50 Years of the Chevrolet Corvette

2001

David Hill, Corvette’s Chief Engineer, was not satisfied with the current C5 performance and wanted a vehicle that was genuinely “race-ready” out of the gate. He believed some drivers cared more about speed than comfort. Built off of the Fixed Roof Coupe (FRC), this replacement would compete with horsepower and performance numbers of the C4 ZR-1 and be significantly cheaper. The result was the Z06 Corvette, named after the original Z06 package from the 1963 Corvette. Its LS6 Engine (named after the 1971 LS6 designation) boasted 385 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque. The vehicle also had suspension enhancements over its predecessor models. The rest of the 2001 Corvettes all came with a Second-Generation Active Handling System and received a minor boost in engine power.