C6 Corvette ZR1 Supercharged Vette

The Corvette ZR1 is GM's greatest accomplishment! The numbers the Corvette ZR1 puts down make it hard to deny that. The ZR-1 and its cousin the Z06 look like other C6 Corvettes but they are more like genetic hybrids of the base model. This car may very well be the highest point Corvette will ever reach. With all the upcoming mileage and emissions regulations it looks like history is about to repeat itself!

Click here for 2009 Corvette ZR-1 Pictures

Click here for LS9 Engine Details Videos and Pictures

Where the basic run of the mill 430 HP car has fiberglass and plastic the ZR’s have exotic Carbon Fiber for body panels. Which is known for its great strength and light weight along with a real cost $. Most Carbon Fiber comes from overseas. The cost comes from its uses and its great benefits. Boeing is using it to construct the major components out of its new Dreamliner 787. The ZR-1 is really more airplane then car. The frame is aluminum, skin is carbon fiber, it has a supercharger like many WWII planes and has carbon brakes like almost all real airplanes and real race cars do. Ding, ding, ding, time out wait a minute! What do race cars and airplanes and a car like this do? I’ll give you a hint. I heard it from an esteemed knowledgeable professor of mine in Aviation School. You want to make a small fortune in Aviation son? Well yes of course anybody would, I say! Start with a large one he says! And here is my problem with this car I love it to pieces and would give a left something (you fill in the body part) for it but REALY $104000. I thought that the Corvette was the sports car for the common man. You know, you, me and Joe the Plummer down the street. If you got the money get on the list if you don’t there is hope! Check out the Mod section on this site.

Official Corvette ZR1 Announcement From GM

CORVETTE ZR1 BY THE NUMBERS Chevrolet announces performance results and pricing for the new ultimate-performance Corvette

DETROIT – The official Corvette ZR1 numbers are in and they’re good. Very good: • $103,300 MSRP (including $850 destination charge) • EPA-estimated fuel economy of 14 city and 20 highway • 0-60 mph in 3.4 seconds • 0-100 mph in 7.0 seconds • Quarter-mile elapsed time of 11.3 seconds at 131 mph

The Corvette ZR1 also has a top speed of 205 mph (330 km/h), making it the fastest Corvette ever produced and ranking it among the global super cars of commensurate performance. None of those other super cars, however, equals the ZR1’s performance-per-dollar ratio.

“The ZR1 is an incredible machine by any measure,” said Ed Peper, North American Vice President, Chevrolet. “There’s simply no other vehicle in the world that does a better job of balancing performance, price and fuel economy.”

Performance perspective The Corvette ZR1’s 0-60 performance is 0.3-second quicker than the already-quick Corvette Z06 and the 0-100-mph performance is nearly a full second quicker – 7 seconds vs. the Z06’s 7.9 seconds. It is performance that is equal to or better than many super cars costing substantially more.

“A favorable power-to-weight ratio gives the ZR1 an advantage over the competition and performance that has to be experienced to fully appreciate,” said Tom Wallace, Corvette chief engineer. “Of course, on a racetrack, drivers of competitors’ cars may appreciate the ZR1 in a whole different manner.”

And the racetrack isn’t the only place where the ZR1 trumps its super-car competitors – it beats them at the gas pump, too. According to fueleconomy.gov, the ZR1’s EPA-rated 14 city and 20 highway mileage ratings beat 2008 competitors such as the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano (11 city / 15 highway); the Lamborghini Murcielago (8 city / 13 highway) and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage (12 city / 19 highway). They’re competitive with the Dodge Viper (13 city / 22 highway) and the Porsche 911 GT3 (15 city / 22 highway).

Under the carbon-fiber hood A new LS9 6.2L supercharged small-block engine powers the ZR1’s performance capability. Heavy-duty and lightweight reciprocating components support high-rpm performance, while a new, sixth-generation supercharger (and complementing charge-cooling system) helps the LS9 make big power and torque across the rpm range. The engine is hand-assembled at GM’s Performance Build Center, in Wixom, Mich.

In addition to the LS9 engine, the ZR1 is a technology powerhouse, designed with lightweight and unique components that reinforce its performance with a confidant feel on either a highway or road course.

Options The standard ZR1 comes with accoutrements based on the Z06, including lightweight seats and lightweight content. The available uplevel interior package includes power-adjustable, heated and leather-trimmed sport seats (embroidered with the ZR1 logo); side air bags; Bose premium audio system; navigation system; Bluetooth connectivity; power telescoping steering column; custom leather-wrapped interior available in four colors and more. Chrome wheels are the only other available option on the ZR1. Detailed pricing noted below. - $103,300 Base MSRP including destination - $1,700 Gas guzzler tax - $10,000 Option package - $2,000 Chrome wheels

Corvette ZR1 Videos

ZR-1 Test Drive from Edmunds

Building the ZR-1 in Bowling Green