I don’t know what I used to be anticipating to listen to — I used to be fairly bleary from a monster EV highway journey. However when the Chevrolet engineer stated “1,064 horsepower,” the phrases “holy shit” escaped my mouth. I actually strive to not give that type of suggestions, however the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 warrants it.
A four-figure horsepower quantity isn’t the unique province of sketchy tuner vehicles anymore; there are a handful of warrantied engines and electrical motor arrays making over a thousand horsepower, however principally they do it in vehicles that weigh as a lot as a full-size pickup or extra. The brand new ZR1 weighs 3670 kilos in coupe kind and 3758 kilos in convertible kind, which is inside round 100 kilos of a Porsche 911 Turbo S. This mega-powerful powerplant goes to dwell in a comparatively light-weight automobile, constructed by among the finest chassis engineers on the planet.
The ZR1’s energy determine is the headline, however issues get wilder as you dig by means of the remainder of the specs. The dual-turbocharged 5.5-liter LT7 V8 engine can even ship 828 pound-feet of torque, and it’s mated to a strengthened 8-speed dual-clutch automated sending energy to the rear wheels. Meaning it has 394 hp and 368 lb-ft greater than the naturally aspirated Z06, and 409 hp and 233 lb-ft greater than the E-Ray hybrid. It ought to run the quarter-mile in beneath 10 seconds on its option to a 215-mph prime velocity. Downforce at that prime velocity is at 1200 kilos.
Patrons who go for the track-intended ZTK package deal will get the large woven carbon-fiber wing you see on the yellow automobile above, plus carbon dive planes, Gurney lip and underbody strakes. Magnetic Journey springs are stiffer with the ZTK package deal, and as a substitute of the usual Pilot Sport 4S tires you get Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R rubber, pictured under with a look ahead to scale as a result of they’re fairly big, measuring 275/30ZR20 up entrance and 345/25ZR21 on the rear. You will get the aero items on the usual ZR1, however don’t.
The carbon-ceramic brakes have 15.7-inch rotors with six-piston calipers on the entrance and 15.4-inch discs with four-piston calipers on the rear. Chevy says the ZR1 will go from 80 mph to 200 mph and again to 80 in 24.5 seconds, 22 p.c faster than the C7 ZR1. Wheels can be found in aluminum, which might be painted in Edge Blue to match the engine cowl, or carbon fiber, which is to match all of the carbon fiber. To maintain issues cool, there are large carbon intakes on the hood and rear fenders, and on the coupe on the the rear hatch. The coupe additionally will get a cool split-window engine cowl, a design function final seen on the C2.
As Tadge Juechter stated whereas I walked across the ZR1 cutaway, we’re getting a glance now as a result of to do additional testing, the camo needed to come off. Anticipate to listen to extra unfathomable numbers from the ZR1 camp within the coming months, because the C8 ZR1 approaches its on-sale date someday in 2025. Earlier than you ask, no, we don’t know the way a lot it’ll value but.
For now, listed below are my pictures. PURPLE convertible!
