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Corvette Chief Engineer Explains Why C8 ZR1 Doesn’t Use Active Aero

The new-for-2025 C8 Corvette ZR1 is nothing short of a performance monster, making a mammoth 1,064 horsepower (probably more) thanks to its mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged 5.5L V8 LT7 gasoline engine. As expected, all that power needs some serious aero to put it to good use at speed, and as such, the ZR1 can generate upwards of 1,200 pounds of downforce to help it stick.

Interestingly, all that downforce is via a static aero setup, which stands in clear contrast to the active aero systems seen across multiple ultra-high-performance applications, including a number of C8 ZR1 rivals. Now, GM Authority has uncovered the reason why the ZR1 doesn’t run active aero.

During an interview with former Corvette Chief Engineer Tadge Juechter (now retired), GM Authority Executive Editor Alex Luft asked about the decision to equip the ZR1 with fixed aero, rather than active aero.

“No active aero, we have fixed aero like you see on [Corvette] race cars,” Juechter told GM Authority. “It’s very, very powerful. The lift to drag ratio is very good.”

Luft went on to ask if active aero was ever a consideration for the team, and according to Juechter, the potential performance benefits of an active system system simply wasn’t seen during development. Rather, an active setup would have simply been for “aesthetic” purposes.

“Almost every active aero system we have actually had the opportunity to test is there to make an aesthetic possible,” Juechter said. “So when the active aero is deployed, it’s both lower drag and more downforce. So because it achieves both, why not just leave it deployed all the time? It’s not like trading one for the other.”

The rear wing on the 2025 C8 Corvette ZR1.

For those buyers looking to extract the most performance possible from their new C8 ZR1, the optional ZTK package is a must, adding in a massive high-downforce rear wing, front dive planes, a tall hood Gurney lip and underbody strakes. Meanwhile, the standard aero setup includes a carbon fiber splitter, rockers, intakes, and underwing.

As is the case for the all C8 Corvette variants, the GM Y2 platform provides the underpinnings, while production takes place at the GM Bowling Green plant in Kentucky.

Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Well in full drag mode it still will do 215. With that added they could get a higher top speed. But more weight and complexity.

    Now will the Zora get it? Who knows but it will get some aero changes from what I have seen.

    Reply
  2. I am not fully buying that. Outside of some hard to automize things like the dive planes on the front and the splitter, the rear wing could have stayed deployed and made active. The rear wings produce the most down force, it could have been adjusted to 3 levels. Track where it is at in a current setting or maybe further up if it helped with downforce. A top speed or mpg cruise level where it is much flatter to decrease drag. Finally, a braking mode above a certain speed where it tilts up to help braking. On the Veyron it produced 840lbs or braking force and an additional 0.6g’s and helped with stability. Active aero most certainly could have helped. Just taking off the rear wing would have pushed up the top speed if it wasn’t gearing or RPM limited. Look at other cars how in top speed mode the wing nearly hides or things like the Koenigsegg where the top speed version removes the rear wing and it picks up a bunch or MPH. I think they just wanted a balance, but being able to adjusted it had to have helped, even just applying it to the exact current setup, there is no way it couldn’t.

    Reply
  3. I want to know how much is the beast going to cost? Do I have to sell an arm and a leg or just an arm?

    Reply

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