Hennessey doesn’t do subtle. In fact, subtlety seems to be the Texas-based tuner’s kryptonite. This aversion to disappearing quietly into the night is one reason why it just announced a 1,200-horsepower Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. You’d think the 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque would be enough for Hennessey gear heads, but that’s too plebeian, too subtle, and even a cursory fan of the company should know better.
The 1,200-horsepower Corvette ZR1 is part of Hennessey’s HPE1200 package, which also turns up the torque to 1,066 pound-feet from the ZR1’s supercharged 6.2L LT5 V8 engine. HPE1200 is the ultimate package in a three-package offering, as Hennessey also offers somewhat tamer performance with the HPE850 and HPE1000 packs, which raise horsepower to 850 and 1,000, respectively.
To achieve the tremendous amount of power in the HPE1200 package, Hennessey requires the Corvette ZR1 HP1200 to use race gas. Lower-grade 93 octane gas produces 1,100 horsepower. But race gas isn’t the only thing Hennessey needed for the Corvette to make that many ponies. Other upgrades include a ported factory supercharger, billet high-flow throttle body, upgraded Hennessey lower and upper pulleys, high-flow air induction system, ported cylinder heads, custom HPE camshaft, and much more. What’s more, the eight-speed automatic requires also requires upgrade, but if you opt for the seven-speed manual gearbox, then no transmission upgrade is necessary.
As with any Hennessey package, the Corvette ZR1 HPE1200 comes with Hennessey exterior badging, Hennessey premium(!) floor mats, serial-numbered dash and engine plaques, and a three-year, 36,000-mile warranty along with professional installation and an HPE engine management calibration.
While Hennessey does not provide performance figures for its 1,200-horsepower Corvette ZR1 HPE1200, it does have some numbers for the 1,000 horsepower package. Hennessey says the Corvette ZR1 HPE1000 hits 60 mph, with the optional rear drag radial tire upgrade, in 2.3 seconds, on to a quarter-mile run in 9.4 seconds at 147 mph. Top speed is a claimed 230-plus mph. The extra 100 horsepower for the ZR1 HPE1200 should produce similar, if not slightly better, results. For those interested, pricing and availability information is with Hennessey.
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Extraordinary performance engineering, considering that the engine produces 1,200 HP that is over and above the power(140Hp?) required to drive the blower and other accessories(25 hp?). In other words this engine is stressed to the order of about 1,365 Hp!! Not long ago that was nitro fueled dragster territory.
GM…..Keep this ZR for a few more years………..don’t be STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why? Go buy it now. Sales aren’t very good. It’s gone!
It’s now or never.. every aftermarket tuner has one last chance to make history because in a few months time, the front engine Corvettes will move into history because the mid-engine C8 Corvette is the future as one can almost guess that Hennessey will introduce a 1,200 horsepower C8 Corvette as soon as the cars become available.
The snake oil salesman usually introduces upgrades before the actual car is introduced and then does the R & D on customer cars. That’s been the model from the start.