2008 Corvette Z06 -

The 2008 Corvette Z06 has a 7.0-liter aluminum V8 making 505 horsepower, giving it a slight edge over its direct rival, the Dodge Viper, though the ?Vette?s torque rating is lower.The more civilized Z06 also undercuts the Viper by more than $20,000. The 2008 Corvette Z06 is not for those who favor quiet power and performance. At a base price of $71,000 (includes destination charges), you can own this world class offering without breaking your wallet in the way many exotics do.

Sure, it’s not the ZR1, but it’s still a damn fine car and for 2009 is getting a few tweaks that might be noteworthy to some. With the deletion of Machine Sliver Metallic, the 2008 Corvette Z06 exterior color palette now stands at nine colors. With the deletion of Machine Sliver Metallic, the Z06 exterior color palette now stands at nine colors. The big-block engines appeared in what would become among the most collectible cars of the era. Without a doubt, the 2008 Corvette 427 Limited Edition Z06 will be a model we fawn over at concours events.

Very large by production-vehicle standards – even racing standards – they are designed to maintain fast airflow velocity, providing excellent torque at low rpm and exhilarating horsepower at high rpm. The heads feature 70-cc combustion chambers that are fed by huge, 56-mm-diameter titanium intake valves. The composite design is manufactured with a ?lost core? process that improves runner to runner variation and reduces airflow losses. An acoustic foam material is used to reduce radiated engine noise; it is sandwiched between the outer top of the manifold and an additional ?skull cap? acoustic shell. To ensure optimal, uninterrupted airflow, the LS7’s heads have straight, tunnel-like intake runners. Very large by production-vehicle standards - even racing standards - they are designed to maintain fast airflow velocity, providing excellent torque at low rpm and exhilarating horsepower at high rpm.

To ensure optimal, uninterrupted airflow, the LS7’s heads have straight, tunnel-like intake runners. Very large by production-vehicle standards – even racing standards – they are designed to maintain fast airflow velocity, providing excellent torque at low rpm and exhilarating horsepower at high rpm.

The dry-sump oil system on the 2008 Corvette Z06 LS7 engine prevents oil starvation on high-g corners or under heavy braking. It could have been a quirk in my test car, but it makes you wonder how touchy the dry sump oiling system is in day-to-day driving. Ethanol production has grown tremendously during the last three decades and has allowed the country to practically wean itself completely from imported oil.

The transmission includes a pump that 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. It's an estimated 16 mpg in the city and 26 on highways with the manual transmission and 15 and 25 with the automatic. The 2008 Corvette Z06 comes only with a 6-speed manual and delivers 15 mpg in the city and 24 on highways. This super-LS7 is coupled with the M12 6-speed manual transmission. It's still the only transmission available and a unique gearbox to the Z06.

The 2008 Corvette Z06 has a unique aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof body style. Perimeter rails are one-piece hydroformed aluminum members featuring cast suspension nodes, which replace many welded steel components on other Corvette models. Advanced structural composites featuring carbon fiber are bonded to the aluminum structure. Wider front wheelhouses, for example, are carbon composites and the passenger compartment floors combine carbon-fiber skins with an ultra-lightweight balsa wood core.

The LS7's CNC-ported aluminum cylinder heads are designed to meet the high airflow demands of the engine's 7.0-liter displacement. A hydraulic roller camshaft with 0.588/0.593-inch valve lift is used to allow plenty of air to circulate in and out of the engine. With 505 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque from its 7.0L all-aluminum, racing-inspired engine, the Corvette Z06 leaps from 0-60 mph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of more than 198 mph. It also differs from other production Corvette models with extensive use of lightweight materials, including carbon-fiber front fenders and a chassis comprised of aluminum and magnesium. Further enhancing the great feel and control of the 2008 Corvette Z06 is the unique, world-class aluminum body structure for optimum stiffness and light weight for the fixed-roof bodystyle. Perimeter rails are one-piece hydroformed aluminum members featuring cast suspension nodes, which replace many welded steel components on other Corvette models.

Its frame and body are made of lightweight carbon composites and aluminum, materials normally only found in far more expensive alternatives, while its engine is hand-built and mounted on magnesium supports. There are a variety of unique and extraordinary engineering innovations built in to the 2008 Corvette Z06 engine that gives it superior efficiency while limiting weight.