The low, throaty roar of the LS2 sounds great and generates thrilling acceleration. Stand on the gas and even the automatic will chirp the rear tires when it shifts into second. The new LS2 V8 displaces 6.0 liters (364 cubic inches) making it the largest standard small-block engine ever offered in a Corvette. It's also the most powerful. Its 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque represent a substantial increase over the previous LS1 5.7-liter V8's 350 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque. The new Corvette nearly equals the output of last year's limited-production Z06 model, which came with a special LS6 engine rated at 405 horsepower. No exotic overhead cams here. This is an overhead-valve engine that has more in common with a heavy-duty Silverado than a Ferrari. But it's tuned well and refined. The new Corvette can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds and cover the standing quarter-mile in 12.5, according to Chevrolet. That's quicker than a Porsche 911 Carrera or Jaguar XK8 and comparable to a Ferrari 360 Modena. There's lots of torque at all engine speeds. Stand on the gas and it goes. Corvette engineers say the new car can lap a racing circuit nearly as quickly as a Z06, and boasts a top speed of 186 mph. But it's quite happy just cruising around and gets an EPA-rated 18/28 mpg City/Highway with the manual (18/25 with the automatic), and there's no gas guzzler tax.

Both transmissions are new and both are appealing on their own merits: The automatic does not sap all the fun out of driving the Corvette the way automatics do in small sports cars with small engines. The big V8 ensures that. The automatic is responsive to the driver's intent. It shifts hard and fast when you're getting with the program, but smooth and soft when cruising. The manual is now a more viable option as a daily driver than it used to be. Called the Tremec T56, the six-speed manual shifts more easily than last year's manual gearbox and the clutch pedal is easier to operate. The mechanism that forces you to shift from first to fourth when accelerating slowly (to improve the fuel-efficiency rating) is less intrusive than before. Fifth and sixth gears are both overdrives, again to improve fuel efficiency. Shifting through the gears is a lot of fun and it's easy to brake and downshift using the heel-and-toe method (actually using the ball of foot and side of foot) when approaching a corner. Still, the automatic is best for commuting in stop-and-go traffic.

The new Corvette is more agile and easier to toss around than the previous-generation model, benefits of its lighter weight, trimmer proportions, and refined suspension. The coupe weighs 3,179 pounds, about 67 pounds lighter than last year's model. By comparison, the 2004 Corvette felt heavier, harder to control and more tentative going into corners, particularly when transitioning from accelerating through a high-speed sweeper to hard braking and downshifting for tight corner. I felt less likely to get into trouble in the new car.

On the road, the new Corvette feels more refined. It's quieter, smoother, and feels tighter, with less cowl shake than before. Though based on the C5 architecture, the basic structure has been extensively revised for the C5. Chassis engineers were able to reduce weight substantially, helping offset weight gains from larger wheels and tires, bigger brakes, sound-deadening measures and interior features.

I liked the standard suspension and would not hesitate to order my Corvette so equipped. It appears similar to the suspension on the C5, but it's all new. The ride quality of the C6 is firm but quite pleasant, not harsh. It offers great handling, even on a racing circuit. I drove the base model back to back with the C5 on a short road-racing circuit at GM's proving grounds and the new one inspires much more confidence. There's almost no body lean when cornering hard.

The Z51 package makes the Corvette even more fun on a race track. It offers excellent grip in fast sweepers, with just the right amount of body lean. I found it easy to roll on the power coming out of the turns. It can generate 0.98g on the skid pad, quite a bit more than the standard suspension's 0.92g. With the Z51, you feel and hear bumps more (Thwack!) and there's more road vibration, but it's quite livable. It handled bumpy neighborhood streets in Los Angeles well and didn't feel harsh. Z51 is a substantial package that includes special brakes, shocks, springs, anti-roll bars, gear ratios and tires, and it's available with either transmission. For competition or hard driving on back roads, a serious enthusiast would prefer the Z51, but most drivers will be perfectly happy with the standard suspension and will never feel like they're missing out.

The F55 Magnetic Selective Ride Control, which some of us refer to as the electronic suspension, covers both ends of the spectrum, offering the best of both worlds. The driver can switch between Touring and Sport modes each of which adjust shock damping automatically according to driving conditions. In the Touring mode, it varies damping from very soft when poking along to something close to Z51 stiffness when driven hard. Chevrolet says it's the world's fastest-reacting suspension. Touring mode seemed a little better than standard suspension on a two-lane country road near GM's proving grounds in Michigan. It filters vibration well, but was on the verge of feeling a tad floaty in some situations. Switching to Sport mode raises the floor (but not the ceiling) in terms of firmness, so you feel road vibration but it's not harsh. It's a great setup.

The brakes have been upgraded to improve performance and durability. The brakes are smooth and progressive, and easy to modulate. The C6 is very stable under hard braking and the car doesn't get overly unsettled when braking and turning at the same time. The brakes are bigger than before. Ducts front and rear help keep the brakes cool, but you have to lay down on the ground to see them. The Z51 gets bigger brake rotors to reduce fade with repeated hard braking.