In the midst of the Malaise Era of American automobile performance and design, GM engineers were designing what would become a world-class performance supercar, the Chevy Corvette ZR-1. The Corvette ZR-1 boasted an all-aluminum, 32-valve, DOHC V-8 producing 375 horsepower and 370 pound-feet of torque. The engine was developed by Lotus, while Mercury Marine in Stillwater, Oklahoma, handled the assembly. The ZR-1 could hit sixty miles per hour from a dead stop in just 4.4 seconds, and had a terminal velocity north of 180 miles per hour.
The 4+3 Doug Nash manual that had come in the fourth-generation Chevy Corvette since 1984 was replaced for the 1990 model year in favor of a new six-speed box from ZF. The bodywork was wider from the doors back in order to cover the massive 11-inch wide rear wheels shod in 315/35R17 steamroller Goodyear meats. The Corvette ZR-1 came with a long list of standard equipment that included FX3 Active Ride Control (also developed by Lotus), driver and passenger power leather sport seats, power windows and locks, a low tire pressure warning system, and a Delco-Bose 200-watt AM/FM/CD system. The ZR-1 option package nearly doubled the price of the base Corvette coupe, pushing the sticker price over $60,000.
The Corvette ZR-1 lived up to its King of the Hill nickname, laying down a mid-four-second 0-to-60 time, rocketing through the quarter mile in just 12.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of around 180 mph. The 1990 Corvette ZR-1 was faster to 60 mph than that year’s Ferrari Testarossa, and quicker through the quarter mile than the Lamborghini Diablo.
Our feature Chevy Corvette ZR-1 is an exceptionally low mile example, having registered just 11,778 ticks on the odometer. One of just 3,032 ZR-1s produced for the 1990 model year, it is finished in its factory Bright Red exterior hue over a black leather interior. Alloy wheels show no curb marks or rash. The glossy exterior shows obvious care, as it appears nearly new. The glass is clear, free from nicks or road pepper, and the weatherstrip still looks to be in good nick.
The outside seat bolsters, usually the first part of the interior to show wear from ingress and egress, show little sign of use. Carpets are colorfast, and there are no cracks in the massive expanse of dash. Under the hood, everything appears showroom fresh.
Included in the sale of this Corvette ZR-1 is the original sticker and build sheet. This nearly new Chevy Corvette ZR-1 will be up for grabs at the Mecum Auctions Glendale, Arizona event happening March 16th through the 19th.
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Comments
Truly an awesome car in its day. I wish that the clamshell hood design could have continued through the subsequent generations…would be so nice to be able to get at everything so easily. I suspect that it’s crash-safety related and/or cost-cutting, but still wish it. Since I’m making wishes that will never come true, I might as well wish that round-ish tail lights continued past c6, that the c8 wasn’t so fugly, and that electric cars and COVID did not exist.
Back to relevant commentary, the Lotus-Chevrolet partnership certainly generated a better car…better than each could accomplish on their own…makes we wonder what they could have accomplished working together on the c8…imagine a c8 that looks as good as the Lotus Emira, with z06 Corvette power, manual trans and a removable roof…
Very nice and clean. IMO, the catalyst that set the standard.
Driven a 1990 corvette ZR1 and let me tell you it was a very impressive car for its day couldn’t afford it but i least got the chance to drive a nice machine!
Worked for a GM contract shop way back when.
Had an early unit come in with this engine, BIG cold start problems.
Guys were good at pulling plugs & cleaning them.
Once running..lookout! Was able to go for a short ride as a passenger…impressive acceleration!
Good times…short lived!
These truly were amazing Corvette’s “back in their day”….I say “back in their day” because just a few years later, the 2001 Corvette Z06 with the LS6 engine was actually rated at 10 more horsepower (385 versus 375 horsepower) and it was just the LS Series of engines. Later in 2003 the Z06 would be raised up to 405 horsepower the same as the 1993 ZR-1’s.
I’ve driven them both (currently own a 2001 LS1 Corvette) and it’s interesting how the ZR-1 will give the impression that it’s faster, but in reality, number don’t lie…the C5 Z06’s could quite easily pull away from the Mighty ZR-1’s, except perhaps at top speeds where the ZR-1’s might very well have the edge, but then again, who really drives their Corvette’s “up to it’s top speed” realistically speaking, although there might be some brave souls who’ve done that, I say more power to you!
What’s my point? With somewhat dated technology (by todays standards anyway) a DOHC engine with 16 fuel injectors and a ton of amazing stuff could not actually produce the horsepower and torque needed to outperform a good old “Two Valve” per cylinder later design V8 engine. One other point, these LT5 engines are “expensive” to fix if you break it!
However, with the advent of the up and coming 2023 C8 Z06 with 670 horsepower….well, it goes to prove how far we’ve come in modern DOHC technology, this Corvette will truly be an amazing and marvelous machine and Chevrolet Engine Engineers are to be congratulated, they’ve gone the extra mile and produced a non power added V8 engine that should literally put everyone in the Super Sports Car World on notice! Bravo Chevy, I think you’ve done it again! BRAVO!
Admittedly it is a very nice vehicle. Please don’t shoot me for my next comments but there are a lot of them that were made, and unless there is a sentimental reason to buy it I would not invest in too much money trying to purchase It. Maybe in 50 years or so when there are only a couple dozen left?