Z-HO-6

Of the things that give me a thrill in this world, there are only a handful of which are: one: legal, two: not necessarily bad for your health and three: if you were caught red-handed, no one will laugh at or press charges. Not that that's a bad thing, but I would rather not be a high trafficked joke on You Tube if I can help it.

I had planned to post this some time ago, but since the crazy weather we've been having, it was not the ideal condition, for no other reason than the rain seems to make most L.A. drivers psychotic.

I'm a girly girl, but I'm not a wussy one. I like it when the adorable contractors in big powerstrokes let me have the right away and stare the whole way. I can tell he knows the car. Hood vent, check. Rear fender vent, check. Z06 badging, check, booming exhaust, check. My cheekbones feel higher and hey, I went up on the strokability list. I can dress more butch and talk about cars, but then I'd be just one of the guys. But if I'm femme, it's like, wow, she knows. Impressive. Quoting an ex, (we're still friends): Just because you have one, doesn't mean you are one. I think it's great that it's only available in a manual and I find little difficulty with the shift, clutch and gearing. WHY ALL THE WHINING? That and yes, an automatic is convenient in traffic, but no matter how it is geared I find that I'm annoyed on occasion when the automatic - even with Tapshift doesn't engage the shift exactly the way I want it to. A little argument goes on in my head with the engineers that I would like it to tach a little higher here or there, or let out a little more slowly to a smooth downshift. It's a moot point, the Z06 doesn't come in an automatic, rightly so, I think there should be a spot reserved for sports car enthusiasts where poseurs fear to tread.

Having a weakness for powerful and fast vehicles, this one revs up the heat by aggressively filling the senses with it's red blooded American well, American-ness. I know people from other countries have red blood, too. But if any country owns their colors, it's the U.S.

It's not only that I like fast cars. I like refined cars and cars that have fine, precise handling. But this isn't really one of them. It's not embarrassed - no, completely unapologetic about it. And that's part of the reason I like it so much. Kind of like dating a jock. Beefy, satisfying, a little scary, but thrilling too.

It can be a little rough. But I like it. I like feeling the snarling beast of 505 bhp straining at the end of my leash. I like how the confidence of the wide tires fights to deliver the raw 470 Lb-Ft of torque, with the big Brembos settling any arguments between. (Ventilated cross drilled rotors: 14" front/6 piston, 13.4" rear/4 piston). You have to get the Brembo package, OK. Enough specs, you know all the rest and if not, go visit Chevy.com and get all your giggles, but it's redundant at this point, being in production since 2004. The exhaust note is the voices of the four horsemen, really scream their battle hymnal at 72 mph and up, making a practice run for the Apocalypse. I love the thunderous backpressure when you let off the throttle on a downshift. How do you make a 7.0 liter beast that avoids the gas guzzler tax? It can be done, we have the technology...


If you don't already know this: it's FAST. Period. It's neck-snapping, eye-watering, g-pulling fast. Don't answer the phone, even with the integrated bluetooth device. Don't make a phone call or eat or especially text. You don't have time to react because it demands all your attention. If you are lucky to get the chance to take these reins, and you feel like it doesn't take 100% of your attention, you are doing it wrong. Keep your eyes moving from the road ahead, to your wing mirrors and rearview. You have a better chance of spotting cops and other hazards because they come up with astonishing quickness. You can get on the freeway with effortless power, get to cruising speed, not even half way to redline and have a whole 'nother gear on top of that. And the thing isn't even breaking a sweat. Launch is the point that you must judiciously release the 505 horses, because they really want to run and that's why they put in the traction control and conversely, albeit thrilling, sport mode.

It sticks to the ground with authority and handles everything you can throw at it, canyon roads, freeways, it's got enough good manners to not be a challenge all the time, on the streets too. Especially if you factor the enormous power that it delivers. I love that feeling that none of it's formidable power is wasted. Each tap on the throttle is an instantaneous reflex to the wheels and I out run gravity just for the moment. Of course, it's not a good car to sit in traffic, but then, that's never any fun no matter what you're in. It takes about all I've got to keep it near the speed limits. "But officer, it wanted to go fast." Don't really want to ever try that line out, but, there it is.


So many reviewers complain about the interior. It's not art. It's a bit spartan. I know Chevy can do nice work. The finish in a Camaro is really pretty great, on par with Ford and the imports in their class and in many cases, wins. The Malibu and now the Cruze are also well laid out, with a huge improvement in styling. Quite frankly, I want Chevy to put the money under the hood, in the brakes, suspension and tires. I would prefer to have it look like a NASA engineer designed it, rather than a florist. Why are some reviewers so down on it?

When I drive, I need to get my tach, fuel, and occasionally oil pressure, temperature and tire pressures. My bad, I only look at the speedo when I see a cop. I'm not really that concerned that the cover for the charger compartment cover is plastic. The head up display clearly shows me what I want to know on the fly and the G-meter is really a cool measure. For pure neck-snapping adrenaline, it's my personal heroin. If you just have to have some haterade, I would like to have a better seat, it's not bad, but I would prefer a little more hug especially since it takes lateral G so well. Maybe bigger men feel quite snug in it. I have felt the bit of a loose feeling rock in the seat, so there, that's a complaint.

It's powerful, fun and sexy and when I'm in it, makes me feel like I'm driving down the road and I can pick off this car and that car and gives me a good laugh when the occasional performance stalker in some shitbox modded Neon rides up on me. I think it's not a bad bargain, starting at $74K. You'd have to spend at least $10K more to get nearly caught by another stock competitor... And THAT is a lot of shopping.

The 2013 C7 is going to be really fantastic, I can't wait.


The Chevrolet Corvette Z06.