GTP Cool Wall: 2000-2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5)

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2000-2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5)

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    115
  • Poll closed .
GranTurismo916

GranTurismo916

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Nii916
2000-2004 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (C5) nominated by @JASON_ROCKS1998
vettee.jpg


Engines: 5.7L V8 (GM LS6)
Power: 405-454 hp
Torque: 400 lb-ft.
Weight: 1413 kg
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front engine, rear wheel drive
Body Styles: 2-door coupe
Additional Info: "A high performance version of the popular C5 Corvette and a successor to the ZR-1 of the C4 Corvette although the Z06 was much lighter and was much less expensive. This car costed over $60,000 new and had over 400BHP. Over the years it was given more performance enhancements in order to keep it competitive with the competing Dodge Viper. It was also the base car for the Chevrolet Corvette C5-R that dominated the GTS class at LeMans. In 2004 it was given a huge performance increase with changes to most of the car, the most notable of which was the power upgrade from 405 BHP to 454 BHP, bringing it on par with the Dodge Viper SRT-10 in terms of performance."​
2002_Chevrolet_Corvette_C5_Z06_002_6025.jpg

Corvette-C5.jpg

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Corvettes range from cool to sub-zero (unless they're an old slushbox model), I'm giving the C5 a cool.
 
Get's a cool from me. Also, I find it kind of funny that the one in the image is blue, just like the image used for when I nominated the C7 Z06. Also, it has all Cool votes at the time of writing. But that only gets it to the lower end of Sub-Zero.
 
C7 Z06 I voted SU, but this has popup headlamps +1, sleek style +1, and a bit of age +1. Comes out Cool.
 
Not that it really matters but some of your information is a bit off. First the z06 was produced from 2001-2004, in 2001 it was introduced with 385 HP and was bumped up to 405 for 2002 and stayed there. The c5-r was based on the regular coupe as the z06 inky came in a hardtop which was significantly less aerodynamic than the coupe. The base price was only a couple grand more than the base coupe at right around 50k USD depending on the year. I don't mean to insult anyone I just like to give correct information when I can.
Edit: this was my favorite car as a kid, my grandmother's neighbor had one and always let me come see it and talk about it so these are kind of special to me.
 
I think the C5 'Vettes have aged rather well.

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Really, only the late C3 Corvettes have not aged well. All the other Corvettes are pretty emblematic of good design in their respective eras.
 
yeah, the early C3's with chrome look pretty good, the later ones....
 
Meh, though the C5-R did share many components with this car (not nearly as many as the C7 does now) and the fact it was the platform Chevy dominated sportscar racing with it in their class, so all that makes it cool. However, it's a very 90s design to be honest, late 90s to be fair but it's dated to say the least. It's part of the line up of Vettes that really kept the mid-life or you have to be this age to own persona going also not cool (though not it's fault). You have to explain how your Corvette is the top of the line performance version offered by GM and refined from racing and extensive testing...in other words people will not care and still see it as a Corvette is a Corvette is a Corvette.

Lastly and probably the one thing that will get people irritated about it most of all, is that this was one of the early performance cars to make a big deal of super testing at the Ring and pretty much what started that trend for almost all performance cars out of American these days to do the same...and worst of all prove something like a badge of honor.

With all that I give it a meh and actually close to uncool.
 
An important caveat to the racing success is that the Corvette team was factory funded and had a massive budget compared to the rest of the teams.

That said, the C5-R is a killer race car. But we're not polling that car.

The C6's are the current "mid-life crisis" car. The old dudes who bought C5's have usually sold their sports car by now. It's pretty common to see a younger guy behind the wheel of one of these.

The LS6 in this has a great reputation for being bullet-proof in a track environment. Something about them means they just eat punishment and high revs.
 
Zenith
An important caveat to the racing success is that the Corvette team was factory funded and had a massive budget compared to the rest of the teams.

That said, the C5-R is a killer race car. But we're not polling that car.

The C6's are the current "mid-life crisis" car. The old dudes who bought C5's have usually sold their sports car by now. It's pretty common to see a younger guy behind the wheel of one of these.

The LS6 in this has a great reputation for being bullet-proof in a track environment. Something about them means they just eat punishment and high revs.
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And Dodge and Porsche did the same, which were their direct competition and reason for going racing, the point is the C5-R did at a time before becoming the C6.R take on the use of the z06 and due to that racing pedigree, the z06 got some race to street technology due to this. That's why it's cool, not directly because of the race car but the trend GM started by using the race car as a direct link to their top tier performance Corvette so buyers can also have the best Vette for the time period and be able to believe a bit of the marketing hype. So let's not get this idea that I'm giving this car kudos only because of a car as you said ''not polling". If that were the case I'd either break my rule and give it an SZ or stick to it and give it an SU.

As for the C5's going to younger guys anywhere from mid 20s to early 30s, you're right that is true and I actually had an extra tid bit written up about that. But decided to delete it so people didn't think I was judging the care solely based on character of those who may drive them. I'm basically saying that the C5 was a car that people would equate to a mid life crisis, not that it's still the go to car.

I like to poll the cars from a time (if possible) I first saw them and take that persona of then mixed with what it has become and judge it. I find it highly unfair that many great new cars are polled in a fashion of how one sees them now, because certain cars like the C7 z06 may be looked at as uncool, but give it ten years like this and then SZ will probably be the go to option.
 
The last Corvette i had my American sports fetishes before the Ford GT came out, then the Gen 5 Dodge Viper.

And popup lights.
 
My childhood dream car. Pop-up headlights, lovely V8 soundtrack, aggressive enough styling to stand out, yet also subtle enough to not be ostentatious. Actually quite petite in person to, so you wouldn't look like a tool on European roads. High cool. I'll take mine in Torch Red please.
 
High Cool, because notchback and pop-up headlights and reasonable amount of power. Also, none of the quality control issues later models have.
 
They've been out long enough to be cool again. As others have mentioned, C5's are no longer mid life crisis cars which makes them a lot cooler.
 
jeffgoddin
yeah, the early C3's with chrome look pretty good, the later ones....
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I love all the C3s. They are my favorite vettes.
 
Noob616
They've been out long enough to be cool again. As others have mentioned, C5's are no longer mid life crisis cars which makes them a lot cooler.
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This sums up my feelings pretty well. 5 years ago this would have been uncool, but now that the 50 year old guys have moved on to the C6 or C7, the C5 is cool again.
 
It's cool to me, but not sub-zero.
 
Joey D
This sums up my feelings pretty well. 5 years ago this would have been uncool, but now that the 50 year old guys have moved on to the C6 or C7, the C5 is cool again.
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I feel like the C6 is basically at this point now too, especially when you consider how much more gaudy the C7's styling is in general. I really like the way the C7 is styled, but to look back on the C6 and the C5 now that the C7 is out they look a lot more tasteful and reserved.
 
The hardtop, Z06 or not, always looked really goofy in person. Was an impressive way to jury rug the C5 into a more hardcore sports car without going all "early C4" on it, but it's clear it was a shoestring affair. I personally would have much rather seen a C5 hatch with the same performance options and the subtle styling changes. So... Won't vote.






Also:
GranTurismo916
In 2004 it was given a huge performance increase with changes to most of the car, the most notable of which was the power upgrade from 405 BHP to 454 BHP, bringing it on par with the Dodge Viper SRT-10 in terms of performance.
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What? According to who? The most notable change it got in 2004 was the doofy paint package option.
 
savage388
Not that it really matters but some of your information is a bit off. First the z06 was produced from 2001-2004, in 2001 it was introduced with 385 HP and was bumped up to 405 for 2002 and stayed there. The c5-r was based on the regular coupe as the z06 inky came in a hardtop which was significantly less aerodynamic than the coupe. The base price was only a couple grand more than the base coupe at right around 50k USD depending on the year. I don't mean to insult anyone I just like to give correct information when I can.
Edit: this was my favorite car as a kid, my grandmother's neighbor had one and always let me come see it and talk about it so these are kind of special to me.
Click to expand...
Interesting. So, I'm assuming it's easy to spot a 2001 model as it won't have this badge?
Z06-505-hp-emblem-X2CH_CR04_a.jpg
 
savage388
Not that it really matters but some of your information is a bit off. First the z06 was produced from 2001-2004, in 2001 it was introduced with 385 HP and was bumped up to 405 for 2002 and stayed there. The c5-r was based on the regular coupe as the z06 inky came in a hardtop which was significantly less aerodynamic than the coupe. The base price was only a couple grand more than the base coupe at right around 50k USD depending on the year. I don't mean to insult anyone I just like to give correct information when I can.
Edit: this was my favorite car as a kid, my grandmother's neighbor had one and always let me come see it and talk about it so these are kind of special to me.
Click to expand...
It's @JASON_ROCKS1998's information from his nomination.
 
McLaren
Interesting. So, I'm assuming it's easy to spot a 2001 model as it won't have this badge?
Z06-505-hp-emblem-X2CH_CR04_a.jpg
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Yes, and if your close enough a 2001 will have slightly different wheels, they used real forged speedlines in 01 only. The spokes are thinner and sharper.
 
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