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Chevrolet's ZR1 makes 1,064 horsepower from a twin-turbo V8 that revs to 8,000 rpm
The ZR1 laps the Nürburgring in 6:50 and hits 60 mph in 2.2 seconds, and a reviewer who lived with one for four days calls it a great car.
The numbers
The ZR1 produces 1,064 horsepower and 828 lb-ft of torque from a 5.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V8 that revs to 8,000 rpm [1]. It completed a 6 minute 50 second lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife [1]. If you are shopping for a Corvette, those are the figures that define the top of the range.
In Car and Driver's testing, the ZR1 reached 60 mph in 2.2 seconds, and the ZR1X did it in 2.1 [2]. The Porsche 911 Turbo gets there in 2.0 seconds, slightly quicker than both [2].
What is different under the hood
The LT7 engine has a different intake setup, a secondary port fuel-injection system, unique pistons and connecting rods, and new CNC-machined cylinder heads compared with the Z06's LT6 [2].
The ZR1 is typically the final variant of a Corvette generation [3]. Chevrolet broke that pattern with the C8 generation by introducing the ZR1X afterward [3]. The ZR1X uses the front-mounted electric motor from the Corvette E-Ray, amped up to 186 horsepower, for a combined output of 1,250 hp [2].
Four days in an orange convertible
The author drove a Sebring Orange ZR1 convertible for four days [1]. Strangers stopped what they were doing to watch the car pass, and people who had shown no interest in cars asked about it [1]. Bystanders did not assume the author was wealthy; they simply liked the car [1].
The author considers the ZR1 a great car, one of the few great cars among many good ones [1].
Design and aero choices
The ZR1's lower stance, punched-out fenders, carbon-fiber-adorned chin, and aggressive nose radiator vent draw attention and signal that the car is different from a Stingray [1]. The author previously criticized the Corvette generation's design as busy and overcompensating, and says the ZR1's form and function now click [1].
The tested ZR1 Convertible had the standard Low-Drag setup, with a small rear spoiler, front splitter, and rocker moldings [3]. The optional ZR1 Carbon Fiber Aero Package costs $10,495 [3]. It adds a massive rear wing, dive planes, and a taller hood spoiler for track use [3].
The convertible uses a power-retractable hardtop that adds 88 pounds [3]. The ZR1 Coupe brings back the split rear window from the C2 generation [3].
Packages and model year
Every Corvette, including the ZR1, received a new interior for the 2026 model year [3]. The 2027 ZR1 and ZR1X carry over with no changes from the prior year [2].
The ZTK Performance package adds track-focused suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires, a high-downforce rear wing, and carbon-ceramic rotors with ten-piston front and six-piston rear calipers [2]. A Stars & Steel Limited Edition package is available for $9,995 and is expected to be extremely rare [3].
What it means for you
If you are weighing a ZR1, the EPA rates it at 12 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, and 14 mpg combined [2]. It carries a limited warranty of 3 years or 36,000 miles [2].
Car and Driver says a set of golf clubs fits in the trunk, and two carry-on suitcases fit in the rear compartment [2]. Because the 2027 model carries over unchanged, the details above apply to it [2].
Sources
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