Corvette Unveils Track-Ready Z06

General Motors Co. says the 2015 Corvette Z06 it introduced on Monday at the Detroit auto show is the brand's highest-performance production model ever.

The car is the first in the Z06 series to come equipped with a supercharged engine, automatic transmission and removable roof panel. The aluminum chassis is carried over from the standard Stingray.

Three stages of aerodynamic modifications are available, including a front splitter, spats around the front wheel openings, a unique carbon-fiber hood and a rear spoiler. An available Z07 performance package adds larger winglets to the front splitter, Michelin Pilot Super Sport Cup tires and Brembo carbon ceramic matrix brake rotors.

The Z06's beefy tires require bodywork that is 2.2 inches wider in front and 3.2 inches wider in the rear compared with the standard Stingray. The car also is fitted with a unique rear body fascia.

The supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 is expected to produce at least 625 hp and 635 lb-ft of torque. Engine specs include new aluminum cylinder heads, titanium intake valves, forged aluminum pistons, stainless steel exhaust headers and a dry-sump oil system.

The engine's uniquely designed Eaton supercharger mounts between the cylinder heads, making the mill only about one inch taller than the Corvette Stingray's base LT1 engine. The supercharger spins as fast as 20,000 rpm 5,000 rpm more than the unit used on the Corvette ZR1's LS9 engine.

Two transmissions are available on the Z06. A 7-speed manual features a driver-selectable rev-matching system for smooth upshifts and downshifts. The new high-performance 8-speed, close-ratio automatic transmission with paddle shifters can execute wide-open-throttle shifts eight hundredths of a second faster than those of the dual-clutch transmission used in the Porsche 911, according to GM.

In addition to two more gears, the automatic packages four gearsets and five clutches into the same space occupied by the standard Stingray's 6-speed automatic. The 8-speed also is more than 8 lbs lighter, thanks to an extensive use of aluminum and magnesium.