It's often said that the greatest innovations happen despite significant adversity, and this is certainly true of one of General Motors' crowning achievements, the Corvette Z06. This three-letter Regular Production Option (RPO) code is still immediately recognizable to car enthusiasts worldwide, even today, more than 60 years after it was created. The Z06 was offered as an obscure checkbox on the order form for a specially-optioned 1963 Corvette, and it carried a steep price tag, so only 199 of these legendary cars were ever produced.
Photos courtesy of Mecum Auctions and General Motors Media Archives.
Zora Arkus-Duntov's Race-Ready Secret
The Father of the Corvette, Zora Arkus-Duntov, was a man who loved speed. So, when he began development of the second-generation C2 Corvette, Arkus-Duntov knew that he wanted to produce a variant that could easily be adapted into a race car. It would need a potent engine, upgraded suspension and brakes, and in some cases, an oversized fuel tank for longer races. This was the concept behind what would become the first Z06.
Above: Zora Arkus-Duntov posing with Corvette trophies in 1962. (Courtesy of General Motors)
Unfortunately, there was a big problem. After some high-profile racing accidents, including the 1955 Le Mans disaster that involved more than 80 fatalities, the Automobile Manufacturers Association (AMA) enacted a ban on factory-supported racing. This caused the Big Three manufacturers, including GM, to pull out of NASCAR and other racing ventures by June 1st, 1957.
Arkus-Duntov knew he wanted to continue supporting racers, but couldn't do so openly because of the AMA ban. So, he decided to be a bit more sneaky about it. Corvette buyers who knew exactly what they wanted could order a C2 with individual racing upgrades such as stiffer swaybars, heavy-duty shocks, and vacuum-boosted drum brakes with sintered metallic linings. In 1962, these options were hidden entirely from the order form, so only those who knew they existed could ask for them.
By 1963, GM's support for the AMA racing ban was fading, so management allowed the addition of an RPO code that brought together all the best race-ready upgrades for a C2 Corvette. Buyers had to order a car with the fuel-injected L84 327ci V8, Muncie four-speed manual, and Positraction rear end, then check the box titled "Z06."
The Z06 option wasn't for the faint of heart or light of wallet. It added a whopping $1,818 to the '63 Corvette MSRP of $4,252 — a nearly 43% increase in cost. But for those who wanted the ultimate in track-ready performance, it was worth every cent.
1963 Corvette Z06 Features
So, what did the Z06 package change? It dramatically stiffened the suspension for sharper cornering, with a 20% stiffer front sway bar, plus springs and shocks that were nearly twice as stiff as those on a standard Corvette. Braking was another major area of focus. The Z06 still had drum brakes, as many performance cars did at the time, but these were upgraded with vacuum-powered assist, dual master cylinders, and special finned drums with sintered linings, cooling ducts, and vented backing plates.
All 199 of the 1963 Corvette Z06s were built with the potent Rochester fuel-injected L84 327 engine. It produced 360 horsepower thanks to high 11.25:1 compression, high-flow heads, and free-flowing exhaust manifolds. This provided more than enough power to match the sharpened handling and braking performance.
However, there was one more "option within an option" that could be selected by the most hardcore racers. RPO N03 exchanged the standard 20.5-gallon fuel tank for a larger 36-gallon fiberglass tank that was designed to help endurance racers stay on track longer between refueling stops. Only 63 of the 199 Z06s included this $202 option.
Corvette Z06 Legacy
Since the 1963 Z06 was designed for racing, many of the 199 cars built that year were driven hard, and a relatively small fraction survived in original condition. Those that did — especially the Z06 N03 "tanker" cars — command high prices at auction today. One '63 Z06 N03 sold at auction in January of 2026 for $1,000,000.
General Motors discontinued the Z06 option for the Corvette C3 and C4 generations, but eventually brought it back in 2001 for the C5. It has continued through the subsequent C6, C7, and C8 generations — the latter is powered by the 670hp LT6, which is the world's most powerful naturally-aspirated production V8. We're sure Zora Arkus-Duntov would approve.
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