Central Valley Corvettes of Fresno - December 2017

That big wing is going to complicate loading and unloading. The ZR1 might be the
ultimate track Corvette, but its creators don’t see it as being the craziest. That title still
belongs to the Z06. Their goal with the ZR1, Juechter says, is “to have the performance
accessible, to have people who are not necessarily professional drivers be able to get
into and experience a 750-hp car and be able to get close to its limits and feel
comfortable doing it.” To that end, the springs, dampers, and electronically controlled
limited-slip differential are all calibrated to be forgiving. Unlike the positively brutal
Camaro ZL1 1LE, the ZR1 is a “have your cake and eat it, too” kind of car, according
to Juechter—a high-powered
grand tourer. It will still be faster
than the Z06, of course.
Chevy’s team uses a different
track configuration than we do
for Lightning Lap but says the
ZR1 laps VIR 2.5 seconds
quicker than a Z06. If we can
replicate that performance on
the longer Grand West Course,
the ZR1 should set a new
Lightning Lap record.
It seems that Chevy is gunning for a sales record with this ZR1 as well. We’ve seen
spy photos of ZR1 convertibles in addition to the coupes, so it appears that this
generation will be available in all the flavors of the regular Corvette lineup. Regardless
of transmission or body style, the ZR1 promises to run away from more expensive
machinery on a racetrack for a fraction of the price. No matter how much the Corvette
might change, that’s one thing that never will.
ARTICLE FROM CAR AND DRIVER DEC 2017 https://www.caranddriver.com/news/2019-chevrolet-corvette-zr1-full-info-on-the-bonkers-755-hp-vette-news