GM INSIDER PICKS BEST C6 CORVETTE FOR PERFORMANCE VALUE
Hello everybody, welcome back to C&S Corvettes in Sarasota, Florida. It's your Corvette buddy Lyle here with more interesting and exciting Corvette knowledge and facts for you. Today, I want to talk about what my insider at GM, nicknamed Agent Duntov, told me was by far the best performance option car in the C6 lineup and why. But before we dive into that, I would really appreciate it if you could take a moment to like, subscribe, and support our channel. Your support helps me create content that makes sense and hopefully helps you, maybe even saves you money. So please continue to support our channel, and I'll continue to provide valuable content for you. Thank you. (Music) During my discussion with Agent Duntov about the LS7 and its performance upgrades, we went on various tangents because we both love talking about this stuff. One of the things he mentioned was that if you want the best possible C6 for performance upgrades and the most reliable track version of the car, it isn't the Z06 or the ZR1. Surprisingly, he said the 2010 to 2013 Grand Sport Coupe with the manual transmission and the Z52 option is the way to go. Let me break down what that means. If you have a Grand Sport Coupe with the manual transmission and the dry sump system (the updated one we discussed in a previous video), you have a few hidden gems. First, the LS3 engine in this configuration is hand-built at the Wixom, Michigan plant, the same place where they built the LS7 and LS9 engines. It features a forged crankshaft with a longer snout to accommodate the two-stage oil pump for the dry sump system. This crankshaft is of higher quality and more performance-oriented than the one used in the base LS3. Additionally, the Grand Sport Coupe comes with the updated dry sump system, an extra oil cooler, transmission cooler, and differential fluid cooler. The car weighs about 3,200 pounds, making it extremely potent and capable on the track. It's equipped with all the Z06 brakes, good suspension components, and cooling features, without the potential fragility of an LS7 engine. It also doesn't have the aluminum frame found in the Z06. Now, you might think that the aluminum frame would be better because it's lighter. However, when you're doing track work, there's always a chance of going off track and potentially hitting a tire wall or guardrail. With a steel-framed car like the Grand Sport, the frame can usually be pulled and bent back into shape. On the other hand, it's very difficult to reform aluminum frame rails, and when a Z06 gets hit hard, it's often beyond repair. Furthermore, if you're looking for more power and want to supercharge, turbocharge, or add nitrous to your Corvette, the LS3 engine in the manual Grand Sport Coupe is the way to go. According to Agent Duntov, this LS3 engine handles those modifications better than any other V8 engine GM has ever built. So, if you're in the market for a C6 Corvette that you can enjoy during the day and track on the weekends, the 2010 to 2013 Grand Sport manual coupe with the dry sump system is the best choice. Currently, there are approximately 16 of them for sale nationwide. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to me. Until next week, see you soon! Goodbye.