching blacked-out interior. 

Extensive production of the 2023 Equinox is likely to begin soon, meaning that official stats on availability and pricing should be available in the coming weeks. The 2023 Equinox will be available in LS, LT, RS, and Premier trim levels, and we were immediately impressed with the Equinox’s Highway Safety marks being the highest rating for most categories of five stars overall. We are confident that the Equinox has all the class-leading driving chops that it takes to dominate the competition in the form of the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, and Mazda CX-5. 

The recent facelift for the equinox has brought a brand-new front end, new headlights, a new grill and a brand-new bumper. There's plenty of space here for passengers on board, and two generous rows of seats that can comfortably situate 5 adult passengers. The front seats provide a great amount of comfort and support, and the driving position offers an excellent viewpoint of the road. The current model comes standard with a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, four USB ports, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and A 6 speaker stereo. 

The additional upgrades you get as you move up the trim scale are the 8-inch touch screen, two additional USB ports, wireless device charging, satellite radio, HD radio, A7 speaker Bose premium stereo, and the very useful for longer hauls’ rear-seat entertainment system. The incoming Equinox will also come standard with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, the following distance indicator, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, automatic high beam headlights, and a rearview camera. A few of the upper-level upgrades we definitely recommend are blind-spot monitoring, rear traffic cross alert, surround view parking camera system, and adaptive cruise control in the very high-tech safety alert seat.