The Ford GT40. The Dodge Viper. Hell, multiple iterations of the Shelby GT500. Every generation of American cars boasts performance benchmarks that reframe how star-spangled super performers are viewed worldwide. Well, my experience with the latest C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at the NCM Motorsports Park confirmed what I suspected about the latest ‘Vette range-topper: it’s pound for pound one of the best Corvettes of all time.

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is nothing short of an American supercar with a Ferrari-esque soundtrack and organ-rearranging performance

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is one of the most dynamic American cars of all time. So, when I got the chance to put the C8 model through its paces around the National Corvette Museum (NCM) Motorsports Park, I couldn’t say no. Now, for those who know a thing or two about the NCM Motorsports Park, it’s a fantastic venue to showcase some of the Z06’s finer points. Specifically, the track is a roughly 3.2-mile circuit with 23 turns and two distinct opportunities to really let the high-horsepower ‘Vette eat. 

However, as I’ve said in the past, I’m no racing driver. But, unlike other journos, presenters, and reviewers, I don’t pretend to be either. I was pleased that a seasoned veteran of the NCM Motorsports Park led me around the track’s intricacies. As a result, I was able to adjust my binary accelerating and braking style to better complement the C8 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 as a corner-carving supercar. 

And a supercar it really is. Never mind its sub-$115,000 starting price; the Z06 is every ounce as sharp as tenured and stratospherically spendy European rivals. Even with my inaccurate steering inputs and heavy feet, the Z06 entered corners compliantly, hit where I aimed it, clipped apexes with razor-like precision, and exploded out of the turns. Oh, and the brakes? Well, needless to say, the Z06’s carbon ceramic bite was enough to scrub mass quantities of speed off the ‘Vette before diving into corners. 

I must admit, however, that I had a favorite feature in the Z06 beyond its unhinged driving dynamics. It has to be the Z car’s song. My slow departure from the pit lane revealed a tame, almost daily drivable soundtrack. I said almost.

However, as soon as I fed the Z06 the throttle it so desperately desired, the flat-plane 5.5L LT6 V8 played a tune akin to the Phantom of the Opera’s organ. At first, perception-challenging and intimidating. You simply don’t expect a melody like that to come out of a Corvette. And I’ve driven many, many Corvettes. After you begin to oblige the Z06 and its request for urgency, its sound is intoxicating and addictive. The only thing more instigating than the Z06’s ballistic thrust is its operatic singing voice.