The C6 Z06 was unveiled January 15th 2005 at the 2005 North American International Auto Show by Ron Fellows, one of the lead drivers on the Corvette C6-R factory racing team, and GM product chief Bob Lutz.

The Z06 Corvette and Le Mans-winning C6-R race car bodies were developed simultaneously in the wind tunnel. Their greatest visual and technical difference is the absence of a body-wide rear wing on the production car.

Almost every component on the Z06 is unique, including flared fenders to cover wider tires and tracks; a deeper air inlet on the front fascia for better engine cooling, and numerous scoops and vents that are all functional.

To keep weight down in spite of the beefier components that come with bigger horsepower, the Z06 chassis has frame rails made of aluminium rather than steel, and even a magnesium engine and front suspension cradle.

A magnesium roof insert helps turn the Z06 into a fixed-roof coupe, improving structural rigidity in the process. The rear-mounted transaxle handles huge loads and forces from these 325 mm-wide (12.8 in) rear tyres. 

Inside, the Z06 has revised gauges and special sport seats that feature fixed side-bolsters, to better hold the driver in place, and a passenger's seat with manual adjustments, to save weight.

With 505 SAE-certified horsepower on tap from the 7.0-litre V8, the Z06 can either pulverize its rear tires this way, or run through the 1/4 mile in 11.7 seconds (GM's claim), reaching a speed of 125 mph (201 km/h).

The Z06 has a short rear spoiler that is sufficient to provide the desired balance of front-rear downforce, according its creators. Anything more would have adversely affected its 0.34 drag coefficient.