The Chevrolet Corvette has long been America’s preeminent sports car, boasting style and power since the beginning in 1953. With the fifth-generation beginning in 1997—the C5 in ‘Vette-speak—the Corvette truly became a world beater in handling, too.
In 2001, the C5 gained a new badge—Z06—and became even more of an elite performer. This 2003 Corvette Z06, which recently sold on eBay for $8,500, is a performance bargain. There are few cars that can turn such fast laps for subcompact-car money.
Shop now for Chevrolet Corvette Z06sDecades Of Legendary Performance
That Z06 insignia is a regular production option (RPO) code. Every car from GM has dozens of RPO codes to designate everything from engine size to the color of the carpet. The Z06 code was first used on the legendary ‘63 Corvette as a set of options to upgrade the standard ‘Vette for Sports Car Club of America racing.
Chevrolet dusted off the Z06 code for the C5 generation. The Z06 model initially had a 385-horsepower version of the now-legendary LS engine. In 2002, another 20 horsepower was added, bumping the figure to 405.
All of this power was installed in the hardtop coupe version (known as fixed roof coupe) of the Corvette—a lighter, stiffer car than the more common hatchback. Quarter-mile times in the 12-second range were reported when new—an impressive figure even 20 years later.
Of course, racers can never leave well enough alone—the aftermarket for any Corvette is substantial. The LS V-8 is widely known for the ability to add plenty of power with little effort. As such, track days and autocross events are littered with Corvette Z06s, usually near the front.
Corvette Z06: Sit Down, Strap In and Hold On
This particular 2003 Corvette Z06 was surprisingly maintained with virtually no modifications, save for an aftermarket air filter. How the owner maintained such restraint—considering the ease of adding performance—is remarkable. We don’t know if we would have preserved the originality. With 136,000 miles, it’s not been kept in a garage and polished weekly. Someone has been driving and enjoying this C5 Z06, while still keeping it looking sharp.
We would never begrudge anyone for keeping this lovely 2003 Corvette Z06 as original as possible. It’s such a great driving car so this lily hardly needs any further gilding. But considering the higher mileage, we won’t ever see this car in a museum.
Rather, this is a car to be driven—and driven hard. Keep it stock and have fun, or start shopping eBay Motors for go-faster parts and some sticky track tires.
