The 1,064-HP ZR1 Is Officially The Fastest Chevrolet Corvette Ever
The super-‘vette is a certified speed demon.
Chevrolet doesn’t yet need a hybrid powertrain to break its own output and speed records. The first top-tier ZR1 edition of the mid-engine, C8-generation Corvette has been officially announced as the quickest version of the famed American muscle car.
According to Car and Driver, Chevy announced that the super-‘vette will hit 60 mph in a literally breathtaking 2.3 seconds on non-race-prepped surfaces when equipped with the optional ZTK performance package, which features a stiffer suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires, and a carbon fiber aero kit. Without the ZTK factory upgrade, the standard ZR1 will blast to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, which ties it with the hybrid E-Ray, the quickest Corvette that C&D has ever tested. The ZTK-equipped ZR1 will also crash through a quarter mile in 9.6 seconds at 150 mph, while the standard car will do the same in 9.7 seconds at 152 mph.
This isn’t exactly a surprise to those who’ve been staying up to date on ZR1 news. Its “Gemini” twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 produces an almost unreasonable 1,064 horsepower at a screaming 7,000 RPM, along with 826 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 RPM. This isn’t just the most powerful ‘Vette ever, but the most powerful factory V8 ever produced in the United States.
Chevrolet previously revealed that this LT7 engine is based on the LT6 V8 that powers the C8-gen Z06. But there are number of upgrades and optimizations, including new head casings, a different valve-train timing profile, a new intake system, a CNC-machined combustion chamber, and, of course, two turbos. The transmission has also been tweaked to accommodate more power, with input shaft upgrades, the addition of extra control valves, and lengthened gears. Other standard features include body roll-mitigating Magnetic Ride dampers, a small spoiler, adjustable wickers, a carbon fiber front splitter, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires, and a flow-through hood that helps the Corvette achieve 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed.
Pricing will be revealed closer to the start of production in 2025, but C&D estimates that upcoming start at around $180,000 and top out at over $200,000.
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