Chevrolet Corvette Z06

           

    

In the dark days of the mid-to-late 1970s, when the once-proud Chevrolet Corvette became a fat, posh, sleazy, and slow cruiser, a machine like the 2006 Corvette Z06 would have been unthinkable.

Let's compare a 1977 Corvette to the Z06, shall we?

The 1977 Corvette, with a sub-200-horsepower V-8, struggled to do the 0-60 run in 8.8 seconds and topped out at around 120 mph. For that sterling performance, easily attainable nowadays by a run-of-the-mill Hyundai, the 1977 Corvette provided minimal space, Spartan comfort, and, at best, fuel mileage in the mid-teens.

The Z06 has 505 horsepower, does the 0-60 sprint in less than 4 seconds, and pushes the 200 mph barrier--and the Z06 can get 26 miles per gallon on the freeway.

To put that into perspective, if both cars started at the same time, by the time the '77 Corvette struggled up to 60 mph, the Z06 would have already blown easily through 100 mph.

The Z06's real competition, of course, isn't its forebears--it embarrasses the finest cars in the world. At $75,000, it may not be cheap, but it's a positive blue-plate special compared to the Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Ford GTs, and Dodge Vipers that it humbles.

It's the fastest stock Corvette ever made, the fastest stock Chevrolet ever made, and one of the best-looking Corvettes ever--which is saying something.

Of course, the primary thought running through my mind is what the Z06 powertrain could do under the hood of, say, a 1976 Chevy Impala.

If you want to feel the closest thing to true, potent acceleration that you'll ever get through your computer, check out the Z06 video below.

--Chris H.

Comments

[Hucbald on June 18, 2008 at 07:21 PM]

"Of course, the primary thought running through my mind is what the Z06 powertrain could do under the hood of, say, a 1976 Chevy Impala."

Chris, you are so wrong on so many levels that it's hard to know where to begin. LOL!

[BackwardsBoy on June 19, 2008 at 07:18 AM]

After watching the video, I need a cigarette in the worst way, IYKWIMAITYD.

[Eric on January 12, 2009 at 12:29 PM]

The Z06 is powerful no doubt but comparing it to some of the worst corvettes ever built due to a government mandate to make all American cars run cleaner & more fuel efficient is not accomplishing anything. Why not compare it to the 1969 L88, L71 or an old LT-1 vette? That’s not even asking you to touch the mid 80s when corvettes started to out corner & destroy almost everything. Your comparison is just as bad as comparing the first "v6" corvette to any pre 72 to 85-08 or newer vette. Maybe you wanted to point out how bad things got? I don’t know but if that is the case let me point out that if it were not for the government mandates the corvette would likely not be the class leader for fuel consumption it is today.

No other non tuner car I know of “on the roads puts out 300 to 505 hp and delivers 31 to 28 mpg highway regardless of engine size unless cylinder deactivation is in use.
Even 4 banger tuner cars can’t hit 300Hp or get down the ¼ mile faster without increasing fuel consumption or gutting the car. The modern day vettes seem to be at a rather broad sweet spot for fuel efficiency.