Corvette Z07 To Be the Top Ride For Horsepower Fetishists in 2009

It was a happy day for Chevy when its cutting-edge Corvette Z06 was thrust by auto journalists into the same universe as the world's fastest and most exotic supercars. It's a luxury vehicle in only the purest sense -- interior frills are minimal at best, and legend has it that many a Z06 engineer went home in a snit after the decision was made to motorize the convertible top because of the weight it added.

That's right, folks, this baby is about pure performance -- and perform it does. Its 505 hp 7.0L V8 engine launches the 'vette to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, putting it well within reach of vehicles three times as expensive, including the Lamborghini Gallardo, Mercedes SLR McLaren and Aston Martin V-8 Vantage.

Chevy engineers can barely contain themselves as they work to top the masterpiece in the C7 (the seventh generation of the Corvette), but to tide us (and them) over, they're taking one last crack at the C6 in the form of the Chevrolet Corvette Z07, expected to launch in time for the 2009 model year. Often referred to as the Blue Devil, the super-super Corvette will serve as a sneak preview for the 2010 C7 -- a whopping 700 horsepower will likely be achieved by supercharging the V-8 in preparation for putting it under the hood of the C7, and powertrain components borrowed from the C7's parts bin will grace the Z07's infrastructure.

Supercars, beware.