Corvette enthusiasts who want the ultimate in performance can now choose to drop the top on their Z06 and the best news is they don’t have to sacrifice any of the hardcore extras available on the new Z06. If you want the Z07 package or the 7-speed manual or the giant Carbon Ceramic brakes go right ahead and check the appropriate boxes. You’re still treated to the same 650-hp 6.2-liter supercharged V8 and you’re even more likely to enjoy the ferocious exhaust yowl in the Convertible. Just do enthusiasts everywhere a favor and pass on the available 8-speed automatic, which seems to us like the fastest way to ruin a great car.
The only people not happy to see the C7 ZO6 roll onto the Detroit Auto Show stage today are owners of the once-mighty ZR1. Corvette engineers have forgotten all about model heirachy and brought the new ZO6 model to market with even more power and performance than last year’s $120k range-topper. What makes that news even harder to hear is that the much-improved ZO6 will almost certainly cost tens of thousands less than the previous flagship. Chevrolet expects true supercar performance with regards to road holding, acceleration and braking. All of the aggressive body additions are the result of intensive wind tunnel testing to improve downforce at speed and the car looks downright menacing in person. Oh yeah, one more fact to wrinkle ZR1 drivers’ noses: the ZO6 broke the Milford proving ground track record on the first go-round. You’ve gotta love the march of progress. We do!
