Chevy Corvette ZR1: A fast history of the fastest Corvette

Jul 25, 2024 23:35

History is full of fast Corvettes, but for decades, the absolute most intense road-going Corvettes have borne the ZR1 name. And this year, Chevy has introduced the latest in the line, the 2025 Corvette ZR1. It's the most powerful one ever, with features never before seen on the model. You can read all about it in our main feature story, but the ZR1's history is worth its own look. That's what you'll find here, with an overview of all five ZR1 generations, plus some interesting facts related to them.

ZR1s past and present First-gen 1970-1972 C3 ZR-1:

A "Special Purpose Engine Package" intended for racing, not a standalone model. Upgraded mechanicals like brakes and suspension; omitted power steering, air conditioning, radio, and wheel covers. Engine: Reworked LT1 350-cubic-inch V8 with a four-barrel carburetor. Put out 370 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 380 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm. Not the most powerful trim in the lineup; a 454-c.i. LS5 option got 390 hp. Specs: 0-60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds, quarter-mile in 14.2 seconds at 102 mph, 3,285 pounds. Price: $968.95 on top of the $5,192 base Corvette coupe price. Production: 53, coupe and convertible, four-speed manual only. Note: The only ZR-1 so far to come near the beginning of a generation; the C3 launched in 1968. A Car and Driver review at the time said, "The present Corvette will doubtlessly be the last front-engine model," predicting a mid-engined coupe by 1972 (the C3 retired in 1982). Chevrolet's then-GM John DeLorean "pronounced the mid-engine version must be a functional sports/GT car, weighing in the neighborhood of 2600 lbs. and containing an engine of about 400 cu. in." Second-gen 1990-1995 C4 ZR-1:

The RPO ZR1 option effectively created a different car. Engine: New all-aluminum 5.7-liter, 32-valve, quad-cam LT5 V8 designed by Lotus in England, built by Mercury Marine in Oklahoma. 375 hp and 380 lb-ft. That was 125 hp and 40 lb-ft over the standard Corvette. The air management system could deactivate eight of the sixteen intake runners and fuel injectors to satisfy fuel economy requirements. Tires: Goodyear Eagle GS-C 275/40 ZR 17 in front, 315/35 ZR 17 in back. The just-launched Lamborghini Diablo wore 245/40 ZR 17 tires in front, 335/35 ZR 17 in back. Specs: 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds, 13.13 quarter mile at 110 mph, 180-mph top speed, skidpad 0.93 G, 3,465 pounds. Price: $58,995 — the $27,016 option price on top of the $31,979 base coupe MSRP. In 1991 the ZR-1 option price jumped to $31,000, making the ZR-1 the first GM product to cost more than $60,000. Production: 6,939, all six-speed manual coupes. Note: The C4 ZR-1 broke records, birthed a legend, and by the end of its run the 405-hp LT5 V8 was the first mass-produced V8 engine rated over 400 hp in the post-smog era. Third-gen 2009-2013 C6 ZR1 ('now hyphenless, kids!'):

A dedicated model, the fastest, most powerful, most expensive model GM had ever built. Engine: Highly modified LS3 called the LS9 — a supercharged, 6.2-liter, pushrod V8 with 638 horsepower and 604 pound-feet of torque, 208 horsepower more than the base Corvette, 133 horsepower more than the Z06. Specs: 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds, quarter mile in 11.5 seconds at 128.3 mph, 205-mph top speed, skidpad 1.05g, 3,350 pounds. Price: $105,000, compared to $47,895 for a base coupe and $30,055 add-on for the Z06. Production: 4,684. Coupe, six-speed manual only. Note: Was the literal answer to the real-life question, "Geez, if that's what you can do with $60,000 [for the Z06], I wonder what a $100,000 Corvette would look like?" Fourth-gen 2019 C7 ZR1:

A one-year-only send-off for the front-engine Corvette. Engine: Upgraded version of the Z06's supercharged LT5 6.2-liter pushrod V8. It featured a larger supercharger and intercooler, additional radiators and an output of 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque. That was an increase of 105 horsepower and 65 pound-feet of torque over the Z06. Specs: 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds at 134 mph, 212-mph top speed, 3,560 pounds (coupe). Price: $120,990 Note: This generation of the ZR1 was available with either an automatic or manual transmission, as well as both targa and convertible body styles. This was the first time since the original ZR-1 that the two body styles were on offer. Another neat fact: Chevy put a hole in the already larger hood to accommodate the bigger supercharger and intercooler. Fifth-gen 2025 C8 ZR1:

The first mid-engine ZR1, the first turbocharged turbocharged ZR1, the first with a flat-plane crankshaft, and the first to crest 1,000 horsepower. Engine: Twin-turbo 5.5-liter LT7 V8. It's derived from the DOHC, flat-plane crank-equipped V8 from the C8.R racecar and Z06 street car, but with a pair of turbochargers. It makes 1,064 horsepower and 828 pound-feet of torque — an insane 394 horsepower more than the Z06. Specs: Specific acceleration times haven't been announced, but Chevy estimates under 10 seconds for the quarter-mile and a top speed above 215 mph. Price: TBD Note: This is the last Corvette that will have been worked on by legendary Corvette engineer Tadge Juechter.

ZR1 spotter's guide: From wallflower to war hammer

The C3 ZR-1 hid its fancy bits inside, and was indistinguishable from the regular Stingray. The C4 ZR-1 had a wider rear with a convex fascia and rounded-square taillights, rectangular exhaust tips, and a CHMSL at the top of the rear hatch. C6 ZR1 flourishes like the hood's polycarbonate window, twin gills on the front fenders, carbon brakes and CF roof make it unmistakable. The C7 ZR1 can only be confused with the kind of mortal threat usually plastered with "BEWARE OF" signs. The C8 takes after the ZR1 with massive vents and other aero aids. It even revives the split-window look from the C2 with heat extractors down the middle of the rear window.

A suspension's bumpy road

In 1988 GM engineers worked with Lotus and Bilstein on an Active Handling system for the C4 ZR1 that would measure "speed, tire load, steering, throttle, and several other inputs into a complex algorithm" to adjust twin hydraulic dampers on the fly. Bilstein had helped develop the active suspension on the Porsche 959, and Lotus' Formula 1 team had been working on Active Suspension since 1981.

GM built 25 prototypes in 1989 to test the system, but Active Handling wouldn't jibe with 1980s technology and production-car requirements. Problems included electrical interference, insufficient responsiveness, the system's 300-pound weight, and a 5-hp draw to run the 2,200-psi, belt-driven hydraulic pump. Furthermore, boutique bits like Moog actuators jacked up the price; at one point GM planned on making Active Handling a $39,000 option on top of the C4 ZR-1's price.

GM walked away from that to develop the Selective Ride FX3 suspension, still a notable advance. However, engineers applied the C4 ZR-1 lessons and new technology to the Active Handling on the C5 Corvette, and the now-familiar magnetorheological suspension that's still good enough for the C7 and C8 ZR1s.

From Blues Brothers to space

The C6 ZR1 engine bay featured an embossed Jake on the intake snorkel, as a nod to the Corvette Racing Team. Some trivia: One of Jake's origin stories says he's named after the "Blues Brothers" character. The stylized blue version of Jake seen on C6 ZR1 mules and prototypes was "Blue Devil" Elwood, "Blue Devil" being the development code name for the C6 ZR1.

The C8 ZR1 hides an engine bay secret, too. There's a little rocket on the engine (and on the Z06's) since the twin-cam engine family is named Gemini, like the NASA space program of the same name. The mythological roots of Gemini refer to twins, and we wonder if part of the name selection had to do with the engine architecture being double-overhead cam, also referred to as "twin cam."

Keep it down back there

Chevrolet says the manually adjustable High Wing in the ZTK Performance Package for the C7 ZR1 produces up to 950 pounds of rear downforce at speed. The new C8 ZR1 ZTK Package produces a combined 1,200 pounds. The Big Wing on the 2016 Dodge Viper ACR collected 1,500 pounds of downforce at 150 mph. The Bugatti Chiron rear wing produces 772 pounds of rear downforce at 236 mph; in full 49-degree airbrake mode the Chiron wing presses nearly 2,000 pounds on the rear axle.

Killing Vipers

The C4 ZR-1 needed major surgery to beat the original Viper (admittedly, the original Viper was little more than two seats and four wheels bolted to an explosion). Chevrolet engineer and race driver John Heinricy created the so-called "Snake Skinner" ZR-1 by practically gutting a C4 ZR-1 interior, tweaking the engine, and swapping stock parts throughout for lighter parts.

The C6 ZR1 needed no operations, winning every comparo that didn't involve a Viper ACR, and that judged anything other than raw personality.

And in the end, the 'Vette won the war, as the Viper's gone, but the Viper leaves one last legacy. The Viper ACR's 7:01.30 Nürburgring time still stands as the fastest lap by an American production car. The C7 ZR1 never got its shot at setting a record, so the task will fall to the new C8 version.

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Chevy Corvette ZR1: A fast history of the fastest Corvette