Z06 Vs. Stingray: What's The Difference Between These Two Chevrolet Corvettes?
The Chevrolet Corvette is now in its eighth and most powerful generation since its 1953 debut. The Sting Ray moniker was first used on the second-generation model in 1963 — the same year 199 'Vettes stormed off the lot with the Z06 option package, which has been available off and on ever since. That original upgrade included a 360-horsepower V8 and improved brakes and shocks. The Stingray label has since been merged into one word, and in 2024, it's available in three trim levels: 1LT, 2LT, and 3LT. The racing-focused Z06 Corvette returned for the 2023 model year, and the current Corvette lineup also includes the E-Ray, with a 655-horsepower hybrid drivetrain that delivers a jaw-dropping 2.5-second 0-60 time.
That's a tenth of a second faster than the 2024 Z06, which gets 670 horsepower from its 5.5-liter V8 engine. Setting aside the anomalous E-Ray for the time being, let's look at the differences between the Corvette Stingray and the high-performance Z06.
The Corvette Z06 is more than $30,000 more expensive than the Stingray
The first major difference between the 2024 Stingray and Z06 is the price. The Stingray starts at about $82,000, while the Z06 will set you back at least $115,000. Both 'Vettes get naturally aspirated engines, but the Stingray's 6.2-liter V8 produces 490 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque (add five to each of those figures with the Z51 package). The Z06's V8 is smaller but more potent. It displaces 5.5 liters and puts out an astonishing 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. That LT6 powerplant has a redline of 8,600 revolutions per minute, while the Stingray's engine tops out at 6,500 rpm.
A limited-slip rear differential is an option on the Stingray but standard for the Z06. Z06 Corvettes have bigger tires all around to put that power to the road, and beefier brakes to rein it in. Both models are available as a coupe or convertible, but the Z06 has larger air passages to cool the brakes and drivetrain and quadruple exhaust tips in the rear. The overall profile of the two variants is similar, but the vents ahead of the rear wheels are noticeably larger on the Z06.