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TEST DRIVE
Corvette Z06 lets power flow
The new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is one of those cars, assuming there are actually others, that can turn any strip of pavement into an exhilarating racetrack.
Any strip - a winding country road, an interstate highway, your driveway - you name it. In this machine, it becomes a track.
From the moment you get behind the wheel, you feel power.
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2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
(click on photo to enlarge)
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When you're doing 30 mph, you feel as if you're standing still.
When you're doing 75 mph, you feel like you're doing 30.
When you're doing 100 ... well, you get the picture.
The 7.0-liter LS7 V-8 engine is awesome, kicking out 505 horsepower. It takes less than 4 seconds to reach 60 mph, and that can be done in first gear. It tallies 470 pounds-feet of torque.
Its top speed, if you dare, is 198 mph. The Z06 doesn't so much accelerate as it explodes in a forward motion, generating a feeling that things are about to get out of control.
But the 'Vette handles superbly, taking turns with precision.
Its huge tires and formidable suspension stabilize the ride.
Bumps are glided over fairly effortlessly.
To gain a sense of how the Z06 rides, you might liken it more to a high-speed monorail, compared with the rollercoaster ride that you get in other sports cars.
Big-time Corvette aficionados will notice the body on this model being 3 inches wider, as well as the larger wheels.
The aluminum body has a one-piece hydroformed frame and a magnesium engine cradle.
This year's model also has a larger grille and wide-body front and rear fenders. The standard rear spoiler is a little taller. But for the most part, this model is classically 'Vette styled.
The cockpit is sharp, with gauges ready to clearly explain to you how fast you're going and what kind of RPMs you're kicking out. The stick shift in the test model sat a little higher on the center console than what one might expect but was still quite accessible and had a throw range that was easy to adjust to.
The seats are comfortable, and the extra body width helps make the interior feel not too insular.
You might expect all that power to create a little noise in the cockpit. You'd be right.
But hey, you've got all that power.
Gas mileage is decent for a muscle car, with EPA numbers of 16 mpg city, 24 highway.
This package of performance isn't cheap. It runs about $65,800.
But if you want to be able to blow past pretty much anything, on any strip of road, this could be your weapon of choice.
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