With 1,064 horsepower, you’d expect the Chevy Corvette ZR1 to be quick…and you aren’t wrong.
When Chevrolet first introduced the C8 generation ZR1 last summer, it came with an absolute torrent of mind-bending numbers. Beyond the headline power figure, the fastest ZR1 ever manages a similarly massive 828 lb-ft of torque and a top speed of 233 mph. Oh, and it’ll do 0-60 in a scant 2.3 seconds, like you do. It can be a bit tough to wrap your head around those numbers — and we haven’t had an opportunity to drive it, so we’re right there with you. To that end, the automaker announced some of this Corvette’s latest achievements, including not one, not two, but five lap records around some of America’s most iconic tracks.
The Corvette ZR1’s engineering team aimed to throw down against the world’s high-performance hypercars with a slate of track records. To that end, they took a preproduction unit to Road America, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen and Virginia International Raceway to show, without a shadow of doubt, that they aren’t screwing around with this car. And they succeeded with the following record-breaking times:
- Road Atlanta – 1:22.8 (Chris Barber, Lead Development Engineer)
- Virginia International Raceway Full Course – 1:47.7 (Aaron Link, Global Vehicle Performance Manager)
- Virginia International Raceway Grand Course – 2:32.3 (also Aaron Link)
- Watkins Glen – 1:52.7 (Bill Wise, Lead Performance Engineer, Chassis Controls)
- Road America – 2:08.6 (Brian Wallace, Lead Vehicle Dynamics Engineer)
Last year, the development team also fleshed out the ZR1’s top speed in Germany.
The particular test car they used had the optional ZTK package to add in more aggressive aerodynamics including a high-downforce rear wing, front dive planes and a tall hood Gurney lip made from woven carbon fiber. The suspension tuning also incorporates stiffer front springs, and the standard high-performance rubber is swapped out for Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R ZP tires.
Naturally, this sort of performance doesn’t come cheap. Chevy’s always marketed the Corvette as a relative performance bargain against European exotics, and with a starting MSRP of $174,995 for the 1LZ, it’s tough to argue that point. Even the top-end 3LZ tops out at $185,995 with the convertible commanding another $10,000 premium (assuming you can get one at MSRP, of course).
