"Here's how you tell when the tire's worn out," said Lee Willard, Michelin performance tire engineer, pointing at the wear indicator on the sticky, hot, scuffed Pilot Sport Cup 2s mounted to the Corvette Z06's magnesium wheels. On most cars, tire wear is obvious: the chunky tread blocks wear down, leaving the tread smooth.  Drivers can tell when the tires are worn because lap times begin to swell as the Corvette starts breaking a touch wide in corners. Under racing conditions, this might occur over the course of combusting a tank of gasoline.  All this serves to illustrate that the Z06 – the track-optimised variant of the seventh-generation Corvette, which began production in 2013 – is a narrow-focus weapon that can be appreciated only by weekend track rats, right? Incredibly, no.  Remember Sucralose? It was the chemical mirror image of natural sugar, but conferred no calories to consumers. The Z06 enjoys that same kind of laboratory magic, offering face-melting performance without any unwanted side effects (and you very much want to feel your face melt in a Z06).  Such remarkable performance is not attended by a tooth-loosening ride, uncouth engine noise or window-rattling exhaust note. Rather, the 2015 Corvette Z06 can be as sedate as a Honda Accord in everyday conditions. The optional eight-speed automatic transmission, a feature never before available on a Z06, executes creamy-smooth gear changes when the car's mode selector is switched to Normal.  Flipped to Track, the transmission is so smart that it will bang off violent, maximum-thrust gearchanges when the car is pointed straight, but will soften its shifts when the car’s g-sensor detects a corner being negotiated. An available Stealth mode makes the exhaust whisper-quiet, even when the gas pedal is flat on the floor mat.  Purists may bemoan the addition of the automatic transmission, but it not only affords superior acceleration compared to the manual (a Lamborghini-like 2.95 seconds from zero to 60mph), it is faster around the circuit, too, thanks to its adroit use of the eight forward ratios.  That is not to suggest the manual is an afterthought. Just as with the entry-level Corvette Stingray model, the seven-speed stick is superlative. Even with the necessary reinforcement to withstand the furious onslaught of the Z06's supercharged, 650-horsepower engine, shift throws are short and effortless, and clutch-pedal action is as light as possible without losing the critical feel for the friction point that drivers need for smooth getaways.  Driving in sixth or seventh gear at highway speeds, the unmuffled sound of the Track mode comes through as the muted rumble of a coming thunderstorm, the kind of distant menace that people barely notice but that raises the hair on a dog's back.  Attacking the circuit at Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch outside Las Vegas, Nevada, the Z06 demonstrated the benefit of those near racing-slick Michelins, along with the car’s huge Brembo brake calipers and meticulously programmed electronic aids. The Corvette unfailingly backed its prodigious power with confidence-stoking brake performance and accurate steering response. The car consistently slowed from high speed with excellent pedal feel, then turned in on its mark rather than getting sloppy as the tires got hot.  Specification-sheet fetishists of the sort who haunt internet discussion forums will likely decry the selection of a traditional planetary automatic transmission rather then a fashionable dual-clutch automated manual transmission. But as performance cars such as the 2014 BMW M3 and Jaguar F-type Coupe have shown, the many-speed automatics can provide the same on-track speed as dual-clutch setups while offering superior manners in routine driving, plus a lower weight penalty. Doubters should spend time parallel-parking a car equipped with a dual-clutch transmission. On a hill.  So why has Chevy engineered the Z06, a high-end Corvette with track-slaying intent, with suppleness in mind? To hear Corvette chief engineer Tadge Juechter tell it, consumers demanded it. "They were always asking, 'Why can't I have this?'" he said, referring to items such as a convertible Z06 variant and the automatic transmission. Indeed, Chevrolet predicts that about 60% of Z06 buyers will choose the automatic, and around 30% will opt for the drop top.  The Corvette – even the Z06 – has long been damned by the faint praise of being "good for the price". With the arrival of the seventh-generation Corvette in 2013, the car shed much of its gold-chain image, and the Z06 is one of the most focused and rewarding machines available at any price. And what a price. Starting at a skosh under $80,000, the Z06 is a performance-car steal.  Sceptics’ arguments will sound as worn as the Z06’s tires look.  If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Autos, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.
The track-ready variant of the Chevrolet sports car replicates the dynamics of $300,000 Italian exotics for an $80,000 outlay.