The 2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06/ Muscle? You Bet! 385 live horses under the hood of this one- The answer to an every day ZR1 performer. But of course... Very refined. The Z06 has quite more of a history though, dating back to the early days of 1962. This sleek American sportscar will be docile minded for all of us. But when you step on the gas, it takes on a new mood. Count from one to four and that's the time it takes this new Corvette Z06 to jet from standstill to 60 mph. To put it all in perspective, the latest $115,000 Porsche 911 Turbo is no match for the acceleration of this Vette. The new Vette's performance comes at a price that is half of the cost of the 911 Turbo. (The Porsche- $115,000) vs (The new Corvette Z06- $47,500). Within the next few weeks, it'll be in your local Chevy showroom waiting to for your admiration and flowing adrenaline.

With the sports car market getting ever more popular these days, it seems that with "more power for your buck" this new Vette will be a sure winner with all of us.

Lets look a little bit of the history Behind the Z06, Way back to late 1962, when the legendary Corvette chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov introduced the Z06 package to the then-new, split-window Corvette Sting Ray. It was basically a racecar for the road. Powered by a big 5.7-liter 'fuelie' V-8, with beefed-up suspension and beefy brakes, it was intended to be driven straight from the showroom to the race track. In October 1962, four brand new Vette Z06s were driven from the St. Louis factory, all the way to California to compete in a major endurance race. Despite Carroll Shelby debuting his then-new Cobra at the same event, it was the Corvette Z06 that took the honors and the checkered flag.

In these early days, only 199 Z06-equipped Sting Rays were built, making the car one of the rarest and most collectible Corvettes of all time. When they change hands, which isn't very often, they usually demand a price upwards of $100,000.

Gentlemen, Start your engines: The big V-8 will pull away from walking speeds in fifth, and is generally happy to have the stick left in fourth for around-town cruising. The powerhouse factor of the Z06 is a hotted-up 5.7-liter LS1 V-8, called the LS6. Instead of the stock 345 horsepower, the Z06 version cranks out a respectable 385 hp. Simply squeeze the throttle and it delivers big. How does this new Vette drive? Absolutely Thrilling! Dial up 5000 rpm on the rev counter, drop the clutch, and the Z06 will long lines of black rubber as it powers off the line. All that power goes to the back wheels through a modified six-speed manual transmission with more aggressive gearing for better off-the-line acceleration. But the quality of this new Vette is the sheer poise and balance of its handling. The secret is the Vette's second-generation GM active-handling system. Thicker front sway bar as well as beefier rear springs will help you stay grounded while you fly.

Corvette designers purposely kept the exterior changes fairly simple. It's easy to spot the new-pattern, 10-spoke alloy wheels, which are an inch wider than stock, and come with brand new Goodyear Eagle F1 rubber specially developed for the Z06. The bright red brake calipers are clearly visible behind the wheels. Other exterior changes include distinctive, mesh-covered air intakes in the front spoiler and new side intakes just in front of the rear wheels.

The drive is expected to be sporty, tight, and unruly fast! Vettes have always been fun to drive. But the new Z06 takes the ultimate thrill factor to an all-new level. And unlike most other supercars, which are brought out for special outings, the Z06 is ready and willing to provide a daily dose of absolute adrenaline. This Vette won't let you sleep, we will assure you of that.

Here is a look at the new Z06 interior instrument panel, Very inviting inside, also, the Z06 high-backed leather buckets now have more side bolstering for extra side support. And for the Z06, they're trimmed in nostalgic two-tone black and red hide. Great instruments too, which get unique graphics and a very cool Z06 logo emblem.

Some inside news from Chevrolet: The 2001 Corvette Z06 won't be quite such a rarity. It'll replace the current Hardtop model and should account for around 20 percent of Vette production. JH/AutoNetDirect.com

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