The Z06 is a rocket on the expressway. Merging in third gear is a breeze, and the power and sound are exhilarating. The V8 rumbling at idle is magic enough, and that only intensifies during acceleration. This car is rock solid — and the driver feels every bump and road bruise. That’s to be expected, but the ride is almost jarring at times, and there’s an occasional vibration communicated through the steering wheel.
The six-speed manual is tight and true, and the throws are short and satisfying. I like the feel of the weighed pedals, and the steering is generally heavy without being overdone. The cabin — outfitted with yellow stitching and carbon-fiber trim — actually looks pretty sweet. After panning the Vette’s interior for years, I really like this dressed-up version. The “trunk” area is accessible and works well for storing things, such as a blazer and overnight bag. Corvettes have plenty of practical elements, which is a bit underrated.
Overall, it’s a Z06. It’s a great car. There are some flaws, but it’s intense behind the wheel and attractive. I’d take one in black.
The Tour suspension mode does a good job soaking up the bumps and slows that rebound feel that really jars your back. I had no trouble getting comfortable in the seats, which are plenty sporty for this Corvette, a car that could be the deal of the century.
I said almost the same thing about our recent Nissan GT-R, but I still stand by it. If you want to spend $100,000 and get the purest sports car on the road, go with the Z06. If you need something with a little more tech but the same performance, go with the GT-R. I don’t think anyone would be disappointed.
The slick tires will break loose with every stab of the throttle, even through second and third gear. The bonus is the traction control lets the tires spin a bit but keeps you pointed straight. I know this has five settings for the safety feature, but I wish I’d had more time to play with each one.
It feels as fast as either the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 or Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. That’s mostly due to the car’s low curb weight of 3,199 pounds. The problem is that you can’t get anywhere near the car’s limit without a racetrack or at least a long airstrip.
And it’s the best balanced Corvette to make it ideally suited for track work. We had one a year and half ago for a magazine cover story where we had it along with a Porsche 911 GT2 RS and Lexus LFA. With the performance package that adds the Brembo carbon ceramic brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires and then the magnetic ride suspension, it wasn’t even a couple of ticks off the $380,000 Lexus when lapping GingerMan Raceway in South Haven, Mich. There’s certainly no shame in that.
One of the biggest improvements Chevy made to the C6 was to offer sport seats that finally feature sufficient side bolstering. It’s been my biggest beef with the Corvette, and I’m ecstatic that they finally took the steps to remedy it. People have also been harping about the interior for its subpar plastics and central tunnel that gets extremely hot, but that stuff doesn’t bug me too much. I’ve never found the materials to be that offensive. Either way, something tells me things will be drastically different in the C7.
