Yahoo Autos Our Six Favorite Facts about the 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
215+ MPH Top Speed:
Achieving more than 200 mph in any car is no small feat, but according to Chevy, the ZR1's estimated top speed is in excess of 215 mph. Stability is paramount to reaching figures in that range. There's a lot more to reaching those speeds safely than simply throwing as much horsepower as you can produce at the road. If you've ever crossed into triple-digit speeds in an unstable car, you'll know what we mean.
In its standard form, the ZR1 comes with a sleek body and low drag setup. The spoiler at the rear can be adjusted between short and tall positions, while the front of the car is stuck to the road with a carbon fiber front splitter and front underwing complete with gurney deflectors. Opting for the more aggressive ZTK package adds dive planes and a gurney lip on the hood. Underbody strakes replace the standard underbody componentry, while the real magic comes from the massive rear wing. With everything together, the car generates more than 1200 pounds of downforce at top speed.
All-New LT7 V-8:
Chevy's engineers probably could have slapped a pair of turbochargers on the LT6 5.5-liter V-8 from the Z06 and called it a day. That would've had them home in time for dinner. Instead, they put their heads down and developed a monster. The LT7 (that's the new name) adds new head castings with unique ports and a larger combustion chamber. There's an all-new intake system tuned for the twin turbochargers along with additional machining for the head and block to support additional oil and cooling needs. At 1064 horsepower, the LT7 produces more than twice as much power as the C6-generation Z06's 7.0-liter V-8.
Turbocharged Power:
The ZR1 marks the first Corvette to ever leave the Bowling Green assembly plant equipped with a boost gauge in the cockpit. Along with the gauge, Chevy sent along some pretty hyperbolic-sounding claims about the turbocharger system. According to Chevy, the turbochargers reach a temperature equivalent to a space shuttle on re-entry, and the turbines consume enough air to fill an Olympic swimming pool in just four minutes. We never used those metrics in our college physics courses, but they certainly sound impressive!
Split Window Design:
With so much new about the ZR1 Corvette, here's something old: the split window design. While there hasn't been a production Corvette with a split window since the C2 generation, Chevy did preview the throwback look on the Corvette Z06 GT3.R race car. We doubt it does much in terms of real visibility, but it certainly looks great to our eyes.
ZTK Performance Package:
We touched on the ZTK package's added benefits when we
The 2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is a rolling superlative. We could write for days about the groundbreaking claims and impressive figures offered by Chevy. In fact, we have, and you should read all about it here. In addition, we rounded up some of our favorite facts about Chevy's new top dog and listed them below. Enjoy.
215-Plus-MPH Top Speed
Achieving more than 200 mph in any car is no small feat, but according to Chevy, the ZR1's estimated top speed ticks past 215 mph. Stability is paramount to reaching figures in that range. There's a lot more to reaching those speeds safely than simply throwing as much horsepower as you can produce to the drive wheels. If you've ever crossed into triple-digit speeds in an unstable car, then you know what we mean.
In its standard form, the ZR1 comes with a sleek body and low-drag setup. Two spoilers are available: a smaller one that prioritizes top speed, and a giant one for those seeking additional downforce (alas, this comes at the loss of some top-end speed, though Chevy assures us the car will still easily top 200 mph with this more aggressive setup). The front of the car sticks to the road courtesy of a carbon-fiber front splitter and front underwing complete with gurney deflectors. With the Aero package in place—a standard item when ticking off the hardcore ZTK package—the ZR1 generates more than 1200 pounds of downforce at top speed.
New LT7 V-8
Chevy's engineers probably could have slapped a pair of turbochargers on the LT6 5.5-liter V-8 from the Corvette Z06 and called it a day. That would've had them home in time for dinner. Instead, they put their heads down and developed a monster.
The LT7 (that's the new name) adds new head castings with unique ports and a larger combustion chamber. There's an all-new intake system tuned for the twin turbochargers along with additional machining for the head and block to support the engine's greater oil and cooling needs. At 1064 horsepower, the LT7 produces more than twice as much power as the C6-generation Z06's 7.0-liter V-8.
Turbocharged Power
The ZR1 marks the first Corvette ever to leave the Bowling Green assembly plant equipped with a boost gauge in the cockpit. Chevy sent along some pretty hyperbolic-sounding claims about the turbochargers, too. According to the bow-tie brand, the turbochargers reach a temperature equivalent to a space shuttle on re-entry, and the turbines consume enough air to fill an Olympic swimming pool in just four minutes.
Split-Window Design
The ZR1 marks the return of the split-window design, which was last seen on the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray. All right, so Chevy already uses such a setup on the Corvette Z06 GT3.R, but that's a race car, so that doesn't quite count.
Cooling Magic
The hood of the ZR1 features a pass-through that sucks air through a front-mounted intercooler to increase front downforce and cool charged air temperatures. New air ducts on the side of the car funnel air onto the rear brakes to aid in cooling, while coupe models add yet another new set of intakes on the ZR1's hips for additional underhood cooling measures.
ZTK Performance Package
We already touched on the ZTK Performance package when we talked about top speed, but it's worth shining more light on. In addition to the added carbon-fiber aero components, the ZTK package reworks the suspension and uses stiffer springs for track performance. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires are also ditched in favor of the stickier Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2R tires to ensure maximum grip on the track.
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