Car Reviews- 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
SEE ALSO: Chevrolet Buyer's Guide
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH CAREY RUSS Thirty-plus years ago, when the first Federal emissions and safety standards came into being, conventional wisdom said performance was dead. The muscle cars and sports cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s would be remembered as the high-water mark of speed and power, never to be surpassed. Fast-forward to the 21st Century. Conventional wisdom of thirty years ago was wrong. Seriously wrong. Advances in materials science and structural engineering have given us cars that are far safer than the cars of thirty years ago, without the ugly add-on carnival-ride bumpers of the 1970s. Advances in engine design and, most importantly, electronics have led to peaceful coexistence between low emissions and high performance. One of the most revered cars of the old days was a Corvette with the ``big block'' 454 cubic inch, 425-horsepower LS6 V8. It could do zero-to-sixty in 5.3 seconds, but that large, heavy cast iron engine made it happier on the drag strip than on a road course. Today, there is a new Chevrolet LS6 V8, but it's a ``small block'' 346 cubic inch design made of lightweight aluminum alloy. It debuted with 385 horsepower in the 2001 Corvette Z06, a car named after a limited- production competition version of the early 1960s. But nothing, especially a Corvette, stands still. The Z06 has been improved for 2002. How do you improve on the performance of a 385-horsepower 2001 Corvette Z06? With a 405-horsepower 2002 Z06. Next question: Does the 20-horsepower increase make a real difference? Oh, yes. Forget nostalgia. Today's cars are the best ever for performance and safety. Unlike an over-carbureted race car, the 2002 Z06 is docile enough around town for everyday use, and, right off the showroom floor it can most likely show its titanium exhaust to the old LS6 or Z06 on a road course or drag strip. Yet it has a National Low Emissions Vehicle (NLEV) exhaust emissions classification, and is capable of 25 mpg plus on the highway if driven sedately. I've been driving one for the past week, and have thorough enjoyed it. In any form, the Corvette is a world-class sports car. In Z06 trim, it's every bit equal to anything on the road, and for a substantial savings over any of the exotics or semi-exotics. Let's hear it for unintended consequences. APPEARANCE: There is little to distinguish the 2002 Z06 from the 2001 model, or previous Hardtop, at least at a distance. The Z06 inherited the Hardtop's notchback coupe body shape. It added wire mesh grilles over the front air intakes flanking the license plate mounting, and functional brake ducts. Additional mesh-covered grilles are found behind the doors, covering ducts for cooling the rear brakes. Special 5x2-spoke forged alloy wheels show off the Z06's large, red brake calipers. From the rear, check out the four large titanium exhaust tips, a wonderful quadraphonic sound system. ``Z06'' badges are found behind the front wheels, and the '02 model's have a small ``405 hp'' under the ``Z06''. COMFORT: Like the exterior, the Z06 interior styling is largely shared with the Corvette coupe and convertible. It's definitely a driver's office, cozy but comfortable, with much easier access than in earlier Corvettes. The bolstered seats provide great support around town or at speed. The Z06 gets unique trim on the instrument panel, and the GM ``head-up'' (HUD) display is standard this year. Like its counterpart in a fighter jet, the HUD projects an image of important instruments on the windshield in front of the driver, just below the main field of vision, so the driver's eyes don't have to move and refocus. There is more luggage space than you might expect, but leave the golf clubs at home. They won't fit through the trunk lid, but overnight bags are no problem. SAFETY: Active safety is taken care of by ferocious acceleration, excellent four-wheel antilock disc brakes, and a high cornering ability. Passive safety comes in the form of a sturdy structure with front and rear crumple zones and side impact protection, and dual next-generation air bags. ROADABILITY: The Z06 has its own special suspension tuning that includes a large front stabilizer bar, stiffer rear composite transverse leaf spring, and modified camber settings, and is meant to improve high-speed stability. Recalibrated rear shocks, aluminum front stabilizer bar links, and cast instead of forged wheels are new this year. Cornering power is ensured by massive rubber – Goodyear Eagle F1 SC tires, P265/40 ZR17 front and P295/35 ZR18 rear. It stops as quickly as it accelerates thanks to excellent four-wheel antilock vented disc brakes, with new high-performance front pads this year. A Z06 is capable of generating over 1g on a skidpad. On an autocross course, it's awesome, and it'll probably lap a road course faster than the race-only Z06 of 40 years ago. Sounds like punishment on the street? Not even. The ride is firm, but never harsh, and it's actually very comfortable for a serious sports car. The steering effort is higher than that of a minivan, but is completely appropriate to the car's power and character. PERFORMANCE: In the search for more power, Corvette engineers turned to hollow valve stems, higher-lift cams, and less restrictive intake and exhaust systems. Better breathing means more power, in this case 20 more ponies and 15 more lb-feet of torque, for 405 horsepower at 6000 rpm and even 400 lb-ft of torque at 4800 rpm. The 5.7-liter LS6 sounds like a race engine in more than specifications, too, with the sound of thinly-veiled power at idle and a raucous metallic bellow under acceleration. There's a nasty race- car crackle on overrun. Music to the enthusiast's ears! Power is not extinct, it's better than ever. The six-speed manual gearbox shifts easily, with well-chosen ratios. Sixth is really a fuel- economy/supercruise gear, as 60 mph is about 1500 rpm and 25 mpg can be attained. But that's not the point.... CONCLUSIONS: Chevrolet's cruise missile is better than ever. SPECIFICATIONS 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 Base Price $ 50,430 Price As Tested $ 51,370 Engine Type aluminum alloy 16-valve pushrod overhead valve V6 Engine Size 5.7 liters / 346 cu. in. Horsepower 405 @ 6000 rpm Torque (lb-ft) 400 @ 4800 rpm Transmission 6-speed manual Wheelbase / Length 104.5 in. / 179.7 in. Curb Weight 3118 lbs. Pounds Per Horsepower 7.7 Fuel Capacity 18.0 gal. Fuel Requirement 93 octane unleaded gasoline recommended Tires Goodyear Eagle F1 SC: P265/40 ZR17 front, P295/35 ZR18 rear Brakes, front/rear vented disc / vented disc, antilock standard Suspension, front/rear unequal-length wishbone, composite material transverse leaf spring, monotube shock absorbers front and rear. Drivetrain front engine, rear-wheel drive PERFORMANCE EPA Fuel Economy - miles per gallon city / highway / observed 19 / 28 / 17 0 to 60 mph 4.0 sec (mfg) 1/4 mile (E.T.) 12.6 sec (mfg) OPTIONS AND CHARGES Memory Package $ 175 Electrochromic inside and left-hand outside rearview mirrors $ 120 Destination charge $ 645