The Chevrolet Corvette C6 The C6 is the sixth version of the Chevrolet Corvette. The C6 was introduced in 2005, and according to several good sources it will be superseded by an all new C7 Corvette in 2012.

Model details
The new Vette got an overhaul of the suspension geometry, all new bodywork with exposed headlamps ( for the first time since 1962), a larger passenger compartment, and a larger 6.0 L engine.
The C6 is 5.1 inches shorter than the C5, but its wheelbase has increased by 1.2 inches. It is also one inch narrower.
The 6.0 L LS2 V8 produces 400 hp at 6000 rpm and 400 lb·ft of torque at 4400 rpm.

With the optional automatic transmission, the Corvette achieves 15/25 mpg (city/highway), and the manual transmission with 16/26 mpg[1].
The Corvette's manual transmission is fitted with Computer Aided Gear Shifting (CAGS), forcing the driver to shift from 1st directly to 4th when operating at lower RPMs. This boosts fuel economy, exempting the car from the "gas guzzler" tax. Most C6 owners with manual transmissions simply install a CAGS eliminator to re-enable a normal 1-2-3-4-5-6 sequence at any RPM.

The Corvette got a new engine in 2008, the LS3. The displacement was increased to 6.2 liters, power also increased to 430 hp and 424 ft/lb of torque, or 436 hp and 428 ft/lb with the optional vacuum actuated valve exhaust. [2]
The manual transmission also has improved shift linkage along with the replacement of the previous T56 transmission with a new TR6060. The automatic is set up for quicker shifts giving the C6 Automatic a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds. This is faster than any other production automatic Corvette. The wheels were also updated to a new five-spoke design.[3]

Z06 The Corvette Z06 arrived as a 2006 model in the third quarter of 2005. It has a 7.0 L (427.6 cu.inch) version of the Small-Block engine codenamed LS7.
The Z06 achieves 15 mpg /24 mpg (city/highway) [4], the output is 505 hp .
Dave Hill, the chief engineer for the C6 Corvette, says that it is a much further departure from the standard Corvettes, and more like the C6.R that GM is building for the American Le Mans Series.
In the summer of 2005, GM and Corvette Racing driver Jan Magnussen brought the new Z06 to the Nürburgring in Germany. Magnussen drove the Z06 to a time of 7:42.99 recorded a 0-60 mph time of 3.6 seconds in their March 2007 comparison test.[3] In addition to the larger engine, the Corvette Z06 has a dry sump oiling system, and Connecting rods made out of titanium alloy.

The primary structural element of the sixth-generation Z06 is aluminum instead of steel as on the non-Z06 cars. The hydroformed aluminum frame remains dimensionally identical to its steel brethren but are significantly lighter.
The front fenders are made of carbon fiber to reduce weight, while wider rear fenders allow for the wider tires necessary to deal with the engine's increased power. The Z06 officially weighs 3132 lb , giving it a weight to power ratio of 6.2 lb/hp

C6 ZR1

A Corvette variant was first reported by several print and online publications, based on rumor from General Motors was developing a production version of the Corvette above the Z06 level, under the internal code name Blue Devil (named after GM CEO Rick Wagoner's alma mater, Duke University).
The car was originally rumored to feature a supercharged LS9 engine producing more than 650 hp with prices reported to exceed $100,000 .[5]

The October 12, 2006 issue of AutoWeek published photos by photographer Chris Doane of a C6 with special auto-manufacturer-issued license plates on a Z06 with a hood bulge, widely thought to confirm the presence of a supercharger on the Blue Devil.
Other names attached to the project included Corvette SS[6] or Corvette Z07.[7] In February 2007, a worker at a Michigan shipping company posted pictures online of a powertrain development mule that was being shipped to Germany, believed to be part of the Blue Devil program.
The car had manufacturer's license plates, carbon-ceramic brakes, enlarged fender vents, a hood bulge, and an engine with a positive-displacement supercharger in the valley between the cylinder banks and a water-to-air intercooler atop it.

On April 13, 2007, GM confirmed the existence of the Blue Devil project in an interview with Car and Driver. Power levels were confirmed to be between 600 and 700 horsepower (447 to 521 kW), but contrary to prior rumors of a supercharged 6.2 liter engine, the engine was only confirmed to have greater displacement than the 7.0 liter LS7 in the Z06.[8]
Motor Trend confirmed the official name for the production Blue Devil, resurrecting the old ZR1 nameplate. The ZR1 had originally been used on developmental cars in 1971, and again as ZR-1 as the top performance model on the C4 Corvette.[9]

On December 19, 2007, General Motors officially revealed the 2009 Corvette ZR1, giving a press release and photographs of the car. GM confirmed a supercharged 6.2 L LS9 V8 producing 620 hp . Performance figures were not released, but GM acknowledged that the car was capable of 200 mph , making it the fastest production Corvette ever.

Carbon fiber is used on the roof, hood, fenders, front splitter, and rocker moldings; the hood and fenders are painted over, while the roof and splitter are merely covered in a clear-coat, retaining their black color.
A polycarbonate lid was placed in the center of the hood, allowing the engine intercooler to be seen from the exterior. The wheels are the largest ever placed on a production Corvette, with both front and rear wheels increasing in size and diameter over the Corvette Z06. Carbon-ceramic brakes are included.
The brake calipers are painted blue, as are the engine intercooler trim and the ZR1 logo. Magnetic Selective Ride Control is also included on the car, with sensors to automatically adjust stiffness levels based on road conditions and vehicle movement.[10]



References
1. ^ [1] EPA
2. ^ LS3 Overview - GM Powertrain,
3. ^ First Drive: 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
4. ^ [2] EPA
5. ^ Is Blue Devil Alive? Chevy Performance Might Be Heating Up article from AutoWeek
6. ^ Auto Week prototype Blue Devil photos
7. ^ Z07 coming in late 2008 article by Motor Trend
8. ^ 2009 Corvette Blue Devil confirmed and in final tuning phase - Daily Auto Insider article by Car and Driver
9. ^ Corvette Blue Devil (finally) gets a name - ZR1
10. ^ "2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 unveiled", Leftlanenews.com (2007-12-19). Retrieved on 2007-12-19.
11. ^ Callaway Cars#C15 .28FIA Corvette GT3.29
12. ^ 2006 Oscherleben Race

[] Production notes