Arise, for the King of the Hill has returned. And to make sure it takes its crown, the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is packing what’s said to be America’s most powerful production V8 engine ever made.
The Corvette ZR1’s twin-turbo, 5.5-litre flat-plane crank V8 gets an 8,000rpm red line, and produces up to 1,049bhp and 1,123Nm of torque – compared to 670bhp and 623Nm of torque in the naturally aspirated Z06 – which also makes this the most powerful Corvette production yet.
It’s the fastest too, with a quarter-mile time of less than 10 seconds and top speed of more than 215mph. All that power is sent to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, which had to be modified in order to withstand the four-figure power output.
The Corvette ZR1 also gets a new braking system with 400mm front and 390mm rear carbon-ceramic rotors. Aerodynamic tweaks include the ‘flow-through hood’ that increases downforce at the front, new side air intakes for cooling the rear brakes and smooth underbody to help minimise drag. The optional ZTK package adds a massive rear wing, plus a Gurney flap, front dive planes, stiffer springs and more aggressive tyres.
The Corvette ZR1 also marks the return of the split rear window, which featured on the Corvette C2 in 1963. It’s a small detail, but Chevrolet’s executive design director Phil Zak said they “didn’t approach this decision lightly.” His team understands it is “a beloved element from Corvette’s history.”
It’s functional too, as the carbon-fibre spine provides increased heat extraction from the engine compartment. The ZR1 also gets a carbon fibre roof to reduce weight and lower the centre of gravity. A unique set of aluminium wheels are standard fit, while optional carbon-fibre rims can reduce unsprung mass by almost 20kg.
The new Corvette ZR1 will enter production in 2025 and be available as either a coupe or convertible. It will be built at the same plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky as the regular Corvette Stingray, Corvette Z06 and hybrid Corvette E-Ray. UK availability is currently unconfirmed.
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