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Chevrolet Corvette has become part of the American lifestyle, like baseball, hot dogs or basketball. In 1963, Corvette came with an optional performance package designated as RPO-ZO6, named after Zora Arkus, a young Corvette engineer. The package included special brakes and wheels, a 36-gallon gas tank and a fuel injected 360 horsepower V-8 engine. This created a genuine supercar - a fast auto to compete with the best.
The ZO6 returned in 2001 production Corvette built for the track. Based on the 1999 fixed roof model, already the lightest, stiffest and quickest Corvette, the 2001 ZO6 was aimed directly at diehard performance enthusiasts who wanted a real American supercar.
This car certainly is exciting to drive, owing to the extraordinary power the LS6 engine develops at all speeds. Floor the accelerator the 405bhp are unleashed, making it will feel like a hippo has just sat on your chest, while the suspension keeps you planted on the road seemingly disobeying the laws of physics. Stomp on the brakes from any speed and it will feel like that same hippo just grabbed your rear bumper as you went by and didn't let go.
Stripped out supercar
Unlike other Corvettes, the Z06 is strictly a supercar with few amenities. Inside the cockpit, you sit very low and need to be somewhat limber to get in or out gracefully.
The cockpit of the ZO6 is fully functional with special stylized graphics on the instrument cluster. Standard solid black leather trimmed seating include additional deep-set side bolsters to hold the driver and passenger firmly in place during high lateral load maneuvers.
Unique to ZO6 is an optional interior with Torch Red accents on the seats, lower instrument panel and lower door panels. Crowning each seat is a red ZO6 logo embroidered into the headrests.
The controls on the driver's door have a single rubber like membrane that covers the power window control, door lock and mirror buttons, giving the appearance of buttons in those shower-safe radios. Definitely not what you would expect in a $50,000 car. On the brighter side (pun intended), there is a light on the bottom of the inside mirror that casts a dim glow on the shifter so that you can see it at night.
Despite this race-tuned engine, the Z06 was quite easy to drive at low speed. The LS6 engine was smooth and pulled easily even from below 1,000 rpm, even though maximum torque is produced at 4,800rpm. Surprisingly, was that this car got excellent gas mileage, as long as you drove it like a normal, sane person. Not something that you find every day in a car with half this performance.
Another surprising fact is that this is not one of those new engines that relies on dual overhead cams, variable valve timing or four valves per cylinder. This engine has a single camshaft in the center of the block pushing 2 valves per cylinder through pushrods and rocker arms, just like the original Chevy V8 back in 1955. But this is a high-tech engine to be sure with an aluminum block with cast in "windows" which allow better crankcase breathing.
Chevy engineers have also incorporated a new composite intake manifold with increased plenum volume and smoother-flowing intake runners. Dozens of other refinements come together to increase volumetric efficiency and maximum rpm.
Lightweight intake and exhaust
The Z06 features a new titanium exhaust system which was a first for a production vehicle. This exhaust system reduced back-pressure and weighs only half as much as the stainless steel system found in other Corvettes. It looks better too with four 3.5-inch diameter chrome tips peeking out from the center of the rear bumper. Much time was spent tailoring this system to ensure an exhaust note that would be unique to the Z06.
They don't come much faster than Corvette Z06. The quickest and most agile production Corvette model ever, Z06 will blow you away. Try to keep pace.
