Photo gallery: 2007 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The Corvette has legendary status as a sports car, and recent models are the best yet. The Z06 version is a good-looking car and is superfast.

To reduce weight on the Z06 version of the Corvette, the front fenders are made of carbon fiber.

The xenon headlights are nicely integrated into the fenders.

The 7-liter LS7 engine is naturally aspirated, and runs the Corvette Z06 to 60mph in 3.5 seconds. It uses a dry sump oil system to keep it from losing oil pressure during hard cornering.

The Corvette Z06 is one of the biggest two-seaters we have ever tested. Its low center of gravity and big tires keep it grounded in the turns.

The Z06 badge means reduced weight and the big, 505 horsepower engine.

The way the back flares up reminds us of the 1960s Le Mans racers, but the Corvette is also a current Le Mans racer.

The interior trim is a little rough--it's not quite as nice as a Ferrari's--but it's a fairly comfortable cabin.

The steering wheel is the right size and thickness for controlling the Corvette. The audio controls on the steering wheel are a nice convenience.

The speedometer goes up to 200mph, which we don't doubt this car can reach. The car moves along all right with the tach at 1,500rpm, but it's more fun at 4,000.

This heads-up display projects on the windshield, letting you see speed and rpm at a glance.

This shifter for the six-speed manual transmission doesn't feel as precise as those from Honda and Mazda, but the Corvette's feels strong.

There is a surprising amount of tech in the Z06, with automatic climate control below the navigation system.

The points-of-interest database in the navigation system is average, without detailed store listings.

The XM presets are informative, easy to use, and look pretty good.

To load a CD, you have to push a button to flip open the motorized screen.

The interface for MP3 CDs works well, although we found the system had some trouble reading our discs, and often wouldn't show all the tracks in a folder.

The Bose speaker system sounds good when you can hear it. Mostly, though, engine and road noise overwhelm the audio.