When it comes to General Motors, they have always used nothing but the best engineering when it comes to their vehicles, and the Corvette is absolutely no exception. In 1993 General Motors decided to start making two different but similar Corvettes. One Corvette would be the standard version with a standard Corvette motor and for the consumers that wanted a little more GM would build a second Corvette which in years to come would include the ZR1 and the ZO6 or sometimes recognized as the Z-Series Corvette.
Through the years the Z-Series would have a huge impact on the automobile world but none of the Z-series Corvettes would have the type of impact on the automobile industry like the 2009-2013 Corvette ZR1. The introduction of the 2009 ZR1 for the first time ever would take the Corvette from a great American sports car to an international supercar with stats that can compete with cars such as Ferraris, Porches and Lamborghinis.
Motor and Transmission:
The ZR1 sports a slick looking see through carbon fiber hood, something that Corvette has never done in the past. But the real prize is underneath the hood. The ZR1 is powered by a 6.2-liter LS9 aluminum V-8 with a Twin Vortices Series supercharger and an intercooler attached. Hand built in Wixom, Michigan this power-house motor puts out 638 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 604 lb-ft. of torque at 3800 rpm. So how do you control all this power? With a close ratio six-speed manual gear box and a high-capacity high-performance clutch which makes anyone who is sitting in the driver seat feel like their driving a professional racecar.
Stats:
This General Motors’ engine and transmission combination is responsible for the staggering numbers that it lays down at the track. With a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds, 0-100 mph time in 7 seconds, a nothing short of an amazing Quarter-mile time of 11.3 seconds at 131 mph and a top speed of over 200 mph makes this ZR1 the most impressive Corvette that General Motors have ever made.
Frame and Suspension:
The ZR1 comes standard with aluminum frame structure weighing in at a mere 138 pounds. This frame is the exact frame that is used on the C6.R racecar giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 5.2 pounds per horsepower. The aluminum frame rides on a Magnetic Selective Ride Control suspension. The Magnetic Ride Control is the most sophisticated suspension of its kind, it gives the driver the option to choosing between a sport ride control which is ideal for the racetrack and a touring control which is ideal for everyday driving, and the switch between the two options can be made without even leaving the driver seat.
Braking and Tires:
Now, with great power and a great suspension you have to have some way of keeping the tires and wheels in contact with the ground, and in this department GM spares no expense. By using Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires the ZR1 was able to shred off 3 seconds per lap at Virginia international Raceway, which in racing time is a lot.
You also can’t have a vehicle with all that power with the ability to utilize it in the most effective way without having an effective way of stopping it. So GM brings to the table massive Brembo Carbon Ceramic 15 inch front and 15.5 inch back vented cross-drilled rotors that can get as hot as 1000 degrees Celsius before warping. The brake system includes 6-piston front and 4-piston rear calipers and when this system all works together it is capable of the type stopping power that you would need for a 200 mph supercar.
The looks of a supercar:
The ZR1 is a little wider than the average Corvette, this helps with the center of gravity in turn helping it with better cornering when going around the racetrack. The rims are definitely supercar material with 19 inch diameter wheels in the front and 20 inch diameter wheels in the back. The buyer will have the option of the color of the wheels which include: a bright silver coated finish, a deep black coated finish or a chrome finish, all of which looks great depending on the color of the car and the look that the buyer is trying to achieve. And when it comes to exterior colors GM offers nine different colors all of which are in an exotic tint helping give the ZR1 the supercar look that GM is ultimately after.
Interior options for the ZR1:
When it comes to interior, the ZR1 offers an abundance of options and colors. The buyer can request almost everything from the steering wheel to the door panels to be wrapped in rich leather. The buyer also has the option of different model specific badges to be placed about the inside of the vehicle. Power adjustable heated leather seats with microfiber inserts can be purchased for a better day-to-day driving experience. Also, General Motors offers a package called the 3ZR , this package includes a nine speaker Bose system, Bluetooth wireless technology, a head-up display and a Sirius XM satellite radio, all designed for a more convenient and exciting driving experience.
Price tag and Gas mileage:
With supercar looks and supercar power and track times to match, a MSRP price tag of $112,000.00 makes this ZR1 one of the best priced supercars of its kind. The ZR1 also rates very high in gas mileage with a rating of 14 city / 20 highway mpg. For a V-8 power-house this type of gas mileage is extremely good and should be extremely satisfying for consumers especially with the gas prices of today.
The best thing about the ZR1 is that for the first time ever Americans that are in the market for a supercar can now choose from an American built supercar that is placed in a class with some of the best supercars in the world.
