Chevrolet Corvette Z06 C5

The story

For 2002 Chevrolet sent the Z06's LS6 back to the engineers and got 20 more horsepower in return, for 405 hp and 400 lb-ft from 5.7 liters. A more aggressive camshaft did half the work, helped by hollow-stem valves, a smoother intake tract and the removal of 2 small catalytic converters that were no longer needed. The chassis was sharpened in step, with a thicker front anti-roll bar, retuned rear dampers and lighter wheels that brought the car down to 1,415 kg (3,118 lb).

What makes the Z06 special is how little it demands of the person behind the wheel. With the transmission mounted at the rear axle, its weight is spread evenly, so it turns in eagerly, stays settled when trail-braked deep into a corner and reports clearly through the steering. Switch the electronics off and the tail grows lively, a fair price for all that agility. The seats are flat and the fuel-saving first-to-fourth skip-shift is a nuisance, yet as a car to drive to work all week and take to a track on the weekend, it set the template every later Z06 has followed.