Car of the Month – July, 2023

The 2004 Commemorative Edition Corvette Z06 pays tribute to the last year of Corvette C5 production and the success of the race-bred C5-R Corvette at Le Mans and overall within the international world of motorsports.

The special Le Mans Blue paint is the same shade used on the two C5-R contenders that returned to Le Mans in 2003 and narrowly missed a third win at the famed Circuit de la Sarthe. The commemorative package includes a special shale-colored interior, and the seats incorporate Corvette cross-flags embroidered into the headrests as well as exterior badges acknowledging Corvette’s Le Mans success.

Some of the advanced mechanical features of the car include the all-new LS6 engine that runs so clean the car qualifies as a low-emissions vehicle and gets 19 mpg in town and 28 on the highway. The sensing control inputs speed, loads on all four wheels, and rotational discrepancies. Active Handling reduces engine power when necessary and applies the brakes individually to hold the car in line. The system’s switch has three modes, including competitive mode, which eliminates traction control but keeps the car from spinning, thanks to the electronic stability program.