Corvette ZR1 is Crowned Motor Authority's Best Car to Buy in 2019

The ZR1 Beat Out All Others

Around that special time of the year where the weather is cold and we start realizing that we are going to finally have to break the bank and get that new battery, Motor Authority releases their Best Car to Buy. For 2019, the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 is deemed to be the Motor Authority Best Car to Buy in 2019. A combination of the overwhelming power, on street and on track performance, and everyday usability left Motor Authority with an easy decision.

Photos Courtesy: Motor Authority

Competition Was Not Light

The Motor Authority Best Car competition is not something that they take lightly. Head to head testing seats the best of the best against each other in an on and off track comprehensive comparison. Each vehicle is driven one after another, giving the judges a back to back chance to get hands-on with each car. They then drive them to their absolute limits in a variety of environments, including on and off-track sections, to get an accurate feel for each car.

This year, they brought some difficult competition for the ZR1 to overcome. The final five candidates included vehicles from a range of segments, including the internal combustion engine's arch nemesis, the electric powertrain. The Audi RS5, Ford Mustang GT Performance Pack 2, Jaguar I-Pace, and BMW M5 all showed up to battle for the title but were unable to compete with the best that Chevrolet has to offer.

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

Power Is a Hard Thing to Beat

Power like what the C7 ZR1 has is hard to overcome. The acceleration is comparable to what most will only feel when flying on an airplane. The 755 horsepower and 715 pound-feet of torque from the LT5 (a 6.2l supercharged pushrod V8) can propel you, your passenger, and your 15 cubic feet of luggage from 0-60 mph in 2.85 seconds and onward to 100 mph in 6 seconds flat. If you have space, and more importantly, the courage, the specialized Corvette will easily welcome you into the 200+ mph club. With numbers as massive as these, how can you blame them for choosing anything less?

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

Dressing Above Its Pay Grade

They say to dress for the job you want, and not the one you have. I would say the ZR1 knows how to let the world know who it wants to beat. Its unique front clip has massive intakes to aid in cooling. With 13 separate heat exchangers, the car is essentially a rolling radiator. The body lines that it carries over from the stock C7 are clean and soft, and the ZR1 specific panels are aggressive and easily set it apart from its lower trim lines. The car is obviously a focused machine and it's dressed to take on the cars that far exceed its price.

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

No Slouch on the Track

Dressing for your dream job, however, is only the beginning. In order to be the best, you have to beat the best. There is no denying the power of the car, 0-60 in 2.85 seconds is an impressive figure. But numbers aren’t everything. The car has to be able to take the curves without killing you in the process. And the ZR1 can. With its upgraded suspension, the ZR1 has transformed into even more of a track munching maniac than the Z06. It has a point and shoot front end and a “go” pedal that can bring the rear end around with a twitch of your big toe. The aero clings the car to the pavement in the fast turns and the mechanical grip from 60 years of engineering keeps it planted in the slow parts. The carbon ceramic brakes will rip your face off as you slam from a high speed straight into a tight turn and will not give up as you push them to their thermal limits.

It speaks to you too. It's not a video game car that so many electrically assisted cars have come to be. You can sense the steering, feel the car through your seat and all while hearing an amazing soundtrack from the supercharged LT5. It is every bit the supercar that it aspires to be.

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

Livable Both on and Off Track

Power and on track performance are not always the most difficult part of the build, however. The challenge is making a car that can handle the Nurburgring in record times but can still make it to the corner store to pick up milk without slipping a disc. The C7 is a perfect representation of the comfortable modern road-going sports car, and the ZR1 package does not take away from that. Its practical enough to still appease Chevrolet’s many customers that care very deeply about their on-road comfort, while still being stiff enough to take down cars that are three times its base price.

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

The Price to Match

Price is important when recommending what car to buy. Some customers have the luxury of “price is not a factor”, but most do not. For those of us that still need to keep our receipts, the ZR1 is an amazing value for its MSRP. The car can outperform in its class and beyond. When comparing track times, it is closer to the million dollar machines than its $120,000 price tag suggests. The 212 mph top speed is achievement enough to place the ZR1 in a class way above its price point.

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

Boiling it Down

When it comes down to it, its hard to match a car like the C7 ZR1, especially when taking in all factors. Many cars can specialize and do one thing extremely well, but to be able to multifunction as effectively as the ZR1 can, and still blaze your socks off around a track is something that deserves special attention and is most certainly, the car you should buy in 2019.

>>Join the conversation about the ZR1 right here in Corvette Forum.

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