You'd have a hard time proving the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 convertible (I give it four out of four stars) isn't the best sports car on Earth.
With 0-60 mph times as low as of 2.95 seconds — quicker than the moment between your phone's first and second rings — it'd be easy to call the ZO6 scary fast, but there's nothing remotely frightening about Chevrolet's 650-horsepower supercar.
Sure, the Corvette ZO6 is the most powerful Corvette ever, but it's also a great value, remarkably fuel-efficient and so easy to drive you may forget you're at the wheel of one of the world's great cars.
But not for long.
Every time you walk up to the gorgeous convertible, every time you accelerate, turn or brake, this best 'Vette ever reminds you GM's engineers and designers have achieved something very special.
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The Corvette ZO6 convertible competes with other legendary convertibles such as the Aston Martin DB9 Volante, Audi R8 Quattro V-10 Spyder, Bentley Continental GT Speed, BMW M6, Ferrari California, Mercedes SL65 AMG and Porsche 911 S turbo. "Compete" may not be the right word, though. The ZO6 convertible beats them soundly. It costs $35,000 to $175,000 less than those other great cars. It also out-accelerates and has more horsepower than any of them.
The ZO6 comes with a 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 and a seven-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. My test car had a manual transmission, heated and cooled seats, Bose audio, Bluetooth phone and music compatibility, USB ports, voice recognition, navigation, rev matching for seamless shifts, a one-touch power soft top and more. It stickered at $93,240. All prices exclude destination charges. The 2016 ZO6 adds trim and appearance options, a couple of features and a race-inspired C7.R model.
The supercharged V-8 produces 650 horsepower, 650 pound-feet of torque and delivers a top speed of 195 mph. Manual transmission models like mine reach 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, about 10 percent slower than GM's slick eight-speed automatic. The rev-matching feature, which allows you to shift manually without lifting the throttle, performs seamlessly.
The seven-speed manual is smooth and pliable, with a light shifter and clutch effort and short throws. Indicators in the heads-up display and instrument panel show what gear you're in.
The engine note, throttle response, adaptive suspension, steering and other functions offer modes for regular and sporty driving, winter or track conditions. Even in the normal touring mode, the engine delivers stunning power and a lovely sound.
The ZO6's Environmental Protection Agency fuel economy rating of 15 mpg in the city, 22 on the highway and 18 combined is impressive. It's the most powerful car in its class, but the ZO6's combined rating trails only the 560-hp Porsche 911 S turbo.
The adaptive magnetic suspension provides a fine combination of comfort and handling. It muffles the impact of broken pavement that would chatter your teeth in most sports cars, but also holds the ZO6 flat and stable in spirited driving.
The Corvette's stiff aluminum frame allowed Chevy to offer a convertible version of the ZO6 for the first time. The body work is lighter because of extensive use of carbon fiber and wider to accommodate the ZO6's very sticky Michelin Super Pilot run-flat tires.
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The massive carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes could have stopped the asteroid that exterminated the dinosaurs. They're smooth and easy to modulate.
My car's interior was wrapped in soft leather, with carbon fiber and microfiber trim. It has impressive interior storage room thanks to an ingenious compartment behind the touch screen in its center stack. The touch screen, conventional controls and voice recognition make all the ZO6's functions easy to operate.
I was surprised such an advanced car lacked blind spot/cross traffic alert and adaptive cruise control. But the standard camera makes backing up easy.
But if there were ever a street car that begs the racing adage "what's behind me doesn't matter," it's the Chevrolet Corvette ZO6. This car is unlikely to finish second in speed, beauty or value.
