Corvette Number 61
While some Corvette owners treat their cars like royalty, driving them easy, and only in dry conditions, this cannot be said about all Corvette owners. Other Corvette owners daily their Corvettes, taking their Vettes through monsoons and snowstorms - like nothing can stop their Corvette driving experience.
While these daily driver Corvettes may have taken a little beating in their time, it is unlikely they have gotten to the same level of abuse as the 2005 Corvette Manufacturing Validation Build Corvette, "Number 61"
Manufacturing Validation Build (MVB) Corvettes are built prior to full public production and subjected to rigorous tests to fix problems that may occur once the car gets some miles on the drivetrain.
This MVB Corvette was one of the first for the new C6 Corvette, with VIN #00061. It was outfitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission, which was a 0-cost option for the 2005 model, and 400HP LS2 engine. The color on this Corvette is "precision red", which was only offered for the first half of the 2005 model year.
Throughout its life span from 2005-2008, this Corvette was a test car for the development of the 6-speed automatic transmissions that made its way into the 2006 and newer Corvettes.
Even though the 2005 C6 was the most technologically advanced Corvette of its time, the 4-speed automatic transmission was being pushed to its limit under the hefty power of the LS2. During testing, this car was outfitted with a more efficient 2006 6-speed automatic transmission, and later, it was outfitted with a 2008 6-speed automatic transmission, as well as the new LS3 430HP engine.
Source: NCM