4LT GS Roadster
#1 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
American car magazines have cried automotive wolf so many times— our new blah-de-blah coupe really sticks it to those Euro boys, or this new whooziewhatsit eats the reigning Japanese sedan for breakfast—that the following statement has lost much of its impact: The new Corvette Z06 is, dollar for dollar, the best sports car in the world, and unequivocally the best American car ever made.
Been burned too many times to believe it? Well, what if we establish our objectivity right here by telling you what we hate about it? It's got a Wal- Mart interior and what feels like a left-on Viking range in its center tunnel. But think about this for a second: No dedicated sports car is without its vices. The Z06 is quicker than everything except the far-uglier Ferrari Enzo, the harder-riding Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, or the tricky-to- launch Porsche Carrera GT. And it costs just $65,800.
The Z06 is not just fast and affordable; it's refined, usable everyday, and incontrovertible proof that racing improves the breed. Only dedicated Corvette saddoes will be able to find all the tech Chevy pumped in from its C6-R endurance racer, but it's there in the Z06's subtle aerodynamic mods, its huge brakes, its ample cooling ducts, and the dedication to low mass that resulted in Chevy replacing the car's steel foundation with an aluminum one. You might not see all these things, but drive the Z06, and you'll sense them. You'll feel the lightness of the carbonfiber front end when it bites into a corner. You'll feel the racing-car-like twitch when the rear wheels commit all their horsepower to the earth. You'll feel the V-8 open up, seemingly without limit, as it pumps all that fuel and air through its massive 7.0-liter self. But mostly,you'll just feel great.
Obviously, a car like this couldn't have come at a better time for GM, even if Z06 sales will be limited. But the Z06's greatness isn't a relative thing, only obvious when parked in front of a quarterly earnings statement. No other car from any other manufacturer has this much soul and intensity married to this much flexibility. So forgive us if we gush. Won't happen again.
#2 Ferrari F430
#3 BMW M5
#4 Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG
#5 Porsche Cayman S
#6 Lexus IS350
#7 Mazda MX-5
#8. Honda Civic Si
#9. Range Rover Sport
#10. Dodge Ram SRT-10 Quad-Cab
http://www.mph-online.com/web/news/00229
