2005-2013 C6 Corvette: Still A Modern Performance Icon

The awesome C7 stands on the shoulders of the C6 Z06!

Dateline 11.18.15: The C7 continues to rack up the kudos, but that doesn’t mean that the C6 Corvettes are less than awesome. Ever since the early days of the 1960s, when Chevrolet started rolling out their mid-engine Corvette prototypes and engineering study cars, fans have been waiting for a new Corvette that is revolutionary, rather than evolutionary.

But it’s the evolutionary approach to the Corvette’s design that’s yielded steady improvement to the point where the new base model C7 has more grunt and thunder than the baddest big-block from the olden days. (We all still LOVE big-blocks!) And, it’s a car that you can live with every day as a daily driver.

And for those who still long for the “revolutionary” mid-engine Corvette, your dream car is in the works. At this point, it’s not known if the new mid-engine car will be the C8 (with the current C7 being phased out) or it will be a totally separate model, perhaps not even being called a “Corvette”? It could be the new Chevrolet “Zora”! We’ll just have to wait and see. The product planners at Chevrolet, bless their hearts, are masters at leaving us wanting and waiting for more.

For now, here’s a salute to the C6 Corvette. Remember, the C7 stands on the shoulders of the C6 Z06. Back in the olden days, no one was even thinking of a Corvette with an aluminum frame! Today, it’s “standard.” Here’s our salute to the C6 Corvette.  – Scott

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C6 Corvette Review: 2005

Just after 8 a.m. on March 1, 2013, the last C6 was built. Not only was it an Arctic White 427 Convertible, it was the last of the C6s. The car is now part of the GM Heritage Collection in Detroit. It’s nice that GM officials always stop by for a few moments to honor the company’s flagship automobile when a generation comes to an end. Now that the C7 has arrived, we can take a clearer look at the C6 generation to see how it fits into Corvette history.

Was the car a success? Definitely. But success means more than just the total number of units sold. For special automobiles such as the Corvette, there are other, more subtle things to consider. Let’s look at a few C5 and C6 comparisons.

C6 Corvette Review: 2006

The C5 had an eight-year run, while the C6 had a nine-year run. Troubles within GM and the economy helped delay the C7. Chevrolet sold 215,123 C6s and 248,715 C5s, another sign of a changing economy. The C6’s best year was 2007, with 40,561 cars sold; its worst was 2012, when 11,647 cars were sold. The C5 had its best and worst sales years in 2002 and 1997, respectively, with 35,767 and 9,752 cars sold.

C6 Corvette Review: 2007

Let’s look at the model variations. The C5 came in four versions: Coupe, Convertible, Hardtop, and Z06. It’s interesting to note that the C5 Z06 was based on what was to be the “cheap” Hardtop Corvette. Hardtops were sold in two years, but they cost $394 (in 1999) and $575 (in 2000) less than the base model. But thanks to its stiffer structure, this variant was selected for Z06 duty in 2001.

C6 Corvette Review: 2008

By 2013, buyers had seven models to choose from. Meanwhile, factory and dealer-installed options created a boutique experience, allowing buyers to personalize their new Corvette to taste. Unlike the C5, the C6 came in both coupe and topless versions during its first year.

Then, in 2006, Chevy unleashed the C6 Z06. Built on a hydroformed aluminum frame and powered by a 505hp LS7 engine, the new Z06 was truly the spiritual descendant of its ‘63 predecessor. Indeed, many unsuspecting owners got more than they bargained for!

C6 Corvette Review: 2009

While the enthusiasts were still catching their breath, Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter and his team were busy taking the Corvette to the next level. In 2009, Chevy blew minds again with a fourth C6 model, the 638hp ZR1. It marked the first time the company had placed a speed limiter on a Corvette, in this case, holding the terminal velocity to 205 mph. Engineers felt that even with the ZR1’s front splitter, side skirts, and rear spoiler, stability at higher speeds was questionable. While the ZR1’s $103,300 list price was just over double that of the base coupe, bragging rights are never cheap.

C6 Corvette Review: 2010

A year later, Chevy stunned the Corvette world again with two more models, the Grand Sport Coupe and Convertible. The cars were a stroke of design and marketing genius. The base Corvette’s LS3 packed 430hp (436hp with the NPP exhaust option) – plenty for most owners.

The Z06 and ZR1 definitely looked buff, with their swollen fenders and deep front fascias, so the Grand Sport came with similar wide-body parts, unique fender gills, beautiful wheels, and a classic Corvette moniker. Between the basic options, paint choices, stripe packages, body accessories, and wheel-finish combos, the potential for customer customization was staggering.

Corvette product planners nailed this one because from 2010 through 2013, the Grand Sport Coupe was the top-selling Corvette model. This is especially noteworthy in light of the fact that a tricked-out Grand Sport could cost almost as much as the much-higher-performing Z06.

C6 Corvette Review: 2011

When it became obvious that 2013 would not only be the Corvette’s 60th birthday, but also the C6’s final year, engineers and product planners decided to give the car one hell of a sendoff with a seventh model – the 427 Convertible. Tuners and racers had proved that the base C6 could easily handle more than 430 horsepower.

So the 427 Convertible got the best of everything: the Z06’s wide body, plenty of carbon fiber, dedicated wheels shod with performance tires, a full ground-effects package, special interior trim, an exclusive soft top, and a hand-built LS7 engine with 505hp on tap. Though the ZR1 had more power, and the Z06 was faster on a track, the 427 Convertible arguably wins the unofficial award for the Ultimate Street C6.

But wait, there’s more! The C6 offered an unprecedented number of special-edition models. Starting in 2007 with the Ron Fellows Z06, Team Corvette served up a total of seven direct-sale special editions, another version sold by Hertz, and two Indy 500 replicas. And speaking of the Indy 500, Corvette paced the race a total of five times from 2005 through 2012, and every year from 2005 through 2008.

C6 Corvette Review: 2012

The ‘09 GT1 Championship Edition cars were a salute to the success of the C6.R cars. Even though these limited editions didn’t offer any performance enhancements, each Coupe, Convertible, and Z06 was painted either yellow or black to match the C6.R’s livery; it also featured special stripes, decorations, Jake badges, and unique interior trim. Only 125 units were built. The 2009 Competition Edition was available on the coupe (Arctic White or Blade Silver) and the Z06 (Black or Blade Silver), with black hood, roof, and tail stripes; special accents, a differential cooler, and a head-up display. A total of 72 were produced.

For 2011, Chevy released the Z06 Carbon Limited Edition in a choice of Inferno Orange or Supersonic Blue. This striking model featured a domed carbon fiber hood, a carbon splitter and side rockers, a suede leather interior, and other embellishments. Only 252 were built.

The following year, Team Corvette celebrated Chevrolet’s 100th birthday with the Centennial Edition. Available on all seven models, it featured Carbon Flash (black) paint, satin-black stripes, black-painted wheels with red trim, special badges, and microsuede interior trim. Also in 2012, there was a very limited run (26 units) of supercharged, 25th Anniversary Callaway Grand Sports.

These cars, which marked a quarter-century of Callaway Corvette production, were painted Cyber Gray with a carbon front splitter, side rockers, a rear spoiler, and a special vented hood. And for the final year of the C6, Chevy offered a 60th Anniversary Edition package on all Corvette models. It included Arctic White paint with Silver Blue full-length stripes, a ZR1-style rear spoiler, and special badges and trim.

C6 Corvette Review: 2013

The C6 Corvette was sold with four different engines during the production run. The 400hp LS2 was the base powerplant from ‘05 through ‘07; the 505hp LS7 powered all Z06 models from ‘06 through ‘13; the 430/436hp LS3 came standard from ‘08 through ‘13; and the supercharged, 638hp LS9 appeared in the ZR1 supercar from ‘09 through ‘13.

Mirroring the success of the C6 street car, the Pratt & Miller C6.R racers proved nearly unstoppable on the track. In addition to winning its class at Le Mans four times in eight seasons from 2005 through 2012, Corvette Racing took home 50 First Place trophies and 53 Second Place finishes during that same span. The team continued to race the C6.Rs through the ‘13 season while the C7.R was being developed. By the end of the season, the Corvette Racing team won its 10th ALMS team Championship and Manufacturing Championship!

In short, the C6 Corvette is going to be a tough act to follow. Fortunately, the C7 is a groundbreaking platform right from the start, and the Corvette engineering, design, and product-planning teams are more than up for the job. – Scott

We have STACKS of C6 Corvette art prints, HERE.

 

Corvette Generational History

Our 1953–1962 C1 Corvette Review: Engineering, Styling, Sales, and Legacy Story is now available.

The 1962–1967 C2 Corvette Review: Engineering, Styling, Sales, and Legacy Story is now available.

Also, 1968–1982 C3 Corvette Review: Engineering, Styling, Sales, and Legacy Story is now available.

Click  for Corvette Model Cars, C1 to C8 Generations

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