The Corvette ZR1 has been proving its mettle in one of the world's most automotively-minded countries: Germany. The fearsome Nurburgring isn't the only test track it's been on recently, though. Chevrolet also took its supercar to ATP's top speed test track.
One of the few places on earth where a car's top speed can truly be tested, Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) has been open for nearly 20 years. The test center is open to all manufacturers and validates top speed records by having cars run with and against the wind on its 12 km (7.5 mile) high-speed oval.
Running with the wind (and without its big rear wing), the ZR1 managed an impressive 214.88 mph and 210.20 mph running against the wind. That averages to a top speed of 212.54 mph.
That puts the 755 hp ZR1 among some very quick company. Faster by a long shot than anything Dodge can muster (Hellcat tops out at 198 mph), the ZR1 is faster than the Porsche 918 Spyder, the V12-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta (211 mph), and the Audi R8 V10 Plus (205 mph).
Although that's not quite as quick as the Ford GT (216 mph), to get anything else that's faster in a straight line, you have to buy it from a very European automaker and write a check with a lot of zeroes in it.
Back at the Nurburgring, meanwhile, we have yet to hear about an official time from Chevy, but initial indications weren't quite as good. While Chevy was supposedly looking to run the 'ring in less than 7 minutes, reports indicated that they only ran a 7:12 earlier in the month-though we don't quite know if they were really running the car ragged.
One of the few places on earth where a car's top speed can truly be tested, Automotive Testing Papenburg (ATP) has been open for nearly 20 years. The test center is open to all manufacturers and validates top speed records by having cars run with and against the wind on its 12 km (7.5 mile) high-speed oval.
Running with the wind (and without its big rear wing), the ZR1 managed an impressive 214.88 mph and 210.20 mph running against the wind. That averages to a top speed of 212.54 mph.
That puts the 755 hp ZR1 among some very quick company. Faster by a long shot than anything Dodge can muster (Hellcat tops out at 198 mph), the ZR1 is faster than the Porsche 918 Spyder, the V12-powered Ferrari F12 Berlinetta (211 mph), and the Audi R8 V10 Plus (205 mph).
Although that's not quite as quick as the Ford GT (216 mph), to get anything else that's faster in a straight line, you have to buy it from a very European automaker and write a check with a lot of zeroes in it.
Back at the Nurburgring, meanwhile, we have yet to hear about an official time from Chevy, but initial indications weren't quite as good. While Chevy was supposedly looking to run the 'ring in less than 7 minutes, reports indicated that they only ran a 7:12 earlier in the month-though we don't quite know if they were really running the car ragged.
