Chevrolet Corvette ZO6: Turnkey racer ... or not

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How sweet it is. The 2006 Corvette ZO6 from the sports at Chevrolet is the best yet. The No. 3 1953 Corvette recently brought $1 million at the famed Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz. The new ZO6 may not be worth that yet, but it drives like a million bucks compared with the Blue Flame six-cylinder-powered 1953 version with its "Powerglide" automatic transmission.

I frankly don't know what could be next, because it was perceived that the C6 Corvette was the ultimate, affordable American sports car. Enter the ZO6, with its fire-breathing, yet docile, powerplant -- a 7.0-liter, 505-horsepower LS7 V-8 coupled to a healthy MN6 six-speed, short-throw, manual gearbox for quicker, more precise gear changes -- with an improved, albeit still somewhat pesky and annoying first to fourth skip shift override feature.

The 505 horsepower are complemented by a more than substantial 470 foot-pounds of torque. The rear wheels are likely capable of spinning and smoking for days with all the control enhancement gear switched off. The all-new LS7 motor reintroduces the 427-cubic-inch engine to Corvette's lineup. The original 427 was, of course, a big-block design, while the new LS7, 7.0-liter mill happens to be a small-block V-8 that is lighter, stronger and more technologically advanced.

The ZO6, which originally appeared in 1963, followed by 2001-2004 editions, is literally "race-ready" out of the box, with superior power and handling-related feature upgrades and enhancements. It is equally at home, however, just simply cruising about town in domesticated fashion.

There are three Corvette models available for 2006: the regular two-door hatchback Coupe with a removable roof; the Convertible; and the cream-of-the-crop Z06, which is also a two-door hatchback coupe, but with a fixed roof and different body structure.

The Z06 comes with a unique front fascia with an upper inlet, specific grille, fenders, quarters, rear spoiler and five double spoke wheels in a star pattern.

At a casual glance, the ZO6 appears to be simply another Corvette, but an in-depth perusal of its form reveals it is decidedly different, and definitely displays a racier stance, not to mention capability.

The ZO6 test Corvette was sprayed in one of the new exterior colors, Velocity Yellow tint coat, and featured an Ebony interior with ZO6 seatback embroidery.

The base price was set at $65,000, while the special paint, polished aluminum wheels and destination charges upped the ante to $67,845. A bargain to be sure, when compared with the Dodge SRT-10 Viper, which costs considerably more, and lacks the refinement inherent in the Z06.

The Corvette ZO6 is perhaps one of the best high-performance values available in today's marketplace.