Chevrolet Corvette Z06 becomes GM's fastest car ever

General Motors is claiming supercar-like performance for its new 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, including the ability to blaze from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than three seconds.

Indeed, that puts Z06 in the league of some far more expensive, exotic supercars.

"The Corvette has long been known as America's sports car," said Mark Reuss, a GM executive vice president, in a statement. "With the capability of the new Z06 rivaling the best performance cars in the world, we will also be America's Supercar."

GM says Corvette Z06, the higher-performance version of what already is a performance car, clocks in at 2.95 seconds in the zero-to-60 run with the eight-speed automatic transmission. It comes in at 3.2 seconds with the standard seven-speed manual transmission.

In a quarter-mile sprint, Z06 completed the stretch in 10.95 seconds with the automatic. It was 11.2 seconds with the manual. With both versions, the Corvette Z06 hit 127 mph as it crossed the finish line.

Going on sale early next year, Z06 has a supercharged 650-horsepower engine and a starting price of $78,995 for the coupe, including delivery charges.

Z06 can stop from 60 mph in 99.6 feet, which GM says is the best braking performance of any production car it has ever tested.

The super sports car has a "seamless integration of power, technology and aerodynamics," says Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. "As a result, the Z06 delivers ferocious acceleration, tenacious handling and high-speed stability that few cars can match."