At this point, it’s well documented that Chevrolet chose to radically change the engine layout of its iconic halo car around 2009 after observing diminishing performance gains in its top models even as they grew from 405 to 505 to an outrageous 638 horsepower (a 58% improvement) over the course of just five model years. The choice to go midengined was also influenced by external factors as the ‘Vette’s roid-raging power was no longer enough to beat much weakier rivals in a straight line as those rivals implemented all-wheel-drive and increasingly efficient turbochargers.

The primary contender being referenced above is the 997 Porsche 911 Turbo/Turbo S that leveraged traction and boost to be crowned the “Baby Veyron” in the early 2010s when it broke the three-second barrier to 60 and could, in the right hands, dip into the 10s in the quarter, right out of the box. The C6 ZR1 was arguably the better car, but that talk was cheap with pink slips on the line.

Now, in 2026, using an updated take on the Turbo S formula, the top-dog ‘Vette has regained its birthright, bullying any and all commers at local stoplights and drag strips, but, how has the range’s engine relocation helped the versions that have stuck to their RWD roots? The Fast Lane family of YouTube channels investigates exactly that in its latest video.

The Colorado-based TFL recently brought a 670-horse C8 Z06 to their home turf one mile above sea level to do battle with the new Turbo S, with the old 997 and an electric Audi e-Tron GT along for the ride. Watch for yourself to see the results… and to hear the all-time great noise coming out of the Z’s four central cannons!

Source:
The Fast Lane Car / YouTube

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