Motortrend Review: 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by Cphelps

Great review. A Corvette review where the interior is only mentioned once and it is in a positive way?! I've died and gone to heaven. Great to see MT getting more impressive times out of the ZR1. I'm also impressed with the breaking as everyone said, however it is good that a professional driver found the car nice and stable at 200mph, since high speed stability has always been less than a strong suit for stock Corvettes, glad to see those new aero bits are helping.

Re the interior, the Ferrari's etc of the world will be needing their luxury interiors now, they have to have something to enjoy now that they have to follow a lowly Corvette around the track all day

I wonder if any of the auto mags will try and get time at Talladega, that should be about one of the best tracks to do a high speed test run... though bump drafting might not be a good idea . Maybe call in some of the Corvette Racing Team drivers and run it with a C6R for a real comparison.

[Hunid Racks]

Originally Posted by jbernie

I wonder if any of the auto mags will try and get time at Talladega, that should be about one of the best tracks to do a high speed test run... though bump drafting might not be a good idea . Maybe call in some of the Corvette Racing Team drivers and run it with a C6R for a real comparison.

It has happened before....

Put a ZR1 on the track as "pace car" for a NA$CAR race and it would be fully capable of lapping the entire field.

[pgill00]

Originally Posted by ogg vorbis

how does gm follow this up?

Add 15 mpg to the regular 'vette without increasing the price or deleting any performance. That was an easy one.

[Htay7500]

Thumbs up to the zr1 and the whole corvette line-up. the zr1 is officially my favorite over the 911 gt2 and gtr.

[JeffInDFW]

A few comments:

1. The ZR1 will launch better than the Z06 because the ZR1 has adjustable magnetic shocks which can go full soft on the launch which allows the rearend of the car to squat for excellent weight transfer. When it hits full squat, the shocks then hold it there.

2. Talladega is a much smaller oval than what was being used here. The Chrysler oval is 5 miles around, and a true oval, not a tri-oval. As stated earlier, there is GM video available on YouTube showing the ZR1 doing a top speed run with two people in the car.

3. The magazines test cars on a regular surface. At a drag strip, the starting line is treated with VHT which makes it stickier, and the car has rollout because of the staging lights. Without a doubt, this car will run into the 10's BONE STOCK. The problem is, when you run 11.99 or faster, they require you to install a "roll bar" along with a driver side side bar. Once you hit 10.99, isn't that the big breaking point where they require a full cage?! And a tranny blanket?? I honestly don't remember. I just think it is a shame when you can not take your bone stock car to the drag strip for Friday Street Night. It pushes people out onto the street instead.

[jbernie]

Originally Posted by JeffInDFW

2. Talladega is a much smaller oval than what was being used here. The Chrysler oval is 5 miles around, and a true oval, not a tri-oval. As stated earlier, there is GM video available on YouTube showing the ZR1 doing a top speed run with two people in the car.

Was thinking 'Dega as it is very smoothe unlike turn 3 or was it 4 in the review with the "bump" and given how the Nascar guys get up around the low 190s for the qualifying lap the ZR1 should be able to go around without lifting up and then needing to accelerate again. I'm sure a good number of Chevy Nascar guys would be willing to help them.

[Gm786]

WOW! I wasn't really expecting Motor Trend to get the 0-60 time down that low for the new ZR1. I wonder if any other automotive magazine will be able to get it's 0-60 time lower than 3.3 seconds? Either way the ZR1 smacks it's competition such as the Enzo Ferrari although a great super car and the Porsche 911 GT2 or whatever else in the face. By the way, a quarter mile time of 11.2 seconds is freaking fast for a VETTE! Overall the new ZR1 is the absolute best SUPER CAR for the money. Nobody can deny that!

[Sinner]

Originally Posted by JeffInDFW

3. The magazines test cars on a regular surface. At a drag strip, the starting line is treated with VHT which makes it stickier, and the car has rollout because of the staging lights. Without a doubt, this car will run into the 10's BONE STOCK. The problem is, when you run 11.99 or faster, they require you to install a "roll bar" along with a driver side side bar. Once you hit 10.99, isn't that the big breaking point where they require a full cage?! And a tranny blanket?? I honestly don't remember. I just think it is a shame when you can not take your bone stock car to the drag strip for Friday Street Night. It pushes people out onto the street instead.

I may be wrong but I don't believe the rules apply to stock cars, only those that have been modified.

Ranger went into the 10's in a bone stock Z06, I want to see what he could do with a ZR1, low 10's on street tires and probably tickle 9's on drag radials.

[regfootball]

un freaking real.

OMG and now gas is 2.49 again even.

base corvettes rock, this thing is amazing.

[Cphelps]

Originally Posted by Sinner

I may be wrong but I don't believe the rules apply to stock cars, only those that have been modified.

Ranger went into the 10's in a bone stock Z06, I want to see what he could do with a ZR1, low 10's on street tires and probably tickle 9's on drag radials.

It does indeed affect stock cars, a lot of people with C6 Z06s have run into this. I believe some people, including Ranger have encountered some hostility at their tracks for running fast. Generally they get around this by going to track rentals, where a few people rent out the track and the rules can sometimes be more lax.

[Gm786]

Originally Posted by regfootball

un freaking real.

OMG and now gas is 2.49 again even.

base corvettes rock, this thing is amazing.

For regular it's about $2 flat a gallon at the Costco nearest to where I live. I'll take a Chevy Corvette over any other performance car any day. Vette= BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK.