-Aluminum body structure with one-piece hydroformed perimeter rails frame and magnesium front cradle
-Fixed roof design optimizes body rigidity and aerodynamics
-Carbon-fiber composite front fenders and front wheelhouses
-Unique front fascia incorporating a larger grille, cold-air scoop and lower air splitter
-Wide-body rear fenders and a unique rear spoiler incorporated with the CHMSL
-Huge 14-inch (355-mm) cross-drilled front disc brakes with six-piston calipers and -13.4-inch (340-mm) cross-drilled rear rotors with four-piston calipers
-18 x 9.5-inch front wheels with 275/35ZR18 tires and 19 x 12-inch rear wheels with 325/30ZR19 tires
-3-inch-diameter exhaust with bi-mode mufflers and larger polished stainless steel tips
-Engine, transmission and differential oil coolers; and steering cooler
-Rear-mounted battery to improve weight distribution
-Unique interior features including revised gauge cluster and lightweight two-tone seats with more aggressive bolsters
Curb weight of 3130 pounds / 1419.7 kg (estimated)
3 inches (76.2 mm) wider than other Corvette models
Vehicle developed simultaneously with C6-R racecar. The features above are merely the highline points of the comprehensively designed Z06. What follows is a closer look at the vehicle’s unique attributes.

LS7 engine

-505 horsepower (373 kw) @ 6200 rpm
-470 lb.-ft. of torque (657 Nm) @ 4800 rpm
-7000 rpm redline
-Unique cylinder block casting with large, 104.8-mm bores and pressed-in cylinder liners
-Forged steel main bearing caps
-Forged steel crankshaft
-Titanium connecting rods with 101.6-mm stroke, cast aluminum flat-top pistons
-11.0:1 compression
-Dry-sump oiling system
-Camshaft with .591-inch lift
-Racing-derived CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads with titanium intake valves and sodium-filled exhaust valves
-Titanium pushrods and valve springs
-Low-restriction air intake system
-Hydroformed exhaust headers with unique “quad flow” collector flanges.



All LS7 engines are assembled by hand at GM Powertrain’s new Performance Build Center in Wixom , Mich. The exacting standards to which they are built include deck-plate honing of the cylinders – a procedure normally associated with the building of racing engines and almost unheard of in a production-vehicle engine.


Drivetrain ....
The Corvette Z06’s powertrain and drivetrain systems are matched to the LS7’s performance capability. The light, four-into-one headers discharge in to new, close-coupled catalytic converters and through to new “bi-modal” mufflers. The mufflers each feature a vacuum-actuated outlet valve, which controls exhaust noise during low-load operation but opens for maximum power.

At the rear of the LS7 engine, a single-mass flywheel and lightweight, high-capacity clutch channel torque to the rear transaxle. The six-speed manual transmission has been strengthened to handle the LS7’s increased torque load. The transmission includes a pump which sends transmission fluid to the front radiator for cooling. Upon its return, the fluid removes additional heat from the differential lube before returning to the transmission.

The M6 transmission connects to a limited-slip differential, with enlarged ring and pinion gears. Stronger axle half-shafts with tougher universal joints transmit power to the rear wheels.

Body structure...
The Z06 has a unique aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof bodystyle. Perimeter rails are one-piece hydroformed members featuring cast suspension nodes, which replace many welded steel components on other Corvette models. Other castings, stampings and extrusions are combined into the innovative structure with state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies.

Advanced structural composites featuring carbon fiber are bonded to the aluminum structure. The wider front wheelhouses, for example, are carbon composites and the passenger compartment floors combine carbon-fiber skins with an ultra-lightweight balsa wood core.

Chassis system ...
The 2006 Corvette Z06 has a new magnesium cradle that serves as the attachment point for the engine and some front suspension components. Magnesium is lighter than aluminum yet incredibly strong. The magnesium cradle helps improve the front-to-rear weight distribution, as do carbon-fiber front fenders and wheelhouses. Engineers also moved the battery from underhood to a position in the rear cargo area, behind one of the rear wheels. “This is an instance where the street car uses more advanced material than the racecar,” said Hill. “We’re constrained by rules to run the steel frame in the racecars, but we stretched to bring even more performance technology to the street for out customers.” The mass reductions are offset by some added performance enablers, including dry-sump lubrication, 3-inch (76.2-mm) exhaust with outlet valves, larger wheels and tires, more power brake and stiffer roll stabilizers.

Suspension, brakes, wheels and tires The Z06 retains the 106-inch (2686-mm) wheelbase of other Corvette models, as well as the short-long arm suspension and transverse leaf spring design, but it rides on all-new wheels, tires, brakes, as well as its own rear spring and roll stabilizer.

The firmer suspension works harmoniously with large 18 x 9.5-inch cast-spun aluminum wheels and 275/35ZR18 tires in the front, and 19 x 12-inch cast-spun aluminum wheels with 325/30ZR19 tires in the rear – the largest wheel-and-tire combination ever offered on a Corvette. The tires use the latest extended-mobility technology from Goodyear to provide a satisfactory ride, but still allow the vehicle to achieve lateral acceleration of more than 1 g. The extended-mobility tires eliminate the need – and weight – for a spare tire and jack or inflator kit, and reduce the chance of a sudden loss of handling capability.

Complementing the suspension system and large rolling stock is an equally capable four-wheel disc brake system, consisting of 14-inch (355-mm) vented and cross-drilled front rotors and 13.4-inch (340-mm) vented and cross-drilled rear rotors. For comparison, the ’05 Corvette has 12.8-inch (325-mm) front and 12-inch (305-mm) rear rotors, while the ’05 Corvette with the Z51 has 13.4-inch (340-mm) and 13-inch (330-mm) rotors.

The front rotors are acted upon by huge, red-painted six-piston calipers that use six individual brake pads. Individual brake pads are used because they deliver more equalized wear compared to what would otherwise be a pair of very long single-piece pads. For the rear brakes, four-piston calipers with four individual brake pads are used. A Delphi four-channel ABS system is used, as is a very competent active handling system – complete with a Competitive Driving mode.

The large brakes bring an excellent level of stopping capability with the Z06, and with their four-wheel brake cooling, they provide excellent fade resistance and lining life during track duties.

Distinct design...
The new Z06 has an unmistakable and aggressive appearance, with design cues that include:

A wide front fascia with a large, forward-facing grille opening, a splitter along the bottom and “Gurney lips” along the sides to provide aerodynamic downforce
A cold air scoop in front of the hood that integrates an air inlet system for the engine
The trailing edge of the front wheel opening is radiused to achieve improved drag, but protects the body finish with a tough molding, and a large air extractor is located behind the wheel
A fixed-roof bodystyle optimizes body rigidity and aerodynamics
Wider rear fenders with flares cover the massive rear tires and a brake cooling scoop in front of the wheels visually balances the fender extractor
A tall rear spoiler houses the CHMSL on the top of the rear fascia
10-spoke wheels
Four larger stainless steel exhaust outlets
New-design Z06 badging on the front fenders While the function of the Z06’s design is to move air efficiently over the body and reduce lift, the net effect is a car that looks like a weight lifter whose muscles are straining the seams of his shirt.

The aerodynamics of the Z06’s exterior were shaped by the experiences of the Corvette racing program, where high-speed stability and cornering capability are paramount. And while the racecars use large rear wings, the Z06’s elevated spoiler provides sufficient downforce to balance the road-worthy front splitter without adversely affecting aerodynamic drag. The Z06’s Cd is .31.

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Of course the Coupe and Convertible versions are still avalible, but only avalible with the 400hp 6.0L LS2