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January’s intense gaggle of collector-car auctions, including the mighty Barrett-Jackson, ate my life once again this year.

Plenty of face time and hundreds of miles of local driving are required to cover these events. But a gleaming 2006 Corvette made the going easy.

Plus, it took some of the sting out of the crazy-high auction prices for most of my wish-list cars, including the many vintage Corvettes.

Introduced for 2005, the sixth generation of Chevrolet’s iconic sports car is the best one yet. The C6 is faster, lighter, more maneuverable and more accommodating than ever. My test coupe, with 400 romping horsepower and a new six-speed automatic with race-car-style paddle shifters, hit the spot.

The big news for Corvette this year is the awesome ZO6 that churns out more than 500 horsepower from its 7-liter V-8, putting it among the world’s fastest exotic cars. But the base LS6 that I drove delivers enough power and excitement for all but the most addicted adrenalin junkies.

LS6 or ZO6, Corvette remains the greatest bargain in high-performance sports cars, selling for tens of thousands less than the competition. Even at $65,000, the Z06 looks pretty good compared with similar craft.

One of the best things about the new Corvettes is how well-constructed they feel, with none of the creaks or rattles that plagued earlier models. I previously drove an ’05 convertible, which also felt solid.

As my auction shuttlecraft, Corvette was subjected to rutted dirt parking lots, back-road shortcuts and high-speed freeway runs. Through it all, the coupe felt tight, composed and always a blast to drive.

PERFORMANCE: Corvette is like a summer storm: lightning acceleration accompanied by a thunderous roar. The 400 horses and 400 pound-feet of torque really launch this projectile.

Zero to 60 is a smidge over four seconds, GM says. For the latest ‘Vette, power was bumped up 50 horsepower and 50 pound-feet by going to 6 liters from 5.7 and tuning the intake and exhaust for freer flow. This roaring powerhouse also can chug through traffic without complaint.

The previous four-speed automatic was a squirrelly unit that blunted the power, but the new six-speed is a nice piece of work that provides immediate response while improving fuel mileage. Plus, the paddle shifter lets anyone feel like a Formula 1 driver.

DRIVABILITY: The test ‘Vette included a $1,500 performance handling package that’s a must-have, adding gigantic, perforated disk brakes, a lowered and stiffened suspension and performance tires to the already refined platform. The result is a car that hunkers down and dives into turns.

Among the electronic features is an active handling system, designed to keep the overzealous out of trouble, that is affective yet fairly unobtrusive.

Road noise rumbling off those fat rear tires can get annoying.

STYLING: The restyling for 2005 was a masterful makeover that made Corvette trimmer yet just as purposeful looking. Still an attention-grabber.

INTERIOR: The businesslike interior is quite roomy, even for too-tall drivers like myself, and includes all the expected comfort and convenience features.

Corvette coupes come with a removable roof panel, and the test car came with an optional transparent roof. Interesting but weird and probably too hot and glary for Phoenix drivers.

BOTTOM LINE: A superb update of an American classic, and well worth lusting after.

Pricing

Base price: $43,800.

Price as tested: $57,430.

OPTIONS

Package of luxury interior features, including premium audio and telescoping steering wheel, $4,795.

Performance handling package, $1,695.

Navigation system, $1,600.

Six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission, $1,250.

Transparent roof panel, $750.

OnStar system, $695.

Base price: $43,800.

Price as tested: $57,430.

OPTIONS

Package of luxury interior features, including premium audio and telescoping steering wheel, $4,795.

Performance handling package, $1,695.

Navigation system, $1,600.

Six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission, $1,250.

Transparent roof panel, $750.

OnStar system, $695.