Anticipation is building for the debut of the new 2025 Corvette ZR1, set to up the ante with a boosted V8, gobs of power, wild aero enhancements, and all the complementary go-faster bits one would expect of the nameplate. Earlier this month, Chevy teased the new ZR1 with a brief engine sound clip highlighting the twin-turbo power plant revving hard. Now, Chevy has announced the ZR1’s official debut date.
“Save the date: the unthinkable reveals on July 25, 2024,” Chevrolet states. The reference to “the unthinkable” is a continuation from the previous teaser, which declared, “unthinkable speed is coming this summer.” The statement was complemented by a brief six-second video, once again with the ZR1 engine sound playing as the soundtrack and the crossed flag logo prominently pictured, as well as the July 25th debut date.
Of course, the main party piece in the new 2025 ZR1 will be the twin-turbo 5.5L LT7 engine. The LT7 is essentially a boosted variant of the 5.5L V8 LT6 cradled by the C8 Z06, with a pair of turbochargers onboard that increase output to an estimated 850 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque.
In addition to a new engine, the C8 ZR1 will also debut new aero enhancements for the mid-engine Vette, with GM Authority spy photos revealing new hood air ducts, new side intakes, and a positively massive rear spoiler, all of which saw testing at the treacherous Nürburgring racetrack.
The C8 Corvette ZR1 will be the first instance in which the ZR1 moniker has been used in conjunction with the new mid-engine C8 platform. In addition, the new ZR1 will be the first C8 Vette to feature forced induction. All power is expected to reach the rear tires only. As a reminder, the C8 Corvette rides on the Y2 architecture and is assembled exclusively at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky.
For those eager to witness the reveal and stay updated on all things Corvette, be sure to mark your calendars and subscribe to GM Authority for more Corvette ZR1 news, mid-engine Corvette news, Corvette C8 news, Chevy news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
I sure hope I hit the Powerball. I will definetly get one then. LOL.
Can’t wait to pay 100K in dealer ADM or even more on Bring A Trailer! That’s how GM sells all their hot product to loyal customers now right? Nothing better than paying a small fortune to settle for a car that’s “close enough to what I wanted” so some self imposed middleman can play keep away for money! GM voiding the warranty and screwing me a second time in the whole deal is just icing on the cake! Thanks Mary!
This is completely a dealer issue and not a GM issue. There’s only so much GM can legally do to stop dealers from marking up products
It’s easy. Any dealer that sells over MSRP loses the rest of their allocations. Only current or past private Corvette owners (no dealers, no LLCs, no wholesalers) can buy the ZR1. Current long term or multiple C8 owners get priority. Buyer signs a 2 year ownership commitment like Ford does with the GT. If you try to sell before then you get A) sued for breach of contract and B) banned from future halo model purchases. Anyone who buys a car from a scalper within those 2 years also gets blacklisted along with the seller. Lastly, if you have to sell within that 2 years for extenuating circumstances, the dealer you purchased it from gets first right of refusal at MSRP or less.
If GM wanted to monetize the problem for themselves, they could auction off allocations for the first year and let the buyer choose the dealer of their choice for delivery. They do it for early VINs at Barrett Jackson, why not just keep the ball rolling?
If they wanted to solve this problem, they could.
Still not that easy as some of these dealers are high value dealers that move a lot of other models GM needs to sell. While it may be in their right to pull allocations it could hurt them in the long run.
The Corvette is the least of GM’s problems if people are mad they can’t get one easy it just drives up demand in the long term when the prices go back to normal.
Buyers need to understand this is commerce and while it is aggravating it is protected by the law.
Until the government releases the automakers from their deals with dealers this will always be a problem.
The MFGs just can’t afford to buy their way out of the dealer system so they would need to be released by a law or court ruling.
Then the Zora Arrives the ZR1 will decrease in price as the Stingray and the Z06 are now that the ZR has arrived.
What is bottom line cost for a fully loaded ZRI? Where do I purchase? When can I order if not in a dealership?
I have my 2021 plain old nothing C8 and gave up thinking i can have anything else once i get north of 100k for a car, it will be a used Ferrari. Gets way more attention.
The last reason I buy a car is for attention. There will be dealers selling them at MSRP, just like with the ZO6, the problem will be IF the dealer can get an allocation. The first ones should go to dealers who didn’t mark up there ZO6
When GM announces the production date for the 2025 Corvette I hope they include how many Corvettes they will produce for 2025 by model. C8, Z06, E-Ray and ZR 1.
They will never produce those numbers and even if they did, there’s a 99.9% chance they won’t hit them…..
Ah yes, another reveal for an unobtainable/ unaffordable Corvette variant. And on my birthday too!
GM built 6k Z06’s and 2.5K E-Rays in ‘23. At $150k starting price throw in a dealer markup and maybe 1K ZR1 units will be built. Most will be dealer show room queens. $200-$250k per is going to limit sales. You definitely wont see many C8 ZR1’s on the road.
Yet 30k Camaros per year ($1.1B sales in ‘23) for an affordable performance car was deemed unprofitable and cancelled w/o a replacement (that I know of).
Apparently exclusivity is everything today. Producing affordable performance cars no longer applies at GM.
Here’s to another brilliant GM management decision. Unclear what they are thinking/ doing.
I still remember seeing my first 63 split window in Ada, Oklahoma. I was ten years old and hooked on Vettes for life. I’m glad that l had the opportunity to own a C5 and a C7. Looks like being able to afford a ZL1 or a Zora would be as much a dream as the 63 split window.
ICE Hummers were once somewhat affordable, but the EV Hummer isn’t offering anything that the average guy can afford. GM is losing market share everywhere but North America, affordability is going to become an issue soon. Focusing on expensive niche models isn’t worth the investment required unless they offer a less expensive vehicle within the portfolio. Trucks and SUV’s aren’t going to keep GM afloat forever, then what? Fuel mileage is going to become a problem is the near future. South Korean competitors are taking advantage of the lower end, as well as more expensive vehicles like the Genesis. GM must become more competitive across the board, low pricing and basic transportation are going to be where the demand is. Not fast, big $100+ vehicles.
It is disappointing to see an iconic brand disappear. “Chevrolet: The beautiful shape for ’65” and “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet” are distant memories as Chevrolet drives down the same path as Oldsmobile and Pontiac.
Lets Goooooooooooo