General Motors has officially lifted the veil on the 2025 Corvette ZR1, revealing the fastest and most powerful production Corvette ever made. Specs include four-digit engine output, a top speed over 200 mph, and more than 1,200 pounds of downforce at speed. Look for the new 2025 Corvette ZR1 to roll off the production line next year, with official pricing information expected closer to the start of production.
At the heart of the beast is the new twin-turbocharged 5.5L V8 LT7, a flat-plane crank DOHC powerplant rated at an astounding 1,064 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 828 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm. Based on the LT6 cradled by the C8 Z06, Chevy boasts that the LT7 is the most powerful V8 ever produced in America from an auto manufacturer. All of that power is harnessed by the upgraded eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which features new inner and outer output shaft upgrades, shot-peened gears, a refined final drive, and several other tweaks.
Properly applied, the ZR1 has enough juice to sprint down the quarter mile in less than 10 seconds, with an estimated top speed of 215 mph.
In terms of styling, the new ZR1 incorporates the iconic split rear window design, while offering two aero setups as well. The standard spec is a low-drag arrangement with a carbon fiber splitter, rockers, intakes, and underwing. However, tick the optional ZTK performance package, and you’ll get a high-downforce rear wing, front dive planes, a tall hood Gurney lip, and underbody strakes, all of which significantly enhance the aero grip.
In the corners, there are 20-inch and 21-inch wheels up front and in the rear, respectively. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires provide the stick. Magnetic Ride dampers are outfitted for the suspension, while the ZTK package throws in stiffer springs and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R rubber. For braking, carbon ceramic rotors measuring 15.7 inches in front and 15.4 inches in the rear provide immense stopping power.
The 2025 Corvette ZR1 will be available in both Coupe and Convertible body styles. As is the case for all other C8 variants, the 2025 Corvette ZR1 will be produced at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky.
Per usual, GM Authority will have plenty more to say about the new C8 ZR1, so stay tuned, and in the meantime, subscribe to GM Authority for more mid-engine Corvette news, C8 news, Chevy Corvette news, Chevy news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
No hybrid. Just big snails. Fuel economy must be atrocious. If they are phasing the cams to keep the spool response up, you’re wasting a lot of MEP to keep just your turbo boost up.
The Zora will probably have the hybrid setup.
Years ago, GMA told us that ZR1 will be twin-turbo V8 while the Zora will have the twin turbo 5.5L LT7 from the ZR1 combined with a hybrid.
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2020/04/here-are-all-the-future-corvette-c8-models-variants-exclusive/
Yes, when I’m buying a 1000+ hp car, my very first concern is fuel economy. 🙄🙄🙄
Driven sanely a turbocharged engine can provide increased mileage if fuel is ingested through the turbocharger impeller. As an engineer I helped another engineer decades ago design and install an AiResearch turbocharger on his 1967 V8 Corvette and his first trip to and back from Everett to Winthrop Washington was able to gain an extra 50 miles more from a tank of gasoline than before by adding that turbocharger. His engine used a four-barrel carburetor and had a stick shift transmission. This actually occurred!
DrD
Alex,
Overhead camshafts and multi-valve heads have nothing to do with whether it is a small block or big block. Small block has to do with the ACTUAL SIZE of the engine block and engine bore usually between 262Ci to 400Ci. It’s literally the SIZE of the block. Small blocks have larger bores than their big block counterpart but are much smaller and lighter.
So the 5.5 displacement LT6 engine shares the same actual block (they are interchangeable) with the LT7. Hence, the Gemini program.
Block isn’t interchangeable. There’s no cam bearings/lubrication ports nor lifter bores on the lt6. The bottom end on the LT6 is also unique. The block itself is weaker with thinner walls, and uses a special integrated pan/bottom bearing framework to make up for the lost block strength needed to keep it the same weight as the smaller LT2. Now the LT2/LT1/l86 blocks are interchangeable, with minor, insignificant changes to the LT2 block.
The LT6/7 is “small block” in name only, and is using the small block name to inspire durability that’s was absent in the failed North Star engines.
Originally the distinction between the small/large block lines wasn’t actually displacement, yes some big blocks had bigger displacement, but the blocks were taller for more long stroke truck torque, thicker for more durability and longer as they didn’t have Siamese’d bores for additional cooling and head gasket strength for all day hard labor.
Reality check: you might want to reality check all that. Chevy Small Block has stopped being associated with the size of the block ages ago. There’s nothing “interchangeable” about any of the modern GM Small Block engines in much the same way that no OHV GM engine has any parts interchangeable with the LT6, let alone the LT7.
The reality is simple:
Small Block means push rod / overhead valve.
LT6/LT7/Gemini are DOHCs, and have nothing in common with actual GM Small Blocks
The bore spacing is the same — LT6/7 and OHV Small Blocks.
Hi Chuck,
I don’t know, all the engines on the Chevrolet performance parts website differentiate between small block and big block. If you ask any engine builder, they’ll tell you the definition I mentioned.
Below is from Chevrolet regarding the LT7. Notice they labeled it “Small Block Gemini”.
Notice in the second paragraph in addition to different components they mention “added block and head machining…”
It sounds like they did some different machining but it’s not an all new block. While they are not interchangeable, it is the same architecture and they state it as same engine architecture below.
In short, small blocks are smaller and lighter and big blocks are bigger and heavier in simple terms. In size it’s typically over 400 cubic inches. Since multi-valve engines weren’t around in the 50’s-70’s, it can’t be overhead camshafts and multi-valve heads that define small block.
“As you may remember, the LT6 program was dubbed “Small Block Gemini” and there are several Gemini Easter eggs that can be found on the LT6. But this Gemini engine program was not just for the development of the naturally aspirated LT6. The other goal of the program was to create a turbocharged version using the same architecture. This is the first turbocharged factory Corvette in the 70+ year history of the model. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly went into creating this boosted LT7 engine that is about to take the automotive world by storm.
The LT7 has many features that separate it from its normally aspirated LT6 sibling. Below is a list of these features (courtesy of Chevrolet):
Head castings with unique ports and a larger combustion chamber
Valve train timing and lift profile optimized for forced induction with higher exhaust temp enabling exhaust valves
Completely new intake system tuned for twin turbochargers
CNC machined combustion chamber, exhaust, and intake ports specific to the LT7
Dual, ported shroud, ball bearing, mono-scroll (76 mm) turbochargers integrated with the exhaust manifold to reduce the volume and distance from the exhaust valve to the turbine wheel for quick response with electronic wastegates
Intelligent anti-lag engine calibration techniques specifically for ZR1 that adapt and react to driving style
Added block and head machining to support turbo cooling and oiling
Counterweight changes to account for a unique piston, and unique connecting rod for the crank train
A secondary port fuel injection system added to deliver the needed additional fuel to support the engine’s massive output”
Awesome. Right after I win the PowerBall, this is first on the list.
“They gotta remove Mary Barra immediately!”
Kinda underwhelming! So sick of gm’s reliance on Pikachu styling for every division!
Unfortunately, pretty much a waste of a car. Vast majority of Corvette buyers will never be able to push their base Corvette to the limit. I’m old school. Give me a real sports car Corvette that doesn’t have electronic gismo’s and fat cat luxury features galore that I can race in SCCA or COMA like back in the days of L88 Corvettes. Heck, I don’t even want anti-lock brakes on my dream corvette.
See you when you finally catch up.
Holy Mother of God! I Can’t afford this but I can dream. Still trying to make sense of some of your comments- calling for Mary’s head? WTF! Why? Clearly she “green lighted” this. Greatest Corvette EVER! Go Chevy / Go America.
That’s a typical quote found here by the good ol’ boys club, where they hate to see a female in that job position. They don’t understand how business works too.
Wow, what a car. One of those cars that I think will be talked about for generations. The fact that they were STILL able to do this car in a convertible too is a testament to the level of engineering that’s gone into it.
Love the car especially in hysteria purple. Just need 5 more hp
Yes, the first thing I would do is find a way to make it faster.
You’re missing out the joke
Turbo motors are easy to turn up the wick with some more boost so long as the tuning can be unlocked. That is the one thing us NA guys are jealous of. Might get another 30hp in just tuning on a stock NA motor, but turbo guys can unlock 100hp or more. I remember the ATS-V as an example getting bonker numbers for a turbo 6 that shames us NA V8 guys. At least we have the sound and some more reliability in most cases.
Idk if there is anything left in these turbos. Normally you see a turbo producing 30-40% more power than an NA engine, and you can tune that up to 50-60%. By the looks of that we’re already there. Just the shear fact the CR was dropped from 12.5 to 9.9 😬, what are they running, 50lbs boost!?!?
C&D did an interview with Tadge Juechter. According to Tadge, they are already maximizing the package (at least with what GM feels comfortable with providing a warranty for).
GM gave us an absolute Grand Slam with the new ZR1
Woooooow
That’s a typical quote found here by the good ol’ boys club, where they hate to see a female in that job position. They don’t understand how business works too.
Too cartoony-y looking
Terribly, terribly ugly hood. I’m waiting for a Zora hybrid 2025 with a C7 hood under which a V8 installed. Electric motors in the rear wheels. Additional rear seats from new Corvette Suv. I’ll buy it right away.