Imagine my surprise when I found out I wouldn’t be getting some bland Japanese sedan because of a mechanical problem. Instead, a shiny new, bright yellow Corvette Z06 was substituted.

They say you have to take the bitter with the sweet, and I’m here to tell you, this was the sweet.

How sweet was it? No production ‘Vette has been faster than the Z06. That includes those of the 60s and 70s with their monster engines — including the famous rat motor. The problem was they lacked the tires and suspension to allow the staggering horsepower to provide the blazing acceleration the engines were capable of. But that was then. This is now.

All the new Corvettes boast some minor refinements — such as wringing an additional five horses out of the 5.7-liter pushrod V8 — giving it 350 — and some low-end torque boost.

However, the Z06, with a modified version of the Corvette V8, delivers 405 horses to the highway with even more torque.

To answer your first question, no, the 171-mph Z06 isn’t quite as fast as the Dodge Viper — the only other genuine U.S. monster muscle car in production. However, it’s also much more refined than the 450 horse, V-10, $69,725 Viper.

At a little over $51,000 as tested, the Z06 is a relative bargain in comparison — besides being more comfortable, quieter and in my view, safer than the Viper.

The Z06 looks like any other Corvette — until you look closely. Then you’ll notice the stainless steel wire mesh for the twin front grilles and air scoops situated ahead of the rear tires to funnel air to the brakes for better cooling. The disc brake calipers and engine valve covers are painted red and the wheels are painted a special light-gray metallic. Then there’s that little Z06 emblem on front fenders discreetly announcing 405 horses.

There’s a somewhat colorful history behind the Z06 designation which was originally known as the LS6. Legendary Corvette chief engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov — who designed the original small block Chevy engine in 1955 which has been the basis for almost every Chevy V-8 since, created a low-volume race-car V8 with that designation in 1971. He also created the first Z06 package for the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray which made it racetrack-ready right off the showroom floor.

The Z06 package was a very well-kept secret — meant for serious racers only — which explains why only 199 of the ‘63 Corvettes had it. It featured a stiffer suspension, a 36.5-gallon gas tank for endurance racing and a highly modified drum brake system. Disc brakes weren’t available for the ‘Vette until 1965.

The good news is this Z06 — which very simply offers fantastic performance — is not a limited-production model. Chevy anticipates it to account for 20 percent of all Corvette sales. And while it’s one of the rarest collectible Corvettes, the ‘63 Z06’s doors would blown off by this one.

It does the 0-60 drill in about all of four seconds flat and offers race-car handling, incredible braking and a relatively smooth, semi-quiet ride for a high performance car.

The Z06 comes only with a 6-speed manual gearbox. That’s because Chevrolet considers this a serious “driver’s” car — as well they should, because that’s what it is. It also has a beefier clutch and more-aggressive gearing for quick acceleration. The 6-speed is a $815 option on the two regular Corvette models which feature a 4-speed automatic..

Behind the wheel, the Z06 instrumentation has what I would consider somewhat overly stylized graphics. Maybe it’s my advanced age, but all the gauges except the tachometer seemingly have numbers that are a little too small to be read at a glance.

The Z06 only comes with the special FE4 suspension that features a larger front stabilizer bar, stiffer rear leaf spring and revised camber settings than the standard Corvette. The entire package is calibrated for maximum control at high speeds.
There’s a standard traction control system to help keep the huge tires stable on slippery roads. All Corvettes feature a second-generation Active Handling system for less intervention meaning more driving fun. There’s also a revised clutch for much-needed lower pedal effort; and improved rear brake control.

Goodyear made the huge, super-grip high-performance tires especially for the Z06.

The Z06 has the fixed-roof hardtop Corvette body which debuted in 1999. It was the first fixed-roof ‘Vette since the legendary 1963-67 Sting Ray. It’s been said the hardtop isn’t as attractive as the coupe because it accentuates the car’s rather large, blunt rear end. Also, the coupe has a standard one-piece body color removable roof panel — or a $650 one-piece translucent removable panel.

The Z06 features a low-restriction titanium exhaust system which is 50 percent lighter than the regular system and marks he first use of titanium on a mass-produced car.

Whines: While precise, the 6-speed manual can be clunky if you change gears quickly. It works with a surprisingly light but annoyingly long-throw clutch that can be a pain in stop-and-go traffic. You could have a problem if a tire goes flat because there’s no spare or run-flat feature like other Corvette tires. All a Z06 owner gets is a tire inflator kit.

There is no wall separating the cargo area from the interior. An optional cargo shade must be ordered to shield items from view, but should be standard. Although the Z06 comes equipped with most power options you would expect in a $50,000+ car, they’re limited because they add weight.

Applause: More power and more acceleration. Very fast with great handling. Despite its added performance, the Z06 offers excellent fuel economy — 19 city and 28 highway for the stick and 18 and 26 for standard ‘Vettes with the automatic.

Bottom Line: The Z06 is the most ferocious production Corvette I’ve ever driven, virtually matching gear-for-gear performance of $100,000-plus foreign sports cars. And, it can be serviced at your local Chevy dealer — for far less money. Simply, it is the best-ever ‘Vette in terms of acceleration and handling. Owners should be able to count on it becoming collectible if you hold on to it.