Many times when we are checking out spy photos, we are leaked shots from rural areas and tracks, with camouflage, all sorts of thick tape, and other elements covering up the car. Every once in awhile, a release comes around that is deemed important enough to be given a fully-revealing spotlight early. The all-new for 2019 Chevy Corvette ZR1 was featured on the cover of Car and Driver this past week, and at first glance, it is much more aggressive than the current Z06. It has a very massive hood vent, new bumper, giant rear wing, and side skirts. The last ZR1 produced was 4 years ago, and it cranked out 638 horsepower.
The orange-clad model shown on Car and Driver debuted in Dubai recently, which has definitely become a front-running city for the lavishly tasted, and deeply invested. Back home here in St Louis, drivers will love the added power, optional rear wing, and owning a car with a top speed of more than 210 mph. The new ZR1 is slated to go on sale this spring, with 2-3,000 of them being completed in the first production blast. Diehard fans will be happy to see that the new coupe continues with the GM 6.2-liter pushrod small-block V-8, now billed as the LT5.
The last ZR1 was produced 4 years ago, and it cranked out 638 horsepower. This is over 100 hp shy of what the new model claims: this 2019 is looking at a claimed hp of 750! While we don't know exact details, many hours have been spent engineering and perfecting the cooling functions of the new ZR1, with additional intake space taking up valuable real estate in the front. A few who have test driven this car have said that it is so much more powerful that it makes the Z06 feel sluggish, and all of us here at Jim Butler are excited about the promise of a performance car such as this with updated looks, unprecedented performance, and a change in weight distribution that made the front wheels a half-inch wider, for more stiffness during corners.
Another big difference in the new ZR1 is GM's first dual-injection system. It has primary direct injection, and supplemental port injection, both pairing up to deliver high performance and ability for breathtaking speed. You are still dealing with a seven-speed manual for shifting, but buyers can also have their pick of an automatic for the first time in a ZR1, courtesy of GM's 8-speed, paddle shift system. Motor Trend's Best Driver's Car Testing deemed the carbon ceramic brakes of the Z06 one of the best in the business, and these are the brakes that you'll engage with during slowdown in the 2019 ZR1.
The front end of this new beast is almost all openings, and rumor has it that this is the car on the market with the most carbon fiber to date. It's been exciting to have a front row seat and watch the 'Vette as it goes through its rites of passage, and it's evident that this new model for 2019 is full enough of power and fury, that any track-crazed contender will want to hop avidly on board!
