Little Red Corvette

Zooming is especially easy, thanks to changes General Motors made in the sixth-generation Corvette a couple years ago. GM shortened the Corvette's length by five inches and narrowed the width by an inch — enhancing the car's handling stability. This car eats up curves effortlessly, whatever version you drive.

There happen to be three versions: the coupe, the convertible and the bestial Z06. The coupe and convertible are comparatively civilized cars, at least in Corvette terms, because they have the "small" engine, a potent 400-horsepower, 6-liter V-8.

The coupe zips from zero to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds when equipped with the standard six-speed manual transmission. With the optional six-speed "paddle shift" transmission, which also can be used as a regular automatic, the zero-to-60 time "slips" to 4.5 seconds.

Both times are faster than the BMW M3 coupe's 4.8 seconds — even though the Corvette coupe's base price of $44,995 is more than $4,000 lower than the Bimmer's. (The convertible's base price is $53,070. All prices include destination charge.) So even compared with the superfast Corvette Z06, "it isn't like you're getting the slow one," says Harlan Charles, Chevrolet's Corvette product manager.

But the Z06 is faster still; its zero-to-60 time is a neck-snapping 3.6 seconds, thanks to a 505-hp, 7-liter V-8. The Z06 comes with only one transmission, the six-speed manual, which is fitting. This car is built for performance, pure and simple, and everything else (convenience, comfort, etc.) takes a backseat — figuratively speaking.

Thus, the Z06 doesn't have the removable roof panel — called a targa roof — that comes standard on the coupe and allows open-air cruising, even without the ragtop of the true convertible. That's because the Z06's body is made of aluminum, not steel. This saves weight, and the fixed roof gives the car's body structural integrity.

To go a little faster in the Z06, you'll have to pay a lot more: The base price is $70,000.

In truth, I found the convertible much more suitable for daily driving than the Z06. The no-compromises, harsh-riding Z06 was fun for a five-day test-drive, but I was relieved to get out. The convertible offers a far more comfortable ride without giving up much performance. The tradeoffs are more than reasonable, especially considering the price.

The Corvettes come with a long list of options, depending on the model. But a couple of options deserve particular note.

For $295, you can visit the assembly plant in Bowling Green, Ky., and watch your Corvette being built. And for another $495 you can pick up your car at the National Corvette Museum across the street from the plant. (Oddly, you still pay the destination charge.) Web cameras are set up at the museum so your friends can watch you on Internet video while you pick up your car. "It's a special day," says Chevrolet's Charles. "Almost like a wedding."