New Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1

[Ned Flanders]

Click to see more pictures The ZR1’s 20-spoke alloy wheels — 19-inch diameter in front and 20 in the rear — and its carbon-fiber front splitter and rocker panels set it apart in the Corvette family.

The 2009 Corvette ZR1 is a flagship sports car that can match or outrun exotics worth several times its $103,000 base sticker, and yet proves smoother and more refined than any other Corvette in normal street driving. Powered by a spectacularly supercharged 638-horsepower version of the legendary Chevrolet small-block V8, and replete with leading-edge performance components, the ZR1 is definitely the new King-of-the-Hill Corvette.

Model Lineup

Ordering a new ZR1 is simple: You can only add a luxury package ($10,000) and chrome wheels ($2,000) to the well-equipped 1LZ base trim. The luxury package adds heated, 6-way power-adjustable sport seats with perforated leather and memory function. Leather gets wrapped over the dashboard, door panels and center console in a two-tone design. Also included in the lux-pack are seat-mounted side-impact airbags; power telescopic adjustment for the steering wheel; DVD-based navigation; a Bose premium 7-speaker stereo system; Bluetooth connectivity; a cargo cover and net. The total sticker, gas guzzler tax included, is $117,000.

View Pictures: Chevrolet Corvette ZR1

The ZR1’s chassis combines hydroformed aluminum beams with aluminum and magnesium structural components over a balsa-wood/carbon-fiber composite floor, much like the Corvette Z06. It has several more composite and carbon-fiber body panels than its sibling, though, including wider carbon-fiber front fenders with dual air vents that are a cool nod to the 1963 Sting Ray. The roof panel, front fascia splitter and thin moldings for the rocker panel are all in exposed carbon-fiber weave with a special GM-developed non-yellowing clear-coat expected to protect them for the life of the vehicle.

Spoiled in the braking department, the ZR1 arrives with standard Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes. The drilled discs are 15.5 inches in diameter in front and 15 inches in the rear, their blue calipers carrying six and four pistons, respectively. Designed to last the life of the vehicle (on the street), the new binders reduce unsprung weight by 11 pounds at each wheel — a boon to ride and handling. Unlike some other carbon-ceramic brakes, they don’t need to be warmed up, don’t squeal and won’t cover the 20-spoke alloy wheels with brake dust, thanks to organic-compound pads that contain no metal.

http://editorial.autos.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=612064&topart=newcarresearch

That is one Bad Ass Corvette

Only 2000 being produced, stickers at $117k.......Damn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:applause::applause::applause:

[ACW]

If I drove, and if I had the $$$$$, I'd get this. Look at the speedometer!

[kubstix]

Bad ass car. Corvettes sound crazy when you get on them. Doubt the top speed is 220....but I wouldn't be surprised if it hit 185-190.

[zoony]

That is a bad mama-jama!

Wondering who would pay $107k- but not be able to afford the luxury package. "no- can't afford $117. I can only pay $107"

Always funny to read about options when you get into these kind of prices.

[Reic]

I just ordered 2.

[SUSkinsFan]

I'm glad I can't afford that car. I'd be arrested for reckless driving within 20 minutes of getting it.

[Springfield]

That is my new favorite car. The thing is freaking sick. Out of this world. Ridiculous. Insane. Ferrari, get out of the way, a new king is here.

Damn straight it can get up to 220. It can get past 60 in first gear easily.

I saw one of these the other day when I was test driving a car for work. I took a (very horrible) picture of it with my cell phone. Nobody believed it was anything other than a Z06 Corvette.

The best part... "Jake"

[big#44]

you guys are late to the party. the viper acr already beat the zr1 and the new skyline on the nurburgring.

http://jalopnik.com/5042855/2009-dodge-viper-acr-steals-nrburgring-record-from-corvette-zr1-laps-in-722

and its cheaper, though not by much. lol im not bashing its a great car. dont get me wrong. but you cant call it the king. althought the zr1's top speed is 205 which is higher then the vipers. but dodge didnt really design the viper for top speed considers it gets 1000 pounds of downforce at 150 mph

[Kosher Ham]

Only 2000 made hmmm...

An actually investment. Likely already sold out. That's the crappy part.

I hate the way the Viper looks.

[edgun88]

Yea I hate the way the new vipers look too. The GTs are the only ones that look hot. I love the Z06 but this corvette body style doesn't really tickle my fancy in that picture above. I gotta see more.

[DCsportsfan53]

That's the in car video of the ZR1 beating the Nissan Skyline's production car lap record at the Nurburgring in Germany. ****ing beastly, I'll tell you what. This is on street tires no less, the speeds he's taking some of these corners at are just unreal. If you look carefully, too, at the end when he gets on the long straightaway, he doesn't even shift into 6th gear until he's already doing 170something mph :thud:

Everyone here knows I'm not an American car fan and while I've always appreciated what the Vette was, it was never, really, imo a true sports car because it was mostly a straight ahead vehicle. This thing is a completely different story, it does everything well. Mad props to the Chevy engineers on this car, it's probably the absolute best sports car for the dollar you're going to find out there.

[China]

From the link that was posted:

It doesn't come as much of a surprise, since the ACR is the most brutal version of the already-unforgiving Viper, whereas the ZR1 actually drives well on the road.

I'll take the one that "actually drives well on the road."

[MattGeorge85]

I went to the annual car show in Carlisle Pennsylvania this year. Naturally the ZR1 was the hot ticket. My dad probably won't get one until the insane demand dies down a bit (Much like when the Z06 came out- you can get those now for a steal). Here's some pictures for you all to enjoy....The car is beautiful.

In the new Charcoal metallic (don't know the correct name) color.

My pops getting a closer look.

[MattGeorge85]

Found a couple more...

Glad to find a thread where I could post the pictures.

[Winning Season Please!]

Bad ass car. Corvettes sound crazy when you get on them. Doubt the top speed is 220....but I wouldn't be surprised if it hit 185-190.

Damn straight it can get up to 220. It can get past 60 in first gear easily.

No, the top speed is 205. To get this figure they have to go one direction on a road/track and the go the opposite direction then average the speed. With a tail wind you could hit 210 but I think it stops you there. If you got past the computer you run out of gears at 217 I believe.

you guys are late to the party. the viper acr already beat the zr1 and the new skyline on the nurburgring.

http://jalopnik.com/5042855/2009-dodge-viper-acr-steals-nrburgring-record-from-corvette-zr1-laps-in-722

and its cheaper, though not by much. lol im not bashing its a great car. dont get me wrong. but you cant call it the king. althought the zr1's top speed is 205 which is higher then the vipers. but dodge didnt really design the viper for top speed considers it gets 1000 pounds of downforce at 150 mph

The ACR is not in the same class as the Vette (and the vette is not designed for top speed either). The ACR is a Viper that is made into a barley legal track car. You DO NOT want to drive this on the road whereas the Vette is made for the road. Compare the ZR1 to the 'non' ACR Viper and you have your "apples to apples" look.

BTW...the ZR1's time on the ring is faster than Porche Cerrera GT, their 1/4 million $ super car!!!

[big#44]

i agree the viper is a drivers car. i guess you have to be a driver to appreciate it. no esp, no tcs. you can do whatever you want in the car with no driver aids. i like that. oh and btw, dodge has challenged gm to put the zr1 up against the viper a couple times and they always refuse.

[Winning Season Please!]

i agree the viper is a drivers car. i guess you have to be a driver to appreciate it. no esp, no tcs. you can do whatever you want in the car with no driver aids. i like that. oh and btw, dodge has challenged gm to put the zr1 up against the viper a couple times and they always refuse.

No the ACR Viper is a race car and the ZR1 is a everything car. The ZR1 vs Viper will happen soon enough. Won't be much of a challenge. I have seen some tests where they still choose the Z06 over the Viper because it is so unfriendly.

[SkinsOrlando]

I just ordered 2.

Then you called to back out of the deal because it turns out you didnt have the money.

[big#44]

No the ACR Viper is a race car and the ZR1 is a everything car. The ZR1 vs Viper will happen soon enough. Won't be much of a challenge. I have seen some tests where they still choose the Z06 over the Viper because it is so unfriendly.

oh ok. last time i checked you cant carry a family of 4/5 in a corvette. or 200 bucks worth of grocerys. it is not an everything car. turbo 4 bangers are everything cars. the mercedes m3 is a very fast everything car. the corvette is a sports car whether you want to admit or not. its a car douche bags buy when they need to show off their social status (not saying all owners are douche bags). the viper is a drivers car, a racers car. someone who loves to drive, and not someone who just wants to go to the track once a year and show off their rims. mind you the viper is still under 100 grand, while the zr1 is well over.

and magazine tests are biased. anyone who pays attention and knows anything about cars can see that. car and driver and those magazines are in love with gm right now. they cant do wrong according to those writers, while anyone with any reading comprehension and common sense can see the bias.

oh and i wouldnt hold my breath on gm accepting the challenge.

[Sandman69]

oh ok. last time i checked you cant carry a family of 4/5 in a corvette. or 200 bucks worth of grocerys. it is not an everything car.

It definitely isn't an everything car, but it can hold $200 worth of groceries I had a 94 I bought used in 96. The back is surprisingly roomy. LoL, and to add to it, I have driven a bunch of drunk friends home in it one night. 3 in the front (counting me) and 2 in the back. Granted they weren't very comfortable, but I sure was

[MattGeorge85]

I'm going to interject just a meager opinion regarding Corvette ZR1 vs. Viper ACR.

First of all I will base my opinion on cars my father actually owns. At this time he does not have the new Corvette ZR1 or the new Viper ACR (eventually I'm sure he will).

What he does have is a 2000 Viper GTS ACR and 2005 Corvette Z51.

He will tell you (I and can completely verify this) that yes. The Viper is a racers car. The Corvette is an excellent car and much more refined, feels almost like a Cadillac compared to the Viper. This isn't a bad thing, in the sense that it is much more forgiving. You have to work and really pay attention while driving the Viper at all times. Because it can get away from you. Though this hasn't happened to us the feel of the cars aren't remotely similar.

I can't speak for the new vehicles as we don't have them, but the ones we do are very fun, each in their own way and do provide somewhat of a basis of comparison. I am very much looking forward to getting some quality time with both of the new editions of the vehicles but since my dad works at Corvette dealership part time, the ZR1 will likely come first and those ACR's are harder to find.

Bottom line IMHO: ACR- Race car , Corvette: Very refined sports car. You have to treat them as such. Have no idea which would be faster with the new editions. But the Viper we have would beat the Corvette we have hands down, and it wouldn't be all that close. Of cource drivers skill can always be a factor.

[big#44]

I'm going to interject just a meager opinion regarding Corvette ZR1 vs. Viper ACR.

First of all I will base my opinion on cars my father actually owns. At this time he does not have the new Corvette ZR1 or the new Viper ACR (eventually I'm sure he will).

What he does have is a 2000 Viper GTS ACR and 2005 Corvette Z51.

He will tell you (I and can completely verify this) that yes. The Viper is a racers car. The Corvette is an excellent car and much more refined, feels almost like a Cadillac compared to the Viper. This isn't a bad thing, in the sense that it is much more forgiving. You have to work and really pay attention while driving the Viper at all times. Because it can get away from you. Though this hasn't happened to us the feel of the cars aren't remotely similar.

I can't speak for the new vehicles as we don't have them, but the ones we do are very fun, each in their own way and do provide somewhat of a basis of comparison. I am very much looking forward to getting some quality time with both of the new editions of the vehicles but since my dad works at Corvette dealership part time, the ZR1 will likely come first and those ACR's are harder to find.

Bottom line IMHO: ACR- Race car , Corvette: Very refined sports car. You have to treat them as such. Have no idea which would be faster with the new editions. But the Viper we have would beat the Corvette we have hands down, and it wouldn't be all that close. Of cource drivers skill can always be a factor.

good comparison. what people tend to forget about the new cars is that the zr1 has more power then the viper. so you think that would be harder to manage on the street.

[MattGeorge85]

Yes it does appear that the Corvette does have more horsepower than the Viper ACR 620 vs 600 and 595 pounds of torque vs 560.. It is a most impressive feat.

I won't say that the difference is negligible but IMO the better driver would win a race between the two vehicles. The suspensions and handling are so different that each could cater to one's strengths. It's a great time to be a car enthusiast. Both these cars are fine achievements to thier prospective makers and should be celebrated.

[MattGeorge85]

Additionally for the Corvette enthusiast, a kick ass exhaust.

Well of course this would be a matter of opinion. However if you want to hear the deep rumble that is reminiscent of the old school stompers go no further than www.bbexhaust.com Billy Boat Bullet exhaust is by far the best sounding C-6 Corvette exhuast i have ever heard. While nothing will sound like a big block with side pipes, this set will get instant respect.

The Corvette sales stand we worked at Carlisle this past year was right next to the exhaust installation area. Borla, Magnaflow, Dynomax, etc. all had tents, where exhaust would be purchased and then installed on the spot for free. Not a bad deal. All of those exhaust brands sounded respectable. None of them were scrub by any means. However knowing what the Bullet sounded like, I couldn't figure out why they didn't have a B B set up at the car convention.

By the way I don't work for them, hell I'd never even heard of them until my pops got it done and brought it home. Sweeeet. Just in case someone wants to upgrade.

[big#44]

the deeper you dig into the perfomance world the more you learn that a name brand doesnt always mean its the best. sometimes a shop on the corner can make you the best part rather then a factory in japan.