New Corvette ZR1 is here - the most powerful and fastest ‘Vette yet
Producing over 1,000 horsepower the new C8 Corvette ZR1 is America’s most powerful and fastest V8 car ever.
At 1,064hp the V8 in the new Corvette ZR1 is not only the most powerful produced by an American manufacturer, but it allows the new ‘Vette to lay claim to the title of the fastest Corvette Chevrolet has produced, too. And there’s not a single electric motor in sight, although there is a pair of sizable turbochargers.
This colossus of a motor is built upon the ‘LT6’ Geminni V8 found in the current Corvette C8 ZO6, but such are the changes it gains a new LT7 nomenclature. Which isn’t a bad place to start considering the 670bhp LT6 was the most powerful naturally aspirated V8 Chevrolet has produced.
There are new cylinder heads with unique inlet and exhaust ports and larger CNC machined combustion chambers, the valve timing has been optimised and the lift profile is new to suit the engine’s forced induction allowing for higher exhaust temperatures. The intake system is all new, too.
Those turbochargers are 76mm mono-scroll units integrated in the new exhaust manifold and an intelligent anti-lag system has been developed, too. Lighter pistons unique to the LT7 have been developed along with new con-rods and crank, all of which have been counterbalanced to a far higher level of precision than in the LT6 for optimum running at such high outputs. It runs a 9.7:1 compression ratio.
The results are simply spectacular: 1,064bhp arrives at 7,000rpm with 828lb ft of torque landing at 6,000rpm. The ZR1 has a dry weight of 1,665kg in coupe form (a convertible is also available weighing 1,705kg). That peak power figure is more than the output of two LS7 engines combined.
All this performance is sent to the rear wheels(!) via a modified version of the Corvette’s eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, albeit with refinements made to the final drive ratio.
Adaptive Magnetic Ride underpins the chassis, with a double wishbone setup using forged upper and cast lower aluminium wishbones at the front and rear. A rear anti-roll bar is fitted, too.
The optional ZTK package includes stiffer springs and a higher downforce rear wing, to accompany the ZR1’s standard carbon fibre battle dress of splitters, brake cooling ducts and aero-winglets. The ZTK package also replaces the standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyre with a Sport Cup 2 R for the staggered 20 and 21-inch, front and rear, wheels. Carbon wheels are an option and reduce unsprung mass by 19kg.
Carbon-ceramic brakes with 400mm front and 390mm rear discs are standard, with six and four-piston calipers front and rear. Naturally, the ZR1 requires some aerodynamic support and all the carbon-flicks, splitters and wings combine to generate 544kg for downforce at 215mph, the car’s maximum speed.
