It's Official: Corvette Does 3.7

The ultimate Corvette—the 2006 Corvette Z06—is posting numbers at the track and on the window sticker that will get attention. Chevrolet has announced that the fastest Corvette ever—the 505-horsepower Corvette Z06—will achieve 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds while still in first gear, and pricing will start at $65,800, including destination and freight charges.

“Corvette is a global icon for world-class sports car performance at an incredible value, and offering the fastest production Corvette ever at this price is another testament to that reputation,” said Ed Peper, Chevrolet general manager. “When you compare the Corvette Z06 performance stats to other supercars, you see numerous examples where you’re getting better performance with Corvette for one-third the sticker price of the competition.”

Developed alongside the Corvette C6.R race car, the Corvette Z06 uses advanced lightweight materials typically found only in the most exotic supercars. Use of weight-saving materials such as carbon fiber, aluminum, titanium and magnesium give the 3,132-pound car a highly competitive weight-to-power ratio of 6.2 pounds per horsepower.

“The new Corvette Z06 is the dividend from competing so successfully in endurance racing,” said Dave Hill, Corvette’s chief engineer. “It combines the strong attributes of the new, sixth-generation Corvette with the spirit, technology and know-how from the race program to form an American supercar with outstanding credentials.” The highly anticipated Corvette Z06, which will be available in the fourth quarter of 2005, completes the sixth-generation portfolio, which also includes the 400-hp Corvette coupe and convertible.

Previous Corvette Z06 models, from the original 1963 model to the 2001-04 editions, incorporated suspension and engine upgrades that complemented existing Corvette systems. The 2006 Corvette Z06 is more differentiated from the standard Corvette than any other Z06 in history with every design element serving a performance function.