Chevrolet unveils drop-top version of 2015 Corvette Z06

With the 2015 Corvette Z06 launched, a convertible version was inevitable. So here it is. A 625bhp drop top designed to eat Porsches and Ferraris for breakfast with power output similar to the hardtop Z06 and weighing just as much thanks to the stiff aluminium frame that does not need extra structural enhancement to ensure rigidity.

The Convertible is powered by the Corvette Z06’s 6.2 litre Supercharged V8 with supercar-territory power outputs of 625bhp and 861Nm of torque mated to a seven-speed manual gearbox. Those figures alone make it the most powerful convertible ever to be made by Chevrolet.

Convertibles are generally heavier than their hardtop equivalents as they have the added weight of the folding roof mechanism and have to also cope with the loss in structural rigidity caused by the removal of a hardtop. This is traditionally achieved by adding structural braces that come at the price of added weight. The all-aluminium structure developed through four years of research and development, benefits from advancements in computer-aided engineering, metallurgy, and manufacturing techniques and is 20 per cent stiffer than the previous generation Z06. That allows Corvette to create a lightweight, open-roof structure strong enough to cope with the braking, cornering, and acceleration of 600bhp plus Corvette without the need of structural braces so there no added weight.

The supercar gets an electrically folding soft-top and will also come with the Z07 Performance Package, which includes Brembo carbon-ceramic matrix brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires and adjustable front- and rear-aerodynamic components.