SPOTLIGHT: CORVETTE Z06
Chevrolet made waves in ’01 when it brought back the Z06 — a bona fide track-day-ready package for America’s sports car. This hot new Corvette wasn’t exactly all-new, however. It was an evolution of the “fixed-roof coupe” (FRC) introduced in 1999 and aimed at performance-minded buyers looking for a lighter, cheaper, more rigid Corvette. A six-speed manual was the only transmission available on those earlier ’Vettes and the Z51 suspension was standard issue. Interior choices were limited to: standard buckets (optional sports seats weren’t available) and black upholstery; and niceties like the optional power telescoping column or a power passenger seat weren’t offered. Today the FRC is an unusual find, as just 4,031 were made in 1999 and 2,090 in 2000.
The Z06 took the FRC to the next level, though the tradeoff was a higher price tag: approximately $47,000 for the ’01 Z06, versus $38,000 for the ’99 FRC. For the money, buyers got the best speed parts and engineering tweaks Chevrolet had to offer: the LS6 engine, initially rated at 385 hp, then 405 hp; a six-speed manual with more aggressive transmission gearing than standard; a titanium exhaust system; thinner glass; Goodyear Eagle F1 SC tires mounted on lighter, stiffer forged aluminum wheels; less sound-deadening material; a fixed radio antenna
