Nuclear test: Full test of 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 Video

Brute force, a quality we can't help but assign to any car generating 638 horsepower, is by definition anything but subtle. Yet the 2009 Chevy Corvette ZR1 manages at once to be both brutally quick and remarkably mild-mannered. Its quarter-mile acceleration is quicker than any production car we've ever tested, its chassis is benign but highly capable and its carbon-ceramic brakes are mind-bending in their effectiveness. This new Vette offers an unlikely combination of performance and real-world usability that we're proud to experience in an American car.

This combination is as rare as truth in a presidential debate. Honestly, most of the ZR1's competition (think Dodge Viper ACR) or Nissan GT-R)) is less capable and makes a much larger compromise in typical road driving. With the 2009 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 we have a machine that is engaging to drive, capable of making insane numbers on the test track and also a legitimate road car.
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ThierryHenry14 - 10/27/2008 5:13:25 PM

+1 Boost

I think the numbers are impressive, but i just think that they are awefully close to the Z06. I mean, even in this test, it seems that the 0-60 and 1/4 miles arrive in .1 and .2 sec quicker respectively, so for a 30K difference, it just seems questionable as to the value. The top speed, on the other hand, is different, but it is rarely used, if ever (compared to the 0-60 and 1/4 mile).

Not to take anything away from this car, but the numbers are marginally close to the Z06.

chewy - 10/27/2008 6:48:46 PM

+2 Boost

the ZR1 is way better on the track, it traps about 5 miles quicker in the 1/4 mile. as speeds go up you need more horsepower. and the handling is much improved against the Z06

golfer38 - 10/28/2008 11:12:03 AM

+1 Boost

Not only what Chewy said, but also, look what it did at the 'Ring. Its time there was almost as fast as the Zonda F or the MC12. Cars that cost 100's of thousands of dollars more.

ThierryHenry14 - 10/28/2008 3:52:56 PM

+2 Boost

yes, good point.

gooch - 10/28/2008 7:21:04 AM

+2 Boost

Not just the handling, but the accessible performance is better. The Z06 is a wonderful car -- just spooky in certain handling situations, which will slow drivers down on the track. The ZR1 has no vices, and drivers can exploit its higher capabilities even more fully. For me, the Z06 would probably be more than enough car for any situation I can imagine myself in. But if I had the money, I'd get the top dog ZR1.