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January, 2001 Cruise News

STORY LINE-2001 CORVETTE Z06-ROAD TEST

CORVETTE, according to the Tenth Edition of the Merrian Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is, 1: A warship ranking in the old sailors navies next below a frigate 2: a highly manueverable armed escort ship that is smaller than a destroyer

CORVETTE. Its Americas’ sports car that has been here since its GM Motorama appearance of some 47 years ago. And through those mostly kind years, the Corvette has become, maintained and remained a legend. For 2001, a new Z06 super performance model will keep the Corvette C5 in that realm of lofty legends. A brief historical perspective first.

That first Corvette of 1953 was in fact an answer to the MG cars of Great Britain that so many of the US Army fighting boys talked of from,"over there". A true sports car the 2-seat MG was, with a convertible folding top, small 4-cylinder OHV engine and manual 4-speed transmission. No amenities with roll up windows and power assists, just simple mechanical systems that made for fun driving. Maybe just real spoke wire wheels as the option and white wall tires.

1953 saw the Corvette become a production reality with a fiberglass body-like no other car had-with folding convertible top and only a two-seater, as only a true sports car would be. The engine was somewhat anemic by todays standards, as was the 2-speed Powerglide cast-iron, air cooled automatic transmission with floor shift controls. But it was the only full production entry into the ‘sports car’ marketplace by an American car maker.

1955 saw the introduction of a 265CID, OHV-V8 known affectionately today as the ‘small block’-high winding and easily modified- it is still today the mainstay of modern ‘hot-rodding’. Mechanical Fuel injection and 4-forward speed manual transmission came in 1957 with an engine rating of one HP per CID. 1962 was the last year for the straight axle and center-pivot steering retained from its inception-and the first year for the boring bar to take the venerable 283 to 327CID and up to 360HP. 1963 was a new body and 4-wheel independent suspension design heralded as the epitome of fresh styling and, led to the last of the midyear Corvette cars-1967-to become the most desirable and collectibly solid financial investments of all Corvette cars-if you are still the original owner or a successful speculator. Specifically the 427 powered cars.

1968 was a new body that lasted through the power robbing and ‘fat’ ‘70s that finalized a production run for 1982, with a ‘Cross Fire’ dual throttle body fuel injection system. No 1983 Corvette exists outside of the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, but 1984 brought in an all new Corvette that was to be the forerunner of the ultimate ZR1-DOHC Corvette cars of 1990-1995. 1997 saw the ultimate of all Corvette cars with the introduction of the LS1/C5 Corvette, incorporating design/build considerations like no other production sports car in the world. 2001 it is the Z06.

I first got to drive a prototype Z06 in the summer of 1999. With a six day drive test

opportunity and a drag strip first time run of 12.98@111, this was no typical Corvette as it hazed the tires through all of first gear and broke loose in second gear above 70mph. But it drove very polite in all circumstances with street use. It was ‘upstairs’ where you could feel the power.

At last years Woodward Dream Cruise I had a new Z06 for a nights cruise. My most recent Christmas present was a week with a new Torch Red Z06 that I only ‘kept’ for a day though, ‘did’ my ‘stuph’ and gave it back as the weather window was but 24-hours. It worked.

All Z06 Corvette models are of the fixed roof variety and are easily identifiable by the small Z06 emblem located on the front fenders, and the black air scoops on the rear rocker panels that are real and effect rear disc brake cooling.

Where the Z06 shines is in its specific build. A lack of optional equipment-loaded by ‘60s/’70s standards-lighter weight as even the windshield is thinner than the typical Corvette, a higher revving LS6-6,500 redline- with 385 net horsepower/torque. Even the manual 6-speed transmission gears are a different ratio, steeper than the standard Corvette. Also of note, to reduce mass weight the Z06 utilizes a Titanium exhaust system. Goodyear Eagle F1 SC ‘fat’ tires, P265/40ZR17 front and P295/35ZR18 rear, mounted on 9.5-inch front/10.5-inch rear aluminum wheels that are one-inch wider than standard Corvette.

Outside of the Corvette ZL1 of 1969-of which only 1 is known to exist of the possible 2 built, or the L88-the LS6/Z06 is likely the fastest, full mass production Corvette ever, and retains drivability like a lady ... with vampire traits after sunset. The book says its capable of 1.03 g’s lateral acceleration, 0-60 in 4.0 flat, 12.6@114 in the quarter and 171 terminal velocity. Without a set of chrondeks my seat of the pants tells me its more like 12.4@118. We’ll clock the Z06 later in the year when the climate is ripe.

The Z06 is built as solid as Grants Tomb, weighs in at 3130 lbs., lists at $47,675.00 and is very tolerable at almost 30 mpg on the highway and around 19 city. You’ll need to be a winning lotto ticket holder for the insurance premiums-but go find a better street bruiser, of any kind any where for this kind of money. Now if only the top went down ... some of us would need a rollbar.