Does Anyone Have A Fresh Pair of Pants? Chevy Prices, Specs Super Corvette ZR1

Justin Berkowitz
by Justin Berkowitz

Chevy has dropped the performance specs for the new ZR1 super Corvette. And for the best model line GM currently has, there's no reason to weave the numbers into sonorous prose. So here we go: 638 horsepower from the supercharged 6.2 liter small block V8; top speed is 205 mph, 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, 0-100 in 7 seconds, seats to wet in 1 second. Oh, and because it is June of 2008, we should mention the fuel economy: 14 city/20 highway. Yup, the ZR1 is so badass that not only will it completely smoke anything else with an MSRP under $100,000 (save Godzilla perhaps), but you'll get 20 mpg highway if you keep your foot off the damn pedal. Which may well be impossible. The Corvette is THE most important car in the GM lineup from an image perspective (it's also arguably the best executed car they offer) and they're damn well right to offer super high performance versions every few years, just to cast a halo on the halo car. Finally, we arrive at today's announced price: a hefty $103,000 + a $10,000 options pack (plus dealer rip-off fees). And that means you can either approach the ZR1 as the deal of the century compared to a Ferrari (which costs more and has even higher dealer rip-off fees), or totally overpriced compared to the $72,000 Corvette Z06. As for me, I'd be happy with a lowly base Corvette and its paltry 430 horsepower.

Justin Berkowitz
Justin Berkowitz

Immensely bored law student. I've also got 3 dogs.

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  • R H R H on Jun 18, 2008

    for $114k, it sounds like a great car compared to other cars with similar specs. For $8K+ taxes, I'll take a year old, new from the dealer, 1000cc sportbike & use the leftovers putting a 40% downpayment on my house. This goes double being married.....My wife thinks my STi is "too fast" and doesn't like to ride in it with me.

  • 200k-min 200k-min on Jun 18, 2008

    Another example of GM wasting their engineering talent on a $100k car while Toyota eats them alive in the $20-30k category. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy driving around in a Corvette just like the next guy, but any High Performance shop can make an existing Vette put up those numbers. And I still argue speed alone is not what sells that car. It's a vanity car - something to be seen in. Everyone from the mid-life-crisis crowd to the retiree with a fat pension has one. Big whoop. Show me a Ferarri and lets talk. On top of that, all the recent Vettes I've been in haven't impressed me that much in terms of fit and finish. It's not like slipping into the luxury and finesse of a Lexus or BMW. Not that it's supposed to be that, but everyone pumps up how great the Corvette is inside & out. I don't see it.

  • Whatdoiknow1 Whatdoiknow1 on Jun 18, 2008
    "If power’s what you’re after, Lingenfelter has an engine package good for 660HP and a more linear torque curve for $10K. Throw in another $10K for upgraded brakes and tires, and I’d happily pit that car against the ZR1 on the Ring for $20K less." ".....but any High Performance shop can make an existing Vette put up those numbers." I have to agree with the above assessements of the ZR1. Calloway, Lingenfelter, and a whole host of other tuners have been turning out High HP vettes since the beginning of time so what is the big deal about Chevy making the equivalent of a Calloway Twin Turbo, or Lingerfelter supercharged Vette? I mean come on Dudes, you guys are acting like you have never seen or heard of a Vette with over 600hp! It really is not that big of a deal. Nissan makes the second comming of the 959, a sports/GT car like nothing we have seen before and folks here want to poo poo all over it. Chevy slaps a superchanger and some other go fast bits on a Vette and folks are ready to wet their pants. Go figure! IMO the ZR1 only serves as a benchmark for the Tuners to beat and with a whooping $50,000 proce differenc ebetween the ZR1 and base Vette there is a LOT of wiggle room here to play with. Viewed from the POV of engineering achivement the ZR1 is not so great. Everything the GM has done a serious tuner can also do. On the other hand there is no way anyone is going to take a 350z or G37 and make it perform anywhere near a GT-R.
  • Ppd710 Ppd710 on Aug 06, 2008

    The only problem is the GT-R is an ugly vehicle and I would not buy it. The Vette is much better looking. I'll go out on a limb and say I would rather have the new Lexus IS_F at 400+ HP and the luxury of having a four door with power. The Pontiac G8 GT is not bad either but it's not in the same realm.

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