When it comes to muscle cars, the recent trend in Detroit has been to resurrect names from the past and give their retro designs a fresh, modern spin. While some are more successful than others the
Dodge Challenger and the
Ford Mustang are notably more faithful to their original looks than the
Dodge Charger, for example auto manufacturers show no signs of stopping.
For
Chevrolet, the Corvette has enjoyed something of a renaissance over the past ten years, going from also-ran to world beater in the blink of an eye. The company decided to add a little historical shine to the next special edition of the Vette by adding three little letters to the name: ZR1. This designation has belonged to some of the most sought after and highest performing Corvettes ever to leave Bowling Green, Kentucky. The most recent ZR1 took its final bow in the mid 90s, and was true to the heritage of its predecessors. It is no surprise then that the 2009
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is set to outperform even the vaunted Corvette Z06.
The Z06 is the current high performance version of the already exciting base model Corvette. Better handling and a larger motor help raise the Z06 above its brother, and the only way to tell the two apart is through small changes in exterior design. Even though the Z06 is a more than potent performer, constant brinksmanship between GM,
Dodge and
Ford has raised the upper limit on the horsepower war.
Chevrolet needed a vehicle which could compete with the new Viper as well as the Mustang GT500. With the new Camaro coming in to fill the lower end of the performance spectrum, a more powerful Corvette was the obvious answer.
The 620 horsepower LS9 V8 under the hood of the Corvette ZR1 is the most powerful engine ever developed for street use by
Chevrolet. The small block V8 sends 595 lb feet of torque to the pavement through a 6 speed manual transmission. Eaton came up with a Roots-type supercharger specifically designed for the LS9, with a wider than normal power band and a charge cool system designed more to improve the reliability of the system than to add any extra power. Given the tendency of manufacturers to under-rate their forced-induction motors, there is no doubt even more power to be tapped inside this package.
The ZR1 shares its carbon fiber body materials with the Z06 and the base model Corvette, but adds a transparent panel made of polycarbonate to the hood of the car so that pedestrians can take a gander at your engine while you are idling at a stop light. All of that horsepower would be useless without stopping power to match, and the ZR1 maintains the Z06s reputation as a Corvette fit for the track by adding carbon ceramic brakes and magnetic ride control that allows the driver to control the firmness of the vehicles suspension. The ZR1 rides on 20 inch wheels in the rear and 19 inch wheels in the front.
The Corvette has always been General Motors halo car, and there were times when this became problematic for other divisions that wanted to put out their own high performance models. By separating the Corvette into 3 tiers,
Chevrolet has been able to address more than one segment of the market without having to re-establish 2 additional brands. The base model Vette manages to retain the image of the attainable sports car for the American working-class, while the Z06 and ZR1 offer Italian super car level performance at a much lower price point. This combination is likely to lure many first time buyers into
Chevrolet showrooms.
LS9 Supercharged V8 with 620+ hp (l00hp/l)
Unique Hood - Visible Carbon fiber inside / painted outside -
Raised with window to view engine
Roof and Roof Bow with visible carbon fiber
Ceramic brakes - Brembo - 394 mm (15.5) front / 380 mm (15) rear
Brake pads are among largest for.a production car @ 148 sq. cm.
Wheels 20 spoke - Sterling Silver or Chrome 19x10 front 20x12 rear
Michelin Pilot Sport 2 ZP - 285/30-19 front and 335/25-20 rear
Carbon Fiber Fenders - Wider with Unique dual cove design
Front Splitter in visible carbon fiber
Rocker extensions In visible carbon fiber
Unique design body color full width Spoiler
Badges - Fender, rear fascia, and cluster
Seat Embroidery and Sill Plates with logo
Boost gauge in cluster and HUD
Magnetic Selective Ride Control with Track level suspension
Variable Ratio Power Steering
Unique VIN sequence
Images were reprinted with permissions from original author Matt Duxbury! Content was written by Benjamin Hunting for www.sport-cars.org only and you MAY NOT copy, distribute or use this page's content for any commercial or non-commerical purpose without written permission of this site owner and photos authors!
May 1, 2008, 3:12 pm
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