The Chevrolet C8 Corvette ZR1 is more than just the most powerful version of the iconic sports car.
The Detroit automaker has just revealed that the high-performance variant will be able to rocket from zero to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds. That time is 0.2 seconds quicker than the hybrid C8 E-Ray, making the ZR1 the quickest ‘Vette in the nameplate’s 71-year history.
Are you curious how that acceleration will carry over to the drag strip? Chevy has also shared that ZR1 can cover the quarter-mile in just 9.6 seconds at 150 mph. That’s nowhere near as quick as an NHRA Top Fuel dragster—which can run the same distance in under four seconds—but it will beat most other street-legal vehicles at your next track day.
The ZR1 will need to be equipped with the optional ZTK Performance package in order to reach its full potential. The kit includes front drive planes, underbody strakes, a Gurney flap, a rather large rear wing and a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires. But the variant is still pretty quick without the add-ons, able to hit 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and cover the quarter-mile in 9.7 seconds at 152 mph on 93 octane pump fuel.
These numbers shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to anyone who has followed the C8 ZR1’s development. The first turbocharged Corvette is powered by a crackling 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 that generates a staggering 1,064 hp and 828 ft lbs of torque. That output beats that of the previous most powerful Corvette, the C7 ZR1, by over 300 hp and 100 ft lbs of torque. In October, Chevy revealed that the model can reach a top speed of 233 mph. Not only does that speed make the car the fastest Corvette, it also makes it the fastest series production vehicle ever built by an American automaker.
Production of the C8 ZR1 is expected to start early next year. General Motors has yet to announce a price, but as the new range-topping Corvette it will not be cheap. It wouldn’t be that much of a surprise if it ends up costing close to double the E-Ray’s $106,900 starting price, especially if you opt for the ZTK Performance package.
