As summer winds down and the youths return to school, it becomes one of those times to be thankful that you’re an adult. Sure, you’ve got a job to go to and duties to fulfill, but whenever you’re bored, you can at least take a lazy drive to get your mind off things, unlike those unlicensed teenagers. And for Vic Edelbrock, Jr., a lazy drive becomes a crazy one whenever he steps inside this awesome Corvette.
What kind of Corvette is it, you may ask? It’s the 2012 Corvette Carbon Edition Z06: a modern legend of American sports car performance, and able to compete with some of the best out there. The C6 has been put through its paces on our country’s roads since it debuted over seven years ago, and even though the C7 is well on its way to the showroom, its predecessor is still a mighty machine that lives up to the Corvette legacy.
One man who knows this is Vic Edelbrock, Jr. As the current chairman of the well-known Edelbrock company, Vic has seen, heard, owned, and driven a great deal in his lifetime, to say the least.
But the big red 2012 Z06 has to be among the favorites in Vic’s collection. Originally purchased as a personal vehicle for himself, it was soon given to the R&D team to verify if their E-Force supercharger, still in development, would fit under the stock hood.
Like a Glove. If Gloves Made Horsepower…
It did, but that wasn’t all the supercharger was good for. The carbon fiber-equipped ride could now achieve a fantastic amount of thrust with over 650 horsepower and 582 pound-feet of torque.
Considering the formerly naturally-aspirated car was making 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque from the factory, a boost of over 100 points in both departments –657 HP and 582 pound-feet of torque –is a pretty noteworthy success, and had to have put a smile on anyone who sat waiting for the dyno’s monitor to display the results. All in all, it was a half of a day’s labor well spent.
Nothing Less Than OEM Quality Will Do
There are several factors that distinguish the E-Force from its counterparts. As they say, it’s what’s inside that counts, and the E-Force has the right stuff with its Eaton Gen VI 2300 TVS supercharger rotating assembly, which uses a four-lobe design with 160 degrees of twist to provide the best of three worlds: rapid air flow, negligible temperature rise, and quiet operation.
What’s more, the supercharger assembly is integrated into the intake manifold, which not only makes its design quite compact – it also removes any worrying you may have about vacuum (or boost) leaks in the intake tract.
This means you can hide everything under the hood. No need to go out and buy a replacement and repaint it; just install, shut it, and go.
The inverted supercharger design permits for increased intake runner length, which boosts the stats on low end torque. Heck, even your MPG can benefit from a setup like this, as the integrated bypass valve helps decrease fuel loss when using light throttle.
The inlet configuration makes the E-Force one of the more efficient and unique designs on the market. With a shorter, less restrictive intake path for improved air flow, the need for a jack-shaft is removed; and the incoming air stays cool thanks to a high-capacity air-to-water intercooler and heat exchanger, giving the LS7 unprecedented power.
It also looks fantastic to boot. Now, although Vic managed to get his custom-finished, Eric Blakely, director of advertising for Edelbrock, states that the polished look was a one off, and was simply meant to “see what consumers thought about the finish.” In any case, this product looks great no matter what color it gets painted.
Gilding the Lily
As for other modifications, Blakely states that there are none, nor are there any more planned. Which is fine for a machine equipped with state-of-the-art technology and streamlined attributes, from its carbon-ceramic brake system to the various drive modes to the 3,000-pound. curb weight.
But we’re forgetting something here: the C6 ZR1. As the premier selection of Corvette available nowadays, the ZR1 has held the title of fastest-ever production Corvette, producing 638 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque, with a hefty six figure price tag to match. So, how does an E-Force-equipped Z06 fare against its big brother?
Vic is more than happy to attest to the E-force’s capabilities, asserting that with the supercharger equipped, “you will go out and beat a ZR1.” And where the torque advantage on the ZR1 would give it a faster launch, the Z06 has the edge on top-end performance with its superior horsepower.
So what is to become of this crimson speed demon? Vic plans to keep it as his daily driver, and will likely continue to use it to spread the good word about Edelbrock’s superchargers at car shows and industry events.
It’s been a pleasure getting to see what makes the E-force such a great addition to the Corvette name, let alone Vic’s C6. We wish Vic many more happy drives with his car, whether they’re out on the highway or laying down rubber at the track. Better yet, let us borrow this Z06 again!