[elegant]

Here’s a sight most Corvette enthusiasts don’t like to see.

This is the first time we’ve seen a 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible out in public wearing the new Daytona Orange Sunrise. Unfortunately, the 650-hp super car made somewhat of a spectacle of itself by losing control on wet roads and taking out another vehicle on its way to a ditch on I-94 in Jackson, Mississippi over the weekend.

We got an email from a witness to the accident who was very concerned that a Corvette with Manufacturers Plates from Michigan was operating on wet roads with “bald tires”. She describes the accident as happening like this:

The vette spun out and took another vehicle with it through a cable wire median, shredding the vehicle to the point where the cable almost came through the drivers seat, and as youll [sic] see from my pictures, ended up facing backwards on the opposite side of the barrier that it originally spun out from.

The Corvette Z06 looks to be equipped with the Z07 Performance Package which includes Michelin’s Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. (Not only is the clear wicker bill spoiler on the car but you can see the huge Brembo carbon ceramic rotors clearly in one of the photos as well.) To those that may not be familiar with the tire, it can definitely appear to be “bald”. It’s hard to tell from the pictures how much rubber is actually remaining on the tires as once they went off-road, they appear to be have picked up a ton of dirt and debris.

The pictures of this crash come just as Chevrolet begins retail production of the Corvette Z06. The first customer cars will hopefully be delivered in time for Christmas. Unfortunately, that means pictures of the first customer-owned Corvette Z06 to be involved in an accident won’t be that far behind.

[ACCIDENT] 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible Wrecks in the Rain in Michigan

 

[Vigilance247]

I saw the photo a few hours earlier but no info. Thanks for the 411.

 

[jsvette]

Wow that is a pretty horrific sight tangled in the cable. Hope all involved are alive and doing OK.

 

[nfran2]

Looks like the owners who opted for ZO7 packages will have to be a tad smarter on the rainy streets. Even the regular ZO6 owners should definitely drive safe anytime.

 

[Buzz]

Looks like driver just missed being beheaded...how lucky for him/her.....that cable almost sheared the car in half..

 

[bballbum1]

Thanks elegant, A night mare for anyone. I remember the Vipers not being able to be driven in the rain. I'm sure this is not the same.

 

[Ret9580]

"operating on wet roads with “bald tires”." That's just plain STUPID! 99% of the time it's the nut behind the wheel causing the problem.

 

[elegant]

Looks like the owners who opted for ZO7 packages will have to be a tad smarter on the rainy streets. Even the regular ZO6 owners should definitely drive safe anytime.

This is a brand new Z06 Pilot Cup 2 tire. Imagine how much tread there will be after 5,000 miles, and if one were to be caught in a rainstorm then.

 

[Fdxpilot]

"operating on wet roads with “bald tires”." That's just plain STUPID! 99% of the time it's the nut behind the wheel causing the problem.

As John's picture shows, Cup 2 tires look almost bald, right from the factory. Not a good rain tire.

 

[rdslon01]

Also, I wonder what the temperature was in Michigan that day. Note, if you click through to the source article, you will see it was in Jackson, Michigan, not Mississippi.

 

[Fasttoys1]

MY ? why the _ _ _K do they have cables to stop you in the first place. Don't they have better options for safety, the back of the vette almost lost its top. Very dangerous & think about a motorcyclist losing control and hitting it at 60 MPH, decapitation not smart...

 

[rdslon01]

Man, you said it! Why not put saws and land mines in the center divide? They would only be slightly more dangerous than those cables.

 

[tmcternan]

So, the car had Manufacturer's plates from Michigan? and the accident was in Mississippi? Also, the owner of the car is the General, so an employee was driving the car for I assume pre-delivery or production testing purposes....

 

[Liner Boy]

Accident was in Michigan not Mississippi.

 

[LT1xL82]

This is a brand new Z06 Pilot Cup 2 tire. Imagine how much tread there will be after 5,000 miles, and if one were to be caught in a rainstorm then.


View attachment 16323

Yup, not much tread depth even on a new Cup 2 tire. Also look at the tread pattern, there is basically no path for water to be channeled out for the center of the contact patch. Yikes!

 

[davem]

Thanks elegant, A night mare for anyone. I remember the Vipers not being able to be driven in the rain. I'm sure this is not the same.

Yeah, the Viper was a disaster waiting to happen in the rain.

 

[dlparsons]

It was Michigan and just a couple days ago, it was COLD! and rainy!!! Sport Cup tires are not good street tires. If you're buying a Z06 with the Z07 package, get another set of tires and wheels for street use. I got scolded on another forum for "trying to scare people" - well whattaya know, they SHOULD be scared! Those tires are designed for SUMMER weather, not cold, rainy fall days. I am not getting the Z07 package on mine, and although caution should still be taken in wet weather on any rear wheel drive car, they Pilot Sport be a much safer tire than the Sport Cup. Now, I may end up buying a set of wheels and tires for autocross use, that's where the Sport Cup will come in handy!

 

[Milliwatt Rob]

Chevrolet should really consider offering an alternative tire. Even on the non z06 cars. Most of us drive in the real world, not on some imaginary track in our heads.

 

[LT1xL82]

Chevrolet should really consider offering an alternative tire. Even on the non z06 cars. Most of us drive in the real world, not on some imaginary track in our heads.

I agree. At the risk of dating myself, we used to call tires like these "quasi legal". They were DOT approved, but we all knew they were being purchased for competitive use, not street use. Now such tires have evolved and are finding their way into production cars...enhancing the handling of an "as delivered from the factory" car. But like you Milliwatt, I'm not so sure they make sense for the street. Especially in cool temps and/or wet pavement. Let's hope that our Corvette friends with these tires stay safe and enjoy their cars.

 

[AlbertaVette]

Unfortunately, it will probably take several other serious accidents to happen before Chevrolet learns this. You should have to specify when you order your car which tires you would prefer, and possibly have 3 choices, ie: street, street/track, or track only.