Corvette Z06 Part Two
As with any serious performance car, light weight was the goal for the Z06. Towards that end, thinner glass and less insulation along with other sacrifices resulted in a weight loss of 100 lbs compared to the coupe. Still on the menu however was air conditioning and the premium sound system.
All hardtop Corvettes were equipped with the Z06 option and the only transmission available was the manual six speed, which said something about the new 'vettes intentions.
The handling of the Z06 was enhanced by special Goodyear F1 Supercar tires, P265/40ZR17 (front) and P295/35ZR18 (rear) developed specifically for the Z06. They were not run flat tires, a factor which improved the handling. This brought up an interesting scenario, as the C5 Corvette has no provisions for a spare tire. Standard equipment did include a tire inflation kit but the Z06 did not include the tire pressure monitoring system.
Z06 visual cues: Above left: Wire mesh screen signified the external intake for the rear brake cooling. The same wire mesh protected the front air intake. Right: brake calipers were painted red. Below: Distinctive star shaped aluminum wheels, exclusive to the Z06, were 1.0 inches wider than on the coupe or convertible.
Z06 interior choices were all black or black with red.
Instruments featured the Z06 logo and a checkered background.
Although the big news for 2001 was mostly the Z06, there were changes in the balance of the Corvette lineup. The base LS1 engine got a few more ponies and was rated at an even 350 hp, up 5 hp from 2000. Manual transmission synchronizers were improved for better shifting.