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2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The number is magic, recalling the era when Detroit dominated the world with its big, powerful, swaggering V-8s. The Chevrolet 427 V-8 first appeared as an experimental engine that powered Junior Johnson to a then-amazing 166-mph lap at Daytona in 1963. It went into production soon afterward, known variously as the Mark IV, the Chevy big-block, or simply the rat motor.

Now the 427 is back, powering the fire-breathing 2006 Z06 Corvette. Okay, so the engine actually displaces 427.6 cubic inches (7008cc), about one more cubic inch than the original. That's because this new 427 is not a reincarnation of the old rat motor. Instead, it's yet another variant of the versatile mouse motor, the small-block Chevy V-8 that is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. Even so, it's rated at 500 horsepower-more than any of the bygone 427s and 454s-and these are SAE net horses, not the bogus gross ponies from the '60s.

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