Road Test: 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, 2005 MTI Pontiac GTO, 2005 Livernois Ford Mustang GT, 2005 Lingenfelter Chevrolet Corvette, 2006 Hennessey Dodge Viper Coupe and 2005 Accufab Ford GT
Conclusion
What did we learn? The tremendous horsepower of these awesome tuner cars can be likened to using a sledgehammer to crack a walnut. Sure they're powerful, but just how much do you really need? More important, how much can you actually use?
Big power is good when you're going for a high-speed run: 175-plus mph is actually safer and far less nerve-wracking in these tuner cars because you're in the danger zone for much less time than in a stock performance car. With the LPE and Hennessey tuners, you rip right through the 200-mph envelope in seconds and are slowing before your synapses can properly compute what just happened. But unless you can borrow an airstrip like we did, there's not much chance you'll ever get to find out what that this kind of speed feels like.
So, what did this test prove? First and foremost, big power is expensive. At $225,860, the LPE C6 costs more than three times as much as a regular Z06. But with 1000-plus horsepower, the LPE Corvette will be the King of the Street in any town in America--unless a Hennessey Coupe rolls up. Considering bang for the buck, our test proved just how damned good the new Z06 truly is. Sure, in this company it doesn't deliver the same Mike Tyson punch. But think of Chevy's ultimate Vette as Muhammad Ali in his glorious, swaggering pomp: loud, athletic, nimble, and always in control.
Bang for the Buck
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