The 2025 Corvette ZR1 is a true track weapon, throwing down with more than 1,000 horsepower as the fastest, most powerful production Corvette ever made. In conjunction with all the superlatives, the new ZR1 also introduces new body components and new styling, including a new split rear window that gives a nod to the 1963 Corvette C2. However, if you look closely, you’ll find that the ZR1 isn’t the first eighth-generation Corvette to wear the split rear window design, and in fact, GM has been hiding this aero element in plain sight all along.
Placing the 2025 Corvette ZR1 alongside the Corvette Z06 GT3.R race car, we find that both machines present a split rear design that’s pretty much identical. Both designs incorporate a series of vents on either side of the “window,” with a wider set of vents in the middle creating the “split.” There’s also a smaller section of vents at the bottom of the “window.”
For those readers who may be unaware, the Corvette Z06 GT3.R is Chevy‘s turnkey race car, specced out for GT3 racing per FIA regulations. Based on the street-legal Corvette C8 Z06 and developed in collaboration between GM’s Competition Motorsports Engineering and Pratt Miller Engineering, the Z06 GT3.R is eligible for competition in the IMSA WeatherTech Championship, Fanatec GT Challenge, and Intercontinental GT Challenge, and features the naturally aspirated 5.5L V8 LT6 gasoline engine for motivation.
By contrast, the street-legal 2025 Corvette ZR1 features the twin-turbocharged 5.5L V8 LT7, which is based on the LT6, but features a variety of upgrades to up output to more than 1,000 horsepower, chiefly two turbos. Naturally, boost and four-figure output are the sort of things that generate an incredible amount of heat, so it makes sense that GM would turn to its motorsport efforts to keep the LT7 cool.
Indeed, the split window element does exactly that. In an interview with Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter, GM Authority learned that the ZR1’s new split rear window provides roughly 50-percent better cooling than the standard C8 rear window design.
The split rear window isn’t the only new aero element that debuts with the 2025 Corvette ZR1. The C8 ZR1 design also includes new side intakes, integrated brake cooling, a new front underwing with stall gurney deflectors, and a flow-through hood that increases front downforce and cools charge air temps. Step it up to the ZTK package, and the ZR1 will produce 1,200 pounds of downforce at top speed.
As a reminder, all C8 Corvette variants ride on the GM Y2 platform, and each is produced at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky.
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Comments
That thing is just plain Doghouse UGLY‼️‼️😲
The term usually applied to Maxine Waters “FUGLY”, applies here. Too many lines going in too many directions. Probably appeals to all the boy-racers though. Shinoda would have had a cow seeing this !
Nice
Street owners will now encounter even more hindrance to rear vision than even the ’63 coupe produced which is why GM changed it in the subsequent C2 coupe models. Must be an incredible aero low-pressure area on the C8 capable of extracting a lot of CFM to increase cooling by that percentage. Adequate cooling seems to have been an issue to dictate creating the Radiator flow-thru vent which is a good feature. GT3.R remains an “also ran” in IMSA and is routinely defeated by front/mid-engine race cars (Lexus) and gets blown away on the straights. The one event in Detroit where the two cars were competitive, both of them suffered Tranny failures and were DNF’s.
I thought they all come with the camera in the rear view mirror?
I’ve had a 2 LT. hTC , a 3 LZ in a Z06 . HTC and they both had a rear camera. I don’t care for them and choose not to use them. I use the side mirrors a lot. I don’t care for the whole look of the rear hatch that they show. Maybe all black would be better. Looks like a cheap add on with the color and dark vents on the sides. I’m sure they need to be there for function . I’m thinking the HTC may have the whole rear deck as a heat extraction vent. They also could have ran an extraction vent out the rear bumper but would have interfered with the only trunk they have left. Don’t really need a rear window. You have a camera !
Sounds like a couple of guys who can’t afford one taking out there midlife frustrations. I feel bad for you both and your families
Feel bad for you and your personal insults since you have your taste for car design in your nasty mouth. Not hard to figure who you vote for !