The car history 

A major performance upgrade for base Corvettes since the ’80s, here’s everything you need to know about RPO Z51.

Since its 1984 introduction with the C4 Corvette, RPO Z51 has always denoted a more serious Corvette. It’s a cut above the base car for sure, but these days, it doesn’t get as much attention thanks to models like the Z06 and ZR1.

In just a few words, we’ll do our best to tell you all about what has made the Z51 Corvette so special across four generations. While it’s not a comprehensive guide, this will let you know all about the basics of what the Z51 package includes for each generation.The Z51 remained an option through the C5’s run and continued to be offered when the C6 debuted in 2005. The C6 Z51 package was much the same as the C5’s, but this time, upgraded brakes were added to the equation.

Z51 owners were treated to larger-diameter, cross-drilled rotors. Those with a manual transmission were treated to a close-ratio transmission, while automatic cars got a more performance-oriented rear axle ratio as before. The package price jumped to $1,495 for the Z51, but buyers received a lot more equipment for their money.The seventh-generation Z51 package returned with a bang. Z51 cars wore taggered wheels — 19″ up front, 20″ in the rear — and the upgraded brakes were fed by cooling ducts.