billla

I'm in agreement that the C5 Z06 will be seen as one of the very best if not the best Corvettes of all time. From my perspective, it has it all: Great body lines and exterior esthetics, perfect interior (except for the 80's looking stereo, maybe ) and IMHO one of the best balanced cars (power, brakes and handling) that I've ever driven. The Corvette, ultimately is a performance car; some owners may love a particular year or model for it's lines or collectability - but I think it needs to be judged as a performance car in the end.

I often wonder if it's so good because of the Trial by Fire it went through to get to market. Maybe every generation had madness like we read about in ACAR, but there's a part of me that thinks from the hottest fire comes the very best steel.

I loved my C2. I got choked up when my 2nd C3 went on a trailer. But I think my '03 Z06 is the most perfect car on the planet.

winters97gt

#1 in my book, then again, it's my first vette.

hpfiend

Corvettes didn't achieve world class excellence stomping porsches and ferraris until they put the transmission in the back with the c5.

The new zr1 and c6 z06 are cool but I would never trade my frc c5 z06 for one of them unless someone wanted to trade even and I could sell it for a profit and buy another c5 z06 and enlarge my bank account.

My dad had a 1967 C2, I have driven a 95 non zr1 C4 as someone wanted to trade me for my mustang and I was less than impressed- my LT1 firebird that was very mildy modified owned numerous c4 vettes and I had a backseat. My dad currently has an ls3 c6- my dad says his 67 was neat but it was nowhere near the car in any way to his 08. He does prefer his c6 to my c5 as he thinks it is too raw but I beg to differ. I have never ridden or driven a 69 c3 convertible but they definitely look good but stock for stock the c5 z06 would be done before the other begins in any performance contest.

I know this is biased and based on performance value and driving experience but that is what is important to me.

81c3

Yes they did. In 1990 with the ZR-1

Z O SICK

Because I don't know much about the older Vettes, I would rate them in this order.

#1 C6 Z06: Unheard of value for the money and I'm dying to own one. Probily the best supercar for the money and who knows if we will ever see a better bang for the buck car again after the C6 run is over.

#2 C5 Z06: IMO, this car changed the game back in 01 and even now it's still a dan good car. Even though it's under powered by today standars, it can still give just about anything on the road a run for it's money. The best car I've owned so far and it's one of the best all around cars ever!

#3 90-95 ZR1: This car stared it all and with out the ZR1, I don't think we would have a C5 Z06. I also loved the the "ZR1" bumber. In it's day, one of the faster cars around. Just think how that car would have done if it was priced a little lower.

#4 99-00 FRC: Without this car, we wouldn't have a Vette with a trunk lol. Although not the fastest, it help GM understand that there was a market for a lightweight Vette. Even now, it's weight is hard to beat.

#5 96 GS: One of the best looking color combos ever put on a Vette. I'd love to see a GS C6 Z06. That would be killer.

05-up C6: The car that GM took a gamble on which paid off and paved the way for the C6 Z and ZR1. I'll admit, it was had to get use to seeing non-pop up head lights on a Vette but I love the look now. No more broken headligh motors lol. I think GM did a good job with the C6. Everything is seems to be much better in the C6 compared to the C5.

billla

405FWHP is "under powered"? With a curb weight of 3115 lbs and ~360RWHP/350RWTQ it ain't "under powered" by ANYONES's standards IMHO.

I know the question is really subjective, and I completely respect your opinion - but this seemed a worth a bit of active discussion

Jameel

Perfect interior…. Hahahahah…. Are you on crack? One of the ugliest interiors I’ve ever seen, is in the C5Z06. Not that I care too much to be honest, I’m glad GM put money in the engine and suspension.


I guess you live in a different world, but for me 405HP and 400 ft-lbs of torque is pretty damn good power.
Maybe your perception is a bit distorted because you’re reading about 600, 700, 800, 900 and 1000HP super exotic cars, but don’t forget those cars cost $500,000 to $1.2M.

billla

No, not the last time I checked - but my latest drug test hasn't come back. Nice attitude.

Yeah, I think it's perfect. The driving position is excelent, the dead-pedal is the right height and the pedal spacing is excellent. The shifter falls perfectly to my hand, and even has the little "night light" to make it easy to find. The gauges are perfectly laid out. I think it looks perfect, and it works perfect. Of course, I actually drive my Z06 hard...so the perfection might not show up for everyone...

Jameel

Notice the hahahahahaha…. The comment about “being on crack” was suppose to be taken in fun.

And so do I, nice quip though… Hahahaha….
Although what you are talking about is ergonomics. The interior is pretty bad when you think about it. I do agree, it does have perfect pedal placement, especially for heal-n-toe, the shifter falls readily to hand (although the shape is weird) and the HUD is a great technology. But the seats are crap, the steering wheel is horrible (way to big and not thick enough) and the interior plastics are crap looking. But like I said before, I’m just glad GM spent the money on the engine and suspension mods.

billla

No, it's not just ergonomics - and no, I don't think so, and yes I have thought about it.

'nuff said.

Jameel

I like to beat dead horses.

So you think the seats, steering wheel and radio/HVAC (controls) are good in the Z06?

meadowz06

I really did not start the discussion on a collectible basis. Obviously the super rare L88's,L89's, and 65 396's are collectible. I was just thinking about just how good the C5 Z06 was, and STILL is, by today's standard's. The interior is weak, but the car has a raw, race car like feel. And I love it.

RW Foster

My '04 Z06 is my first Corvette and it's #1 in my book. I love it and couldn't be happier (well, I could be happier with twin turbo's under the hood)!!

BlueSkunk952

I think my 2004 Z06 is the best car I ever drove, but if I could only have one, I would have to go with my '58 just cause its been around longer.

RC45

How are they bad?

And if you are convinced they are "bad" - bad, compared to what?

Jameel

I think they are comfortable. But I think they are bad because the C5Z06 is supposed to be GM's track oriented car. So they should have put some more supportive seats. I remember taking a few reducing radius off-ramps and I was literally hanging on to the steering wheel, so I don’t slip off. But that’s been fixed with an aftermarket racing seat.

Do you think the stock seats are supportive in anyway.

quick04Z06

I recently bought my second 04 Z06 because the Z51 C6 cars just don't "feel" like a C5Z06 does. The C5Z06 will probably be known as the best value (and one of the quickest) in a dual-purpose car ever built. I don't know if that makes it collectible, but it does make it desirable.

The C6Z06 and now the ZR1 may be the high water mark for Corvettes ever. Think about it: GM may go under, or operate under a govt financing program in which sports cars are verboten or emasculated. Surely the "greening" of US car companies is imminent. The ZR1 will quite likely be the fastest, best handling, best braking Corvette ever made unless some things change in a big, big way. We may one day see an electric or hybrid Vette that is plenty good and plenty quick, but if gas power is what you want, we are likely at the performance zenith right now.

The success of the C5Z06 paved the way for, and made the business case for, the C6Z06 and the ZR1.

RC45

Thats the seats - you said steering whel and HVAC controls as well.

The C5 Z06 is using a 1995/6 designed, 1997 launched interior first off. So compare it to other cars of that generation and come back

Second, the C5 Z)6 was never sold as "GM's track orientated car" - it was sold as a 100% street legal street orientated car that has good/great on-track capabilities.

I attended autocrosses and track days before I put the race seats I currently have in my car -and if you ratchet the lap belt of the stock belt down you ar epretty much locked in place - a really great setup for a 100% street car that was not sold with any pretence to be a GT3/Challenge Stradale... it was sold to be street driven, and just so happens to be track orienated.

The bottom line is if you are serious about track work youwill chnage the car - much the same way that Porsche 911 owners tweak their stock street cras to meet requirments - or they simply spend the extra money and buy the GT3 (which makes no appologies for being a track orientated car )

Sorry guys, but the "GM interiors suck" argumne tis old and worn out.

Other than a few exotics and some lux RollsRoyce types all car interiors are compromises.

And I grew up on "foreign cars" - I have only been in the USA for 12 years, and am still trying to undertand the inherent hatred and dislike for North American made cars?

Foreign cars are "not all that"

Back on topic, the C5 Z06 will have a pretty special place in Corvette history. It marked a watershed where the "serious" enthusiast was being catered to for one fo the first times (wihtou having to look for and obscure COPO number, like you had to happen back in the day).

I think in the future (even without GM's financial troubles) we will see more ZR1 style luxo rockets, and far fewer Z06 style Vettes. I mean, look at how the C6 Z06 has fattened up and gone luxo in its short life.

I dont think GM would ever come out with a bare-bones style GT3RS/GT2/CS/Superleggy car in the future. They will always try to blend the "bare bones" with the luxo-bloat and result in an SLR style car - not the bare-bones of the C5 Z.

But then again, thats the gap that Katech is currently filling with the ClubSport

Jameel

Is the Z06 not in the same vein as a GT3 or a Challenge Stradale, in the sense that the base car was taken modified and tweaked to work better on the track? Why would GM add brake ducts (front and back), make the Z06 lighter, make Z06 faster and make the Z06 handle better if it wasn’t more focused for track use?

The steering wheel is horrible; GM could have spent an extra bit of money and rolled it into the price to source out a smaller, thicker steering wheel.

I still stand by the fact that interior is hideous (it looks like the Cavaliar / Sunfire parts bin). But with that said, I don’t care I can look passed that, I’m just glad GM spent the time and money on the engine and suspension. They had to sacrifice somewhere and I understand that. That’s why I decided to purchase a C5Z06 over an M3, because sure the M3 has a nice interior but doesn’t have the performance of a C5Z06. And at the end of the day that’s really all I care about.

I think GM should have made the C5Z06 even rawer than it is. Why not, we have the base/convertible C5 to tour / pose / cruise around in, save the C5Z06 for the hardcore guys/gals.

quick04Z06

I find your statement very interesting. In certain circles (including the professional circles I run in) you are viewed as some kind of cretin or idiot if you drive an American-made car. I don't understand this mentality, either, but I read the J.D. Power surveys and similar data, so I know where US-made cars really stand, regardless of what ad hoc perceptions may be.