The new Vette was developed alongside this year's class-winning Le Mans car, as chief engineer David C Hill explains: 'Both cars have similar engines, powertrains, dry-sump oil-distribution systems and similar lightweight titanium and carbonfibre components.' Those lightweight titanium components are the intake valves and connecting rods, while the floor is made of a carbonfibre and balsa wood composite.

The brakes are equipped with six-piston front and four-piston rear callipers. The rear tyres are massive 325/30 ZR19 Goodyear Eagle F1s - the largest ever fitted to a Corvette.

Each of the LS-7 pushrod V8s will be blueprinted and hand-built, just as in the race-car, and if they sound half as good as their racing cousins then expect to want one, badly. The Z06 is expected to cost in the region of ΂£60,000 when it arrives in December, and the only options will be polished wheels, satnav and a premium Bose hi-fi, making it a bit of a bargain. Could this be the Corvette that finally makes it in Europe? Let's hope December is unusually dry.