Fastest production Corvette ever?; 2002 Z06 breaks the 400-hp mark.(Brief Article)

Hot-rodder tricks like hollow-stem valves and higher-lift camshafts helped Chevrolet engineers squeeze 20 more horsepower under the hood of the 2002 Corvette Z06, eclipsing the 400-hp level for the first time since the late, lamented ZR-1 ``King of the Hill.''

As reported earlier (AW, April 16), Z06 power increases from 385 to 405 hp. The 2002 Z06 also adds another 15 lb-ft of torque, bringing it up to an even 400 lb-ft at 4800 rpm, knocking even the 385- lb-ft King off its throne. Chevy claims its latest 5.7-liter V8 makes the Z06 the quickest production Vette ever, capable of 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 116 mph.

Contributing to the Z06's power surge is a low-restriction mass airflow sensor and a low-restriction air cleaner. The '02 Z06 weighs in at 3118 pounds, a dozen pounds less than the model it replaces due to the use of cast-aluminum front stabilizer bars, cast-spun aluminum wheels (they were forged aluminum last year) and a lightweight, ...