CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Excellent
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 04/24/2006
A quick listing of the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06's performance technology reads like a race-preparation manual: a lightweight aluminum frame with magnesium subframes, a 7.0-liter, dry-sump aluminum-block V-8 engine with 505 horsepower, and fiberglass and carbon-fiber bodywork that is subtly altered to fit over wider wheels and tires. Heavy-duty parts to handle the extra power would have added around 100 pounds to the standard Corvette; the Z06's lightweight modifications result in a car that weighs 140 pounds less and has an additional 105 horsepower.
The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has two exemplary and useful electronic systems connected with both performance and safety: the heads-up display in front of the driver and Chevrolet's StabiliTrak with Competition mode, a stability-control system that actually allows a reasonable degree of slip angle before gently and unobtrusively decreasing power and applying brakes.
Comparing the standard and Z06 Corvettes reveals crucial bodywork differences. The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 has a fixed roof, as opposed to the Corvette Coupe's removable center section; a completely different front fascia designed for increased downforce; carbon-fiber front fenders (with functional air vents); and wider rear bodywork. There is a large, nonfunctional air scoop in the Z06 hood.
With a base price of $65,000, the 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is not inexpensive. But try to modify a standard Corvette to Z06 specs, and watch many times that much money disappear. To get equal or better performance from a four-wheel vehicle, be prepared to spend at least twice as much.
With $1,295 worth of polished alloy wheels, $750 for special paint, and an $800 destination charge, our test car came to $67,845, the best performance-for-dollar deal on four wheels.
The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06's interior doesn't compare to that found in Porsches, BMWs, Jaguars, or Ferraris, but it's come a long way from previous models, which didn't rise much above sub-$15,000 Cavalier standards. Of course, a Corvette has never been a luxury sports car; it's merely a sports car.Which is not to say that the Z06 is spartan--if the keyless fob is in the car, the engine starts with the push of a button, and a good climate-control system keeps occupants comfortable. As opposed to the interior of many import sports cars, the Corvette's is sized for large people. Six-footers fit into the special high-backed leather seats easily. The seats are better than average in comfort, and they hold well in hard cornering. There is also useful, if exposed, luggage space under the rear hatch.
Most options available for the standard Corvette can be ordered for the Z06 model. These include a DVD-based, voice-activated navigation system, a Bose premium audio system, and XM Satellite Radio. Our test car had only the basics: an AM/FM/single-CD audio system. The CD player plays MP3 CDs, displaying track information on a small alphanumeric LCD. Both sound quality and radio reception were solid but got plenty of competition from the quadraphonic exhaust at anything more than a quarter throttle.
The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06's best interior feature is the heads-up display (HUD). Pioneered by GM nearly 20 years ago, and only now being used by other manufacturers, the HUD system allows the driver to monitor important information with eyes on the road--very important, given the Z06's acceleration and speed potential. The HUD shows digital speed; revolutions per minute in a race-car-like analog display; and lateral acceleration in g-forces (digitally) on the windshield in front of the driver, in a translucent display under the main line of vision. As with the 2006 BMW 550i we reviewed, the HUD is not distracting and actually very useful.
If driven gently around town, interior noise levels are reasonably low. Pushed even moderately hard, the Z06's interior ambience is pure race car, with plenty of mechanical sounds from the engine, the transmission, and the chassis. This should not displease buyers, as it's pure music to the ears of the enthusiast.
The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is built with a composite body mounted on a separate frame, with a V-8 engine in front driving the rear wheels. Its independent, unequal-length double-wishbone front and rear suspensions use transverse leaf springs. But it's much higher in technology than a cursory reading of those specs would suggest. The Z06's floor pan, front fenders, and front wheelhouses are made of carbon fiber, with the rest of the bodywork being composite plastic. Although the frame design is similar to the standard Corvette's, the Z06's is made from hydroformed aluminum instead of steel to save weight. Both versions use aluminum and magnesium subframes; the Z06 also has a magnesium roof structure for extra rigidity with minimal weight.Transverse leaf suspension may seem like a throwback to the vintage years, but the Corvette's springs are not like any others. Instead of steel, they are made of lightweight composite material, reducing both sprung and unsprung weight. They also have an antiroll effect, aiding the effect of the stabilizer bars. The 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 gets a firmer suspension tuning than the standard Corvette, designed to work with its larger wheels and tires--275/35/ZR18s in front and 325/30/ZR19s in the rear. The run-flat Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar tires eliminate the need for a spare.
Most helpful user reviews
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 6 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 3 of 6 user reviews
-
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
-
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
- See all 6 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
