At this point, we’re not sure if we should even call this a leak, but a carefully calculated publicity stunt to only amplify the hype surrounding the 2019 Corvette ZR1. Ahead of the car’s debut in Dubai on November 12, and following leaked photos from a Car and Driver cover story, the entire article was posted online to Corvette Forum.
The digital magazine pages detail all of the changes the Corvette team made to create the most powerful factory Corvette ever. It starts with the 6.2-liter LT5 V8 engine, a more powerful variant of the LT4 V8 engine found in the Corvette Z06 making 750 horsepower and 680 pound-feet of torque. It features a larger supercharger, which dumps additional exhaust noise through a new patented internal valve. As the exhaust flow grows, the sound does as well.
Other details about the 2019 Corvette ZR1 we learned from the story:
- The ZR1 actually weighs 140 pounds more than the Z06 and shares many of its components.
- A ZTK performance package adds the aggressive aerodynamic components; not all cars will feature the big wing.
- The ZR1 is 2.5 seconds quicker around Virginia International Raceway, per Corvette team testing.
- Rather than go all-out hardcore like the Camaro ZL1 1LE, the team says the ZR1 will be more forgiving and views the Z06 as the most hardcore Corvette still.
We’ll learn all the official details this weekend so stay tuned, but you can read the article in full at the link above.
Comments
Okay, wider tires, a 10-speed auto, and a DSSV suspension would put this on par with the gt3 rs around the ring.
GT2 RS, my bad
I love the corvettes but why would I buy a zr1 and not a z06 if its only about 100 horse power difference. there have to be a lot more than that to make me but it. I’m sure the price will be a lot more than the zo6.
Same reason people buy the Z06 over the Grand Sport
So basically the Camaro ZL1 1LE is still the most raw and satisfying GM product avaialable (ever). In reality, the ZR1 has always been more of a Grand Touring car rather than a raw sports car. GM is keeping true to tradition. The only mistake is using the LT5 moniker in a nin DOHC application.
The ZL1 is not all that raw. It is very similar to the ZR1.
The Z06 more in tune to the coming Z/28 that will be more raw and more of a track car.
I dunno about that. By all measures and reviews, the ZL1 1LE is indeed the Z28 and then some. It’s far more hardcore than the 5th gen Z28, and much faster. It’s also more in spirit with a pure, uncompromising track car as well, vs the C6 Z06.
The ZL1 1LE has a hard mounted spool-valve suspension with multiple ways of adjustment including camber, it only comes in a manual, and it comes standard with dive planes and a big wing. The only way it could be more raw is if they strip the interior like the last Z/28 and install fixed back, non heated/cooled competition seats and use a fixed exhaust instead of the NPP.
“The only mistake is using the LT5 moniker in a nin DOHC application.”
RPO codes are not beholden to the past and can be reused as needed.
Yes I would have saved it but by the time the DOHC comes it may be reused.
In Dubai; will see the best things of ZR1; especially in Aero Terms
Is it just me or does the Corvette team not get it like the Camaro does??
At least they didn’t make the zr1 what the z06 always should have been. Lt5 though?
Everyone knows that Hennessey Performance has a HPE1000 where they modified a LT4 engine with larger supercharger to generate 1,000 horsepower for a Cadillac CTS-V; one wonders whether Chevrolet engineers ever thought of simply licensing the HPE1000 as the engine for the C7 Corvette ZR1.
GM has gotten over 1200 HP from the engines they have been testing. But as we see here they will only use what they can get to the ground.
The C7 was good to handle up to 750 HP per what Tadge started and that is just what they gave it.
Making more power is pointless unless you can use it. Hence the C8 that is coming and will see more power.
Dodge needs big ho numbers to help a very old car remain relevant GM is just going to a new car and does not need the number fluff.
There is nothing a Hennessey has that GM could easily top if they really would want to.
They did alot more than just swap the supercharger. That said Hennessey has proven they can build a reliable, refined, and functional product. Yet there is no reason for GM to liscence from Hennessey what they can easily do themselves.
Something else that comes to mind is whether the LT5 V8 with 750 horsepower with 680 lb-ft of torque will ever be made available as an engine option for the C6 Camaro ZL1 1LE.
We must remember that this was just a special edition that is a send off of the C7.
The C7 is just an extension of the C6 because the mid engine was shelved during the time GM was coming out of Chapter 11 as they had more important things to do.
The C8 was really started long ago and will give the Vette team what have wanted with more central and lower center of mass.
I also expect this engine will be found in the C8 as they seldom into a new engine and platform at the same time. This engine also has room to grow on the LT platform as it will have a more able platform under it.
So please accept this car for what it is. This car was just to give it about all you can give and still make it so you could still drive it daily.
Let’s face it they could have given it a send off like the C3 and just did a collectors edition with some special paint and little more.
Note I suspect the front bumper may have some traits of the C8. It looks similar to the odd nose we saw in the paint shop in KY.
This cars is to celebrate a retirement while the C8 will be where the dawn of a new era. In both cases the Corvette fans win.
The DOHC will come in time. It will not be a Merc engine as GM will need it for all their V8 applications to meet emission in the future. We may even see it in the trucks.
The Corvette people get it and you will see that clearly on the C8.
Spoken from a man that actually knows about GM and the industry well…And actually has some “Inside” information. YOu should be the main writer on this site.
Are you listening, GMI writer(s)???
I hope this isn’t the end of all Front engine Corvettes. I’m all for a mid-engine Vette, but I think it would be stupid to get rid of the front engine car altogether. I’m hoping they keep at least one, maybe 2 front engine cars, add 2 mid engine cars, and in the future, I would love to see the aero-wagon. If GM was smart (debatable), they would increase the starting price of the mid-engine C8 to just under 100K, and keep the front engine car where they are now.
Aren’t all Corvettes front engined?
All present Corvettes are front-mid. If they were front engined they would be absurdly nose-heavy. The C8 will change that to rear-mid.
There is just not enough market to keep it all. You are selling limited use two seat cars here not trucks and GM sells more than nearly all. To split it up would not sell more cars and would kill the car in the end with lower return on investment.
Look for the C8 to come in as a $70k base targa and grow from there.
I expect overlap with a front engine Roadster for a year or two till they come out with a mid engine roadster.
Note we have seen a number of mules and all were hard tops. GM will need a roadster as it accounts for most of the sales and they learned on the targa it was not enough.
That is my guess on what we will see.
Over time we will see this develop.
I would like to see the zr1 wheel and brake packAge offered as a gmpp upgrade for the camaro as well. Also wondering will the lt5 engine be offered in the camaro for the z/28 designed to me more forgiving than the zl1 1le just like the new zr1 is to the corvette. That would be awesome. I would really love to see more things offered for the camaro. Just saying
One last thing to consider is this.
I could see Cadillac doing a small front engine sports car. They would be very competitive with the others from Benz and BMW for a nice drop top GT.
The problem. It’s a super car now is Cadillsc has not earned the image or trust for a mega buck sports car yet.
Earn the trust in a small GT and then build on this.
I love Cadillac but If I had to give money around $200k for such a car it would be more for a McLaren or a little more for a Ferrari.
The ZR1 is 2.5 seconds quicker around Virginia International Raceway, per Corvette team testing; but how fast would a C7 Corvette Z06 be with a similar rear spoiler that would generate more rear down force.
Walter Rohrl, rally ace and general Porsche legend says modern supercars are getting too fast for the Nurburgring.
He goes on to say that the current production car record holder. The 911 GT2 produces up to 416kg of downforce, way more than most supercars. That’s 917.123 lbs.
The C7 ZR1 is said to produce about 950 lbs. of downforce, This is starting to sound interesting.
https://www.drive.com.au/motor-news/porsche-ace-says-modern-cars-are-too-fast-for-the-nurburgring-116310.html?trackLink=articleResults1News