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A Look Back At All The Prior Corvette Z06 Generations

When contemplating which Corvette model to employ as a dedicated track weapon, the Corvette Z06 is often the ‘Vette that comes to mind. Offered across five generations and five decades, today we’re taking a look at all the Corvettes that bear the track-focused Z06 badge.

Quick Facts

C2 Z06 C5 Z06 C6 Z06 C7 Z06 C8 Z06
Platform Series 0800 Y-Body Y-Body Y-Body Y2
Model Year(s) 1963 2001-2004 2006-2013 2015-2019 2023 – Present
Engines Atmospheric 5.4L V8 L84 Atmospheric 5.7L V8 LS6 Atmospheric 7.0L V8 LS7 Supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 Atmospheric 5.5L V8 LT6
Transmissions 4-Speed Manual 6-Speed Manual 6-Speed Manual 7-Speed Manual or 8-Speed Auto 8-Speed Auto Dual Clutch
Production GM St. Louis Plant, Missouri, USA GM Bowling Green Plant, Kentucky, USA GM Bowling Green Plant, Kentucky, USA GM Bowling Green Plant, Kentucky, USA GM Bowling Green Plant, Kentucky, USA

Corvette C2 Z06

1963 Corvette Z06.

1963 Corvette Z06

Created by Zora Arkus-Duntov – who is often referred to as the “Father of the Corvette” – as a means to bypass General Motors’ ban on factory racing involvement, the first-ever Corvette Z06 was all business when it came to dominating on the race track. To this end, the ‘Vette featured performance goodies like anti-roll bars, larger shocks and springs, dual master cylinders, a vacuum brake booster, sintered-metallic brake linings, power-assisted AI-Fin drums, front air scoops and venting back plates, and a 36.5-gallon fuel tank.

Under the hood was a naturally aspirated 5.4L V8 gasoline engine that cranked out 360 horsepower and 358 pound-feet of torque thanks in part to its Rochester fuel injection system. Meanwhile, a four-speed manual transmission handled the shifting duties.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 rear three quarters

1963 Corvette Z06

Production numbers of the Corvette C2 Z06 are quite low, as only 199 examples were ever produced. With that in mind, the Z06 option was actually hidden in the order form, and at $1,818.45, the performance model was quite expensive for a sports car boasting a starting MSRP in the ballpark of $4,000. As such, a combination of these two likely contributed to low production figures.

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Corvette C5 Z06

2001 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C5

2001 Corvette Z06

Intended to serve as the successor to the Corvette C4 ZR-1, the Z06 moniker returned with the Corvette C5 Z06. Developed around the Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC) bodystyle, the C5 Z06 took the most structurally rigid and lightest C5 configuration and added a larger wheel and tire package, uprated FE4 suspension, revised gearing ratios, a titanium exhaust system, functional brake cooling ducts, reduced soundproofing, and additional weight-savings measures. This all gave the Corvette C5 Z06 a 3,118-pound curb weight, which allowed it to outperform its predecessor in every aspect outside of top speed.

Corvette engineers took the naturally aspirated 5.7L V8 LS1 gasoline engine and modified it to create the naturally aspirated 5.7L V8 LS6 gasoline engine. Rated at 385 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque in its inaugural 2001 model year, the LS6 engine was then upgraded with a larger air intake, lighter sodium-filled valves, stiffer valve springs, a more aggressive camshaft, and revised timing for the 2002 model year, which pushed power figures north to 405 horsepower and 400 pound-feet torque.

2001 Corvette Z06.

2001 Corvette Z06

In its final 2004 model year, the Corvette C5 Z06 was offered with the Commemorative Edition (RPO code Z16) package. This special option included a carbon fiber hood, polished aluminum wheels, commemorative-edition badging and wheel center caps, special paint color and striping, and revised shock damping.

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Corvette C6 Z06

2010 Corvette Z06.

2010 Corvette Z06

In continuing with the C5 Z06’s idea, the Corvette C6 Z06 was designed as the track-focused model of the Corvette lineup and featured a bevy of performance bits to back this claim. As a homologation special, the C6 Z06 boasted an aluminum chassis, wider carbon fiber fenders, larger anti-sway bars, stiffer shocks and springs, a transmission cooler, forged aluminum wheels, six-piston front and four-piston rear brake calipers, functional brake ducts, and a hand-built engine.

In fact, the naturally aspirated 7.0L V8 LS7 gasoline engine remains one of the C6 Z06’s biggest draws to this day. As the largest-ever Small Block engine produced by GM, and holding the distinction as the most powerful atmospheric engine General Motors ever manufactured until the C8 Z06 debuted, the LS7 is still a highly desirable powerplant. Rated at 505 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, the engine featured a dry sump oiling system and titanium alloy connecting rods.

2010 Corvette Z06.

2010 Corvette Z06

For those who wanted more track-focused capabilities from their C6 Z06, General Motors launched the Carbon Edition for the 2011 model year. Slotting between the “regular” Z06 and the range-topping Corvette ZR1 model, C6 Z06 Carbon Edition models boasted carbon ceramic brakes, active suspension, and other carbon fiber aerodynamic bits. Only 250 units were produced.

It’s worth noting that all these performance goodies could be equipped in the following 2012 and 2013 model years through the Z07 package.

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Corvette C7 Z06

2015 Corvette Z06.

2015 Corvette Z06

Just one model year removed from the introduction of the C7 Stingray, the Corvette C7 Z06 featured numerous upgrades over the entry-level ‘Vette model, including a widebody treatment, removable carbon fiber roof panel, unique carbon fiber hood with a larger vent, a larger unique rear spoiler, a front splitter, larger front fender vents and unique air blades, and larger rear-fascia openings.

On the inside, the C7 Z06 was available with one of the two magnesium-frame seats, a steel-reinforced grab bar, a plethora of soft-touch materials, and Nappa leather, aluminum, carbon fiber, and microsuede trimming, depending on the trim level selected.

2015 Corvette Z06.

2015 Corvette Z06

As for additional performance-minded features, the C7 Z06 included aluminum six-piston front and four-piston rear calipers, Brembo brakes, an SLA-type front and rear suspension setup, Magnetic Ride Control dampers, Performance Traction Management, and an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD).

In regard to powertrain, the supercharged 6.2L V8 LT4 gasoline engine was rated at 650 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. Transmission options included either the Tremec seven-speed manual transmission or the GM eight-speed automatic transmission.

2015 Corvette Z06.

2015 Corvette Z06

Just like the C6 Z06, the Corvette C7 Z06 was offered with a higher-performance Z07 package. This option featured stickier tires, carbon ceramic brakes, revised suspension tuning, and optional aero bits. More specifically, the stage two carbon fiber aero package included a carbon fiber front splitter with winglets, carbon fiber rocker panels, and a larger rear spoiler, while the stage three package added larger front winglets and a clear, adjustable Gurney flap.

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Corvette C8 Z06

2023 Corvette Z06.

2023 Corvette Z06

In a similar fashion to the C6 Z06, the Corvette C8 Z06 was launched as a homologation special. Highlighted by the race-derived naturally aspirated 5.5L V8 LT6 gasoline engine, the C8 Z06 develops 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful naturally aspirated production V8 engine.

Additional noteworthy pieces regarding the LT6 powerplant include a DOHC valvetrain setup (a Corvette Z06 first), dual-coil valve springs, titanium intake and sodium-filled exhaust valves, a flat-plane crank, forged titanium connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, twin 87-millimeter throttle bodies, and a six-stage 10-quart dry sump oiling system.

As such, General Motors reports that the Corvette C8 Z06 can rocket to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, cover the quarter mile in 10.6 seconds, and reach top speeds of over 200 mph.

2023 Corvette Z06.

2023 Corvette Z06

In any performance-oriented track weapon, aerodynamics play a huge role, and the C8 Z06 is no exception. “Base” Z06 models are equipped with an aero package that produces 365 pounds of downforce at 186 mph. For those who want more, the Z07 Performance Package includes a large front splitter and rear wing, dive planes, and an underbody strake. Altogether, this setup is capable of developing up to 734 pounds of downforce at 186 mph.

It’s worth noting that the Z07 package also features sticker tires, a specially-tuned FE7 suspension setup with Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 dampers, optional carbon ceramic brakes, and available carbon fiber wheels.

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Be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for Corvette Z06 news, Corvette news, Chevy news, and more obsessive-compulsive GM news coverage.

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As a typical Florida Man, Trey is a certified GM nutjob who's obsessed with anything and everything Corvette-related.

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Comments

  1. For the record, the red C5 pictured is not a Z06.

    Reply
    1. I’m sorry , help me out. I see a Blue and a Yellow C5
      Z06 . They are both fixed hard top coupe that I can see ? Rear fender brake duct openings , badgering , wheels.
      I see a red C7 Z06 .
      Also the 23 Z06 doesn’t have a 10 quart dry sump it’s 8 quart capacity.
      I’m no expert, fill me in. Thanks.

      Reply
      1. Mr. Hawkins removed the photo of the red not-a-Z06 C5 and replaced it with the photo of the yellow C5 Z06 you see now AFTER I posted the comment.

        Reply
        1. Very good , I thought I was missing something !
          It’s always good to check on them or they are testing to see if anyone is reading there articles.
          Good job to both sides.

          Reply
  2. COME ON GM AUTHORITY…..
    That’s NOT a pic of the C5 Z06!!!

    Reply
  3. Who writes this stuff?

    The 63 Z-06 “featured performance goodies like sway bars”, actually it just had a single front bar like all 63 Corvettes. “Dual master cylinders”, no it had a single master cylinder and it was a single reservoir MC. “Power assisted Al-Fin drums” I’m not even sure what that means, but I’m guessing that Al-Fin drums is supposed to mean they came with finned aluminum brake drums? While the Z06 did utilize finned brake drums for added cooling they were cast iron, not aluminum. Or maybe the writer is talking about the finned aluminum knock off wheels that later Corvettes were available with? Knock offs were initially listed as part of the Z-06 package, but were never actually available in 63. “Front air scoops and venting back plates”, the Z-06’s brake backing plates were vented to improve brake cooling and flexible “elephant ear” scoops were added to the backing plates to duct air to the pads. The 36 gallon gas tank was optional and only installed in about half of the Z-06’s.

    The 63’s fuel injected 327 was rated at 360 hp, but the torque was 352, not 358.

    The Z-06 was not “hidden in the order form”. RPO Z-06 was a regular production option just like a radio or power windows, that anyone could walk into a dealer and order. It was even prominently promoted in the 63 sales brochure. GM’s ban on racing only prohibited internally run GM race programs, GM made no effort to keep customers from racing their Corvettes or buying options that made their Corvettes race capable. Before 63’s RPO Z-06 there was the similar RPO 684 HD Brakes & Suspension in 57-59 and RPO 687 HD Brakes & Steering in 60-62. The list price for the Z-06 package was $1,293, the 36 gallon tank added $202 and the (never available) knock off wheels were another $322, $1,818 is the list price for a Z-06 with the big tank and the knock offs, if they had become available.

    Reply
  4. Nice job ! Were exactly one would look this information up at. What fun to see the changes that were made and just laugh at some of the old prices. Then there are the prices of today.
    Yes if someone is Publishing an article for print they should or have sources to look it up.
    Maybe they could hire you to consult or proof read
    Thanks I have enjoyed your information, I am a Z06 fan. Old and New !

    Reply

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