2001-’04 CHEVROLET CORVETTE Z06

AS THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE C4 CORVETTE neared its ending, Chevrolet officials nixed the ZR-1 performance package from the model’s 1996 option lineup. It was a curious decision, given that “America’s sports car” had a long and well-established history of offering race-inspired upgrades, something that was missing when the all-new C5 Corvette was unveiled in 1997. Yes, it came with the 345-hp LS1 engine, and yes, the Z51 Performance Handling Package was available, but the latter was — as the name sug-

ENGINE

The initial relaunch of Chevrolet’s Corvette Z06 arrived in 2001 with a new LS6 engine — based on the block architecture of the LS1 engine — which touted the capability to produce 385›hp @ 6,000 rpm and 385 lb-ft of torque @ 4,800 rpm. Though the Z06 was initially known to have oil consumption issues, by the time the 2002 edition arrived, new piston rings solved the problem, and a host of internal upgrades enabled the LS6 engine to produce a more assertive 405 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, which kept the legendary model name within the same breath as costlier exotic cars from