The Corvette ZO6 — On Top Of Its Game
Back in the early 1950s, archrivals Chevrolet and Ford both launched two-passenger sports cars. That is, one sports car and one boulevard cruiser. Chevy’s Corvette quickly became a competitive road racer, while the T-Bird grew into a big coupe and even four-door for a short time before its last hurrah as a retro cruiser.

During most of its storied history, Corvette has offered a performance model for the hardcore enthusiast. In the ’50s it was the fuel injection version, ’60s introduced 427-cubic inch power, let’s skip the ’70s, ’80s brought us the ultra-fast ZR-1 and the late-’90s to today, the era of speed and sophistication.

The latest Corvettes more than rival the best sports cars from Europe in every category but that elusive image among people who insist upon buying labels. Our Z06 model is a perfect example of that premise. It’s priced a bit less than a base Porsche 911, yet you would have to move to the Porsche’s Turbo Coupe to keep up with the Corvette. And Ferrari’s F430 will attract more attention for its $100,000 premium, but won’t beat the Z06 in any speed contest I can think of.

Perhaps if Chevrolet charged a lot more for the Corvette, they would attract a few more import shoppers. But I’m delighted that this super-fast, comfortable sports car is still reasonably affordable to buy and quite easy on the family budget to own over the long haul.

The Z06 edition first appeared in 2001, producing 385-horsepower in a Corvette body that was lighter on its feet than the previous King Kong ZR-1. The premium model quickly upped the power to 405 and mimicked the racing program prototypes. That’s still true with today’s 505-horsepower, 3,162-pound Z06. With its carbon fiber body panels and modified suspension, it’s ready to compete on any racetrack, including Le Mans.

When you drive the Z06, it’s hard to appreciate just how potent this car is until you jump on the throttle. Settle into the well-bolstered bucket seat, push the keyless starter button and the big, 7-liter engine awakes with a deep rumble. If you wish to enter the highway using a short ramp, 0 to 60 arrives in 3.7 seconds in first gear. And there are five more gears available if you have an empty road ahead without a speed limit.

I did not verify the supposed 198 mph top speed, but did check out the aerodynamics on a straight stretch of traffic-free road in the country. At speeds that would suck the black spots off grazing Holsteins, the Corvette was rock solid, as good or better than any supercar I’ve driven.

Back in the metro area, the Z06 cruises with ease. The only telltale signs of its high performance credentials are a hood scoop, modest badges, and rear aero effects. Its low bodywork will also remind you of function over form if you attempt to take a driveway head-on.

Now that fuel economy is the 900-pound gorilla in the supercar room, some might wonder what will happen to these powerful street racers. In Corvette’s case, even its Z06 produces reasonable mileage numbers, so there’s little worry about it leaving the scene anytime soon. — Brian Douglas

Specifications

Type: Front engine, rear-wheel drive

Engine: 7.0-liter, OHV V8

Horsepower: 505 @ 6,300 rpm

Torque: 480 foot-pounds @ 4,800 rpm

Base Price: $70,175

As Tested: $74,970

Fuel Economy: 15/city 24/hwy


Golf Getaway
Las Palomas — a 350-acre golf community located on Sandy Beach in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico where the Sonora Desert meets the Sea of Cortez — has broken ground on its golf villas and a new set of condos in the new El Torreon at Las Palomas development. Pre-sales start this month. The villas range from 1,830 to 2,228 square feet and include a golf and beach club membership. The El Torreon condos range from a 1-bedroom/1.5-bath floor plan to a 3-bedroom/3-bath floor plan and also include a beach club membership. The three-bedroom condos include the golf club membership with purchase. All are fully equipped with wireless Internet, satellite television, DVD player, gourmet kitchen, and more. Resort amenities include a three-acre infinity-edge pool, lazy river, water slide, heated whirlpool, and fitness center. A full-service spa will be complete later this year. (011/52-638-108-1090, www.laspalomasresort.net) — Alicia Garcia

With so much of today’s media gadgetry focused on the visual (iPhone, PMPs,
flatscreen TVs) I thought it prudent to take a look at the latest in sound innovation. Luxury speakers don’t just look original, they are designed by the top acoustic professionals in the world, meaning crisper trebles, clearer basses, and fluid mid-tones. You could grab something that crackles and buzzes at your local chain store, but if you want the sound without the fury, consider the following.


Get Your MUON
KEF’s Ross Lovegrove-designed MUON speakers stand out due to their super-formed sheets of heated aluminum that create the mirror design seen here. The design was also instituted to minimize any sound- distorting vibrations. The 7-feet-tall, four-way speaker system manages to double the available volume proficiently by absorbing air molecules by activated carbon thanks to the Acoustic Compliance Enhancement technology. The four-way system mounted into the front of the structure takes advantage of the Uni-Q drive unit array, which controls the levels of the mid range, treble, and bass. $130,000. (www.kef.com)


Goldmund Greatness
The Goldmund Epilogue Full System touts a metallic enclosure that allows unparalleled rigidity to the audio device. All adjacent parts are sealed in neoprine to keep the air tight and reduce age degradation. The Epilogue 3, which is the sub-bass unit of the Epilogue system, features a built-in amplifier of the Mimesis range with a maximum of 650 watts of power. So if you’re planning on rocking out your local stadium this will get the job done. The tremendous speed of the Epilogue woofers makes for a cleaner, airy sound, even at intense levels. $268,000. (www.goldmund.com)


Artistry In Sound
In a move that seems to come out of left field, Loiminchay, known for making luxury pens and writing implements, recently debuted their new line of stereo speakers at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Vegas, and announced the creation of their newst endeavor, Loiminchay Audio. The classy wood speakers are made from shaped solid layers of hollowed-out Birch MultiPly and finished inside and out with 16 coats of lacquer. The actual design concept came from the mind of Loiminchay’s owner Patrick Chu, who had them crafted in China. Three models were shown to CES attendees — The Degas, Chagall, and Kandinksy. The Degas is a stand-mounted monitor that can turn out bass down to 35Hz. It has a 6.5-inch ceramic midrange driver and a 1-inch diamond tweeter. It goes for $32,500. The Chagall’s MultiPly Laminate cabinet comes with an 8-inch woofer in a 1-inch thick concrete board wrapped with leather, and goes for $48,500 in clear, and $53,500 in a piano lacquer finish. The Kandinsky, which is made to handle frequencies above 750Hz (up to 27kHz) is more unique with a curved 19-inch wooden horn cradling a 2-inch beryllium high-compression driver. The Kandinsky starts at $45,000. (www.loiminchayaudio.com)
— Ryan Thomas
 
 


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