Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1, supercharging the already supercharged

Taking a deep breath and staying calm is what anyone would surely need when facing the long-awaited official unveiling of the Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1 with data and photos, because the amount of rumours, speculation and spy material surrounding this car over the previous months has been extremely abundant.

If there is a polycarbonate window in the middle of the bonnet made of carbon fibre to show the supercharger that will accompany the LS9 engine, and if there is a carbon fibre roof, that starts to confirm widespread and plausible beliefs, but the details that make this car special do not stop there by any means. On the outside, the differences with the C6 and the Z06 are numerous, such as a new widened front bumper made lighter through the use of carbon fibre, or the prominent air vents behind the front axle on the sides that help cool the carbon-ceramic disc brakes (and why not… to command respect).

Similarly, the wings have been perforated to help airflow over the rear axle, and a small, sinuous spoiler has been fitted to the tail to give more downforce to the rear end and stop the more than 600 horsepower from getting out of hand and burning excessive rubber in certain situations.

It shares the exotic Z06 chassis, using carbon fibre and magnesium in some of its parts, but the model has gained almost 100 kg, bringing its not inconsiderable weight to 1,519 kg. The good news is that the extra weight has been put in the right place: the engine has been lowered to reduce the centre of gravity (which the aforementioned carbon fibre roof also helps with) and the battery has been moved to the boot to improve weight distribution.

Standard equipment will include the Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension (which, if my memory serves me right, is also shared with the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano); this suspension will have Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tyres fitted to it, mounted on 19-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch at the rear, whose design was inspired by the racing Corvette C6.R.

But let’s get serious: this car is not just adorable for its looks and its name, it is especially so for its mechanics. That mechanical package is the new 6.2-litre supercharged LS9 V8, in which between 620 and 650 horsepower gallop (this will be confirmed precisely later on), delivering a peak torque of 823 Nm, so expect neck pain if you plan to ride in one. To manage this potential there will be a six-speed Tremec TR6060 manual gearbox with a twin-disc clutch.

Performance figures have not been released either, but given its credentials and its philosophy of “more track than street” it is clear that indifference to them is not what the ZR-1 is after. In short, and to finish, rest assured that we are looking at a flagship and a beast that will set a new benchmark in the future; that is what the ZR-1 is and will be.

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Via | Motorpasión