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The 6th generation Corvette has not changed as much as the previous generation Corvette did. The design engineers tried to perfect, not reinvent, but some still complain that it is challenging to drive in town, on bad roads, and in the rain.

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The new C6 Corvette gets an overhaul of the suspension geometry, all new bodywork with exposed headlamps (for the first time since 1962), a larger passenger compartment, a larger 6.0 liter engine, and a much higher level of refinement. Overall, it is 5.1 inches (13 cm) shorter than the C5 Corvette, but its wheelbase has increased by 1.2 inches (3 cm). It is also one inch (2.5 cm) narrower, making for a smaller, sportier Corvette. The reduced dimensions were in response to criticism that the C5 Corvette looked too wide—the new body gives the impression of a much sleeker, faster car. Chevrolet hopes the new design will attract buyers of comparable European sports cars like the Porsche 911, but some purists dislike the new styling. The new 6.0 liter LS2 V8 produces 400 hp (298 kW) at 6000 rpm and 400 lbf.ft (542 Nm) of torque at 4400 rpm. Its red-line is increased to 6500 rpm like the C5 Z06.

The C6 Corvette retains its relatively high fuel economy, in part by upshifting to higher gears as soon as possible. Equipped with an automatic transmission, the C6 achieves 18/26 mpg (city/highway), and the manual transmission is slightly better at 18/28. However, some prospective Corvette buyers are surprised to find that the C6 Corvette's manual transmission is fitted with a lockout device, obligating the driver to shift from 1st directly to 4th when operating at lower RPMs. While this boosts the EPA’s derived fuel economy, thus allowing the buyer to avoid paying the “gas guzzler” tax, it is an open secret that more than a few C6 owners with manual transmissions simply have a $20 aftermarket part (CAGS eliminator) fitted to their vehicle to re-enable a normal 1-2-3-4-5-6 sequence at any RPM.

Z06 Corvette

The new Z06 is slated to arrive as a 2006 model and should be available in the third quarter of 2005. It will have an eight-cylinder, 7.0 L (7,008 cc/427.6 in³) engine codenamed the LS7. Officially certified output is 505 hp (376 kW). Dave Hill, the chief engineer for the C6 Corvette, says that it will be a much further departure from the standard Corvettes and more like the C6-R that GM is building for the American Le Mans Series. Its performance is projected to be similar to the Ford GT and the Dodge Viper SRT-10. Official performance figures indicate that the Z06 will hit 60 MPH in just 3.7 seconds in first gear.

In addition to the larger engine, the C6 Z06 will have a dry sump oiling system, something typically found only on race cars. Connecting rods made out of exotic titanium further lighten the reciprocating mass of the engine while making them stronger than the steel rods they replace. Altogether, the Z06 model will not only produce more power, it will rev faster and higher than any non-Z06 engine.

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In a radical departure from anything Chevrolet has ever done before, the primary structural element of the C6 Z06 will be aluminum instead of steel as on the non-Z06 cars. The hydroformed aluminum frame remains dimensionally identical to its steel bretheren but is significantly lighter. The front fenders are made of carbon fiber to reduce weight, while wider rear fenders allow for the wider tires necessary to deal with the engine’s increased power. The Z06 officially weighs 3132 lb (1421 kg), giving it a power to weight ratio of 6.2 lb/hp.

Taken as a whole, the C6 Z06 is very similar to its race-going variant, the C6-R, much more so than the C5 Z06 was to the C5-R. The number of production automobiles from all marques across the globe featuring more than 500 horsepower is small indeed. With an official list price of US$65,800 per unit, it will likely be the only such vehicle in existence with a price tag under US$85,000.
 

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Blue Devil ZR1

Chevrolet has long worked on developing an ultra-high performance version of the Corvette to compete with the Dodge Viper and European imports. Dubbed Blue Devil for the mascot of GM CEO Rick Wagoner’s alma mater (Duke University), the car is rumored to be set for production in 2006. It reportedly¹ features a supercharged version of the LS7 engine producing 600 hp (447 kW). Carbon fibre body panels reduce overall weight to well below 3000 lb (1360 kg). Pricing is expected to be over US$100,000.
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C6-R

The C6-R was unveiled for its first race at the 2005 12 Hours of Sebring endurance race of the American Le Mans Series. It came in second and third, just behind the new Aston Martin DB9 racecar. It was put on display a week later at the New York International Auto Show next to the Z06.

Later, in the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans, it made up for Sebring by placing first and second in the GT1 car class (5th and 6th overall, a considerably high finish for a GT class car) after a lengthy duel with the Aston Martin team’s DBR9 racers.

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